The Development Of The Archaeological Cultures In Mongolian Plateau From The 3^rd To The 1^st Millennia B.C.

Mongolian plateau is located in the heartland of eastern Eurasian steppe.From the 3^rdto the 1^stmillennia B.C.,the stone monument was the most typical cultural remains of Mongolia,which was hard to be dating because the less culture relics yielded.Recently,archaeological investigations and excavations have accumulated abundant materials of relevant stone monument,which provided a new opportunity to argue the process of culture development,people communication and cultural interflow among Mongolia,Siberia and Northern China.At the basis of these works,the author moved on to analysis the regional systems and development processes of the archaeological cultures of Mongolian plateau.In the first chapter,the author reviewed the history of archaeological findings and researches of relevant stone monuments,briefly stated the issue of standards,and classified 8 kind of stone kurgans which were both made up of fences and mounds afresh.In the second chapter,firstly,the author divided Mongolian plateau into four cultural regions,including Mongolian Altai,northern and central Mongolia,eastern Mongolian steppe and Gobi Desert.Secondly,the author researched 10 archaeological cultures in these four regions,including Afanasyevo Culture（3000-2500 B.C.）,Chemurchek Culture（2600-1800 B.C.）,Khundii-Govi Type（2500-2000 B.C.）,Munkh-Khairkhan Culture（1800-1400 B.C.）,Khirigsuurs and Deer Stones Culture（1400-800 B.C.）,Ulaanzuukh Culture（1500-1300 B.C.）,Tevsh Culture（1300-800 B.C.）,Slab Burials Culture（1100-300 B.C.）,Chandman Culture（600-300 B.C.）and Pazyryk Culture（400-200 B.C.）.Finally,at the basis of these works,the author concluded the regional systems and cultural types of archaeological remains of Mongolian plateau during the 3^rdto the 1^stmillennia B.C.,which could be divided into three stages of development.In the third chapter,the author discussed the process of culture development and people communication in these three stage.In the fist stage（3000-1800 B.C.）,Afanasyevo Culture and Chemurchek Culture successively brought some new cultural elements such as“stone Kurgans”and“stone statues”into Mongolian plateau,which opened the early Metal Age of this region.In the second stage（1800-800 B.C.）,Munkh-Khairkhan Culture and Khirigsuurs and Deer Stones Culture developed in succession in central and western Mongolia,and entered the flourishing period around1000 B.C.,forming the cultural relics featuring sacrificial horse’s head and deer stones.At the same time,Ulaanzuukh Culture,Tevsh Culture and Slab Burials Culture developed in succession in eastern Mongolian steppe and Gobi Desert.In the third stage（800-300 B.C.）,Slab Burials Culture gradually replaced Khirigsuurs and Deer Stones Culture and Tevsh Culture,unified most regions of Mongolia plateau and maintained close cultural communication with northern China,laying the foundation for the Xiongnu confederation after 300 B.C..