Archéologie du Xinjiang des origines aux Han. IIème partie.

Many of the protohistoric remains in Xinjiang have recently been attributed to the Iron Age, despite the scarcity of iron artefacts from that region. These remains are assigned to several cultural assemblages dated between 990 B.C. and the beginning of the Christian era. In some cases they have been linked to ethnic groups such as the Jushi, the Saka or the Wusun mentioned in the texts. The gradual decline of the tradition of hand-made ceramics were accompanied by the appearance of wheeled turned pottery. Parallels are found in Central Asia (Kazakhstan in particular) during the period when the mounted horse may have first appeared. Among several problems the question of the origins of metallurgy is discussed. New systems were introduced while contacts with Han China were intensified.