Abstract
Lajia Site, located near the upper reaches of the Yellow River and the border of Qinghai Province and Gansu Province, is a large-scale site of the Qijia Culture. In 2000 and 2001, archaeologists excavated an unusual scene of prehistoric dramatic and miserable disasters. Lots of geologic-geographic evidences revealed that the Lajia Site was ruined by coinstantaneous disasters, mainly floods from the Yellow River and earthquakes, accompanying mountainous torrents. Study on these disasters and their driven forces could provide us not only the knowledge on the palaeoenvironment of the area, but also offer us a valuable site to assess the influence of the natural disasters on human civilization development.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kerr, R. A., Avictim of the Black Sea flood found, Science, 2000, 289: 2021–22.
Richard, S., Researcher ready for the plunge into deep water, Science, 1999, 283: 929.
Kerr, R. A., Black Sea deluge may have helped spread farming, Science, 1998, 279: 1132.
Sandweiss, D. H., Maasch, K. A., Anderson, D. G., Transitions in the Mid-Holocene, Science, 1999, 283: 499.
O’connor, J. E., Ely, L. L., Wohl, E. E. et al., 4500-year record of large floods on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Jour. Geology, 1994, 102: 1–9.
Ely, L. L., Enzel, Y., Baker, V. R. et al., A 5000-Year record of Extreme floods and climate Change in the Southwestern United States, Science, 1993, 262: 410–412.
Yuan Guangkuo, A study on the Longshan Culture remains at Meng County, Archaeology (in Chinese), 2000, 3: 39–44.
Zhu Cheng, Yu Shiyong, Lu Chuncheng, The study of Holocene environment archaeology and extreme flood disaster in the Three Gorges of Changjiang River and The Jianghan Plain, Acta Geographica Sinica (in Chinese), 1997, 52(3): 268–276.
Chen Zhongyuan, Hong Xueqing, Li Shan et al., Environmental archaeology in Taihu Lake area, Acta Geographic Sinica (in Chinese), 1997, 52(2): 131–137.
Zhu Cheng, Song Jian, You Kunyuan et al., Researching the reason why the culture is interrupted at Maqiao Site, Shanghai, Chinese Science Bulletin (in Chinese), 1996, 41(2): 48–152.
Xu Jinghua, Climate, hunger, and mass migration, Science in China, Ser. D, 1998, 42(5): 449–472.
Xia Zhengkai, Chen Fuyou, Yue Shengyang, Discovery and significance of the buried ancient trees in the Peking University campus, Acta Scientiarum University Pekinensis (in Chinese), 2002, 38(2): 225–229.
Yu Weichao, The mystery of decline of Liangzhu and Longshan Culture, Cultural Relics World (in Chinese), 1992, (3): 9–11.
Weiss, H., Courty, M. A., Wetterstrom, W. et al., The genesis and collapse of third millennium North Mesopotamian civilization, Science, 1993, 261: 995–1004.
I A, CASS, Qinghai Provincial Institute of Cultural Relies and Archaeology. Excavation on the Lajia Site at Minhe County, in 2000, Archaeology (in Chinese), 2002(7): 12–25.
Xia Nai, Carban-14 and Chinese prehistory, Archaeology (in Chinese), 1977(4): 217–232.
IA, CASS, Archaeological Excavation and Researches in New China (in Chinese), Beijing: Cultural Relics Publishing House, 1984, 118–125.
Reading, H. G., Sedimentary Environments and Facies, Oxford London Edinburgh Melbourne: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1978, 15–60.
Yang Dayuan, Yu Ge, Xie Yubo et al., Sedimentary records of large Holocene floods from the middle reaches of Yellow River, China, Geomorphology, 2000, 3: 73–88.
Bureau of National Cultural Relics, Atlas of Chinese Cultural Relics (Qinghai) (in Chinese), Beijing: China Cartographic Publishing House, 1996, 18–23.
Reineck, H. E., Singh, I. B., Depositional Sedimentary Environments, Berlin. Heidelberg. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1980, 257–314.
Wang Jiming, Theory of Ground Fissures Hazards and its Application (in Chinese), Xi’an: Shaanxi Science and Technology Publishing House, 2000, 66–84.
Allent, C. R. Active Tectonic System (in Chinese), Chengdu: Sichuan Science and Technology Publishing House, 1989, 174–180
Shi Yafeng, Kong Zhaochen, Wang Sumin et al., Basic Features of climatesc and Environments during Holocene Megathemal, The Climates and Environments of Holocene Megathermal in China (ed. Shi Yafeng) (in Chinese), Beijing: China Ocean Press, 1992, 1–18.
Zhu Kezhen, The preliminary study on the climate change over the past 5000 years in China, Chinese Journal of Archaeology (in Chinese), 1979(1): 5–38.
Yao Tandong, Thompson, L. G., The temperature change in the past 5000 years recorded by the Dunde ice core, Science in China, Ser. B (in Chinese), 1992(10): 1089–1093.
Hong Yetang, Jian Hongpo, Tao Faxiang et al., The temperature records over the past 5000 years from the Jingchuan peats, Science in China, Ser. B (in Chinese), 1997, 27(6): 525–530.
Wang Shouchun, Archeology and the Documents about Climate change in Yellow River Basin, Climates and Environments of Holocene Megathermal in China (ed. Shi Yafeng) (in Chinese), Beijing: China Ocean Press, 1992, 175–184.
Jin Guiyun, Liu Tongtseng. Mid-Holocene climate change in North China and the effect on cultural development, Chinese Science Bulletin, 2002, 47(5): 408–413.
Hou Yongjian, Zhu Yizhi, Important climatic Events showed by historical records from middle and lower reach plain of the Yellow River during 5–2.7 ka and their environmental significance, Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology (in Chinese), 2000, 20(4): 23–29.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, X., Xia, Z. & Ye, M. Prehistoric disasters at Lajia Site, Qinghai, China. Chin.Sci.Bull. 48, 1877–1881 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03184071
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03184071