UDC 631.417.1 (487)
Prudnikova T.N. Features Of Agricultural Objects Of Arid Territories Of North-Western Mongolia And Border Regions Of Tuva // Arid Ecosystems. 2022. Vol. 28. № 4 (93). P. 140-152. | PDF
The author’s long-term research has made it possible to attribute the traditionally pastoral arid territories of Central Asia to the areas of agriculture that was widely developed in the past.
On the territory of Central Mongolia, Tuva, numerous traces of the settled agricultural population are known – for example, the ancient settlements of the early Middle Ages.
The Ubsunur basin with scattered sands and its main watercourse, the valley of the Tes-Khem River, located in the north-west of Mongolia, were not specifically considered earlier from the point of view of the presence of ancient agriculture there.
Nevertheless, the author found traces of a real agricultural civilization on the designated territory. A variety of the irrigation systems, traces of ancient settlements and settlements, features of ancient agricultural landscapes suggest conducting full-fledged studies of the ancient history of that region, studying the consequences of anthropogenic impact on the environment.
The proposed article presents individual agricultural objects, the features of which are of great interest for understanding the history of the development of human civilization both on the territory of the Ubsunur basin, the basin of the Teshem River, and Central Asia as a whole. The work is based on the interpretation of satellite images (Google resources, free access), landscape observations, the use of geological, geographical, archaeological, historical methods, toponymy, complex soil studies. Paleogeographic characteristics are presented on the basis of carpological analyses.
Powerful anthropogenic impact on the environment (deforestation, use of agro-irrigation landscapes for pastures with subsequent overgrazing) it contributed to the degradation of soils, the lowering of groundwater, the formation of desolate landscapes, the extinction of agriculture.
The comprehensive studies of ancient agriculture developed by the author lay the foundations for landscape archaeology of arid territories of Central Asia.
The objects for research are agricultural settlements and irrigation systems in the upper reaches of the Tes-Khem River valley (Mongolia), confined to the zones of young tectonic faults, the field of development of Cenozoic basaltoids, on the absolute altitude about 1700 m, as well as a settlement in its lower reaches, consisting, according to decoding, of small clay structures, not affected by later anthropogenic impact (Mongolia). The study of land plots in the lake area is very informative. Shara-Nur (Ubsunur basin, Tuva), confined to low-lying peat bogs and torn-off soils. Wheat grains were previously found in similar torn-off soils on the territory of neighboring Mongolia.
Powerful anthropogenic impact on the environment (deforestation, use of agro-irrigation landscapes for pastures with subsequent overgrazing) it contributed to the degradation of soils, the lowering of groundwater, the formation of desolate landscapes, the extinction of agriculture.
The comprehensive studies of ancient agriculture developed by the author lay the foundations for landscape archaeology of arid territories of Central Asia.
Keywords: North-Western Mongolia, Ubsunur basin, ancient agricultural objects, traces of settlements, land plots, irrigation canals, Tsetserleg, Shara-Nur, Tes-Khem, Cenozoic volcanism.
DOI:10.24412/1993-3916-2022-4-140-152
EDN:HKTOUP