Investigations Of Earrings From The Bronze Age To The Early Iron Age In Xinjiang

Xinjiang has been the important place where different cultures met and exchanged. Shown by archeology data, Eastern and Western cultures interacted with each other for a very long time. This paper did some archeological research on earrings from the Bronze Age to the early Iron Age unearthed in recent several decades.There were six chapters. The first chapter was the preface. On the one hand, it introduced the physical geography environment and the archaeological work in Xinjiang. On the other hand, it comprehensively introduced the divide of the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age as well as the archaeological culture studies in Xinjiang. It also introduced the history that earrings discovered and studied in Xinjiang. In second chapter, Xinjiang was divided into several small regions. It introduced the discovery of the earrings and their age. According to their age, they were divided into three periods:the first period was from19th to13th century; the second period was from13th to5th century; the third period was from5th to1st century. The third chapter discussed the types of earrings. The122pieces earrings in archeological statistics were divided into four types:bronze, gold, silver and iron materials; and three patterns:single ring, dual ring and ear drop. The first period was the single ring pattern and was rare. The second period had three patterns of earrings. The third period was composited ear drop pattern whose patterns became complex. As to materials, the first period was mainly the bronze material. The second period has more silver and gold materials. The third chapter was mainly gold material. Meanwhile, it discussed the relationship between the patterns and the regions. The fourth chapter investigated the habits of wearing earrings and its combination with other burial objects. This paper believed that females generally wore earrings in one ear or in both. The females who wore earrings in both ears were usually the aged ones. The males who wore earrings were rich people with many burial objects. They generally wore one earring in left ear. Sometimes, the males with many burial objects wore earrings in both ears, or two earrings in right ear. The second burial with many people was popular in Chawuhu culture. It was difficult to study the habit of wearing earrings, but it was obvious that wearing earring in one ear was prevalent in this culture. Especially, in family burial, only one person wore the earring. The fifth chapter studied the culture exchange of earring from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in Xinjiang. It was found that horn-shape earrings in Andronovo culture were brought to Tashkurgan and almond-shape earrings in Siba culture were brought to the eastern region of Xinjiang. The discovery of earrings displayed that the Bronze cultures in the Europe were interrelated with the one in Asia grassland and Xinjiang was the relay place of culture exchange. The sixth chapter was the epilogue.Earring was the small type in accessories, but it had the abundant historical cultures and deserves our attention. This paper was themed by the earrings from the Bronze Age to the early Iron Age in Xinjiang and discussed the culture exchange in East and West. Please point out the mistakes so that it can be corrected.