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Abstract

Archaeolinguistics, a field which combines language reconstruction and archaeology as a source of information on human prehistory, has much to offer to deepen our understanding of the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Northeast Asia. So far, integrated comparative analyses of words and tools for textile production are completely lacking for the Northeast Asian Neolithic and Bronze Age. To remedy this situation, here we integrate linguistic and archaeological evidence of textile production, with the aim of shedding light on ancient population movements in Northeast China, the Russian Far East, Korea and Japan. We show that the transition to more sophisticated textile technology in these regions can be associated not only with the adoption of millet agriculture but also with the spread of the languages of the so-called 'Transeurasian' family. In this way, our research provides indirect support for the Language/Farming Dispersal Hypothesis, which posits that language expansion from the Neolithic onwards was often associated with agricultural colonization.

Keywords: Archaeolinguistics; Language/Farming Dispersal Hypothesis; Northeast Asia; Transeurasian language family; textile technology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare none.

Figures

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Graphical abstract
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The distribution and classification of the Transeurasian languages.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Location of the archaeological sites reviewed in this study: 1, Xinglongwa (6400–5200 BCE); 2, Zhaobaogou (5400–4500 BCE); 3, Baiyinchanghan II (5400–4500 BCE); 4, Xinle (5500–4800 BCE); 5, Jiefangyingzi (4500–3000 BCE); 6, Weijiawopu (4500–4000 BCE); 7, Niuheliang (4500–3000 BCE); 8, Haminmangha (4000–3000 BCE); 9, Zuojiashan (3000–2600 BCE); 10, Lower Yinggeling (2000 BCE); 11, Siny Gai A lower layer (ca. 2000–1300 BCE); 12, Bogolyubovka–1 (ca. 1900 BCE); 13, Sheklyaevo 7 Upper Zaisanovka horizon (ca. 2000–1300 BCE); 14, Valentin Peresheek (2600–1900 BCE); 15, Sŏp'ohang (ca. 3000 BCE); 16, Nongpodong (ca. 3000 BCE); 17, Xiaozhushan III (4500–3300 BCE); 18, Lower Houwa (4350–3000 BCE); 19, Sinam-li (ca. 3000 BCE); 20, Upper Kungsan-li (3100 BCE); 21, Jungsandong (2250–2140 BCE); 22, Amsadong (4230–1430 BCE); 23, Osan-li (5050–2230 BCE); 24, Pangokdong (2300–1500 BCE); 25, Pibong-li (5010–3050 BCE); 26, Tongsamdong (4740–1800 BCE); 27, Sasai (ca. 800 BCE); 28, Nabatake (ca. 900–400 BC); 29, Yoshinogari (ca. 500 BC–AD 300); 30, Karako-Kagi (ca. 500 BC–AD 300); 31, Shimonagata B (300BCE–300AD); 32, Ikegami (ca. 400 BC–AD100); 33, Shiraiwa (ca. 300 BCE); 34, Youkaijichikata (ca. 300 BCE).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Comparison of spinning and weaving technology in Neolithic and Bronze Age Northeast Asia. (a) Conical ceramic spindle whorls: 1–4, Hongshan, Wengniute Banner, Inner Mongolia (http://blog.sina.cn); 5–6, Zaisanovskaya, Lower Siniy Gai A, southern Primorye (Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of Far Eastern Federal University); 7–8, Zaisanovskaya, Valentin Peresheek, southern part of Primorye (Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of Peoples of Far East); 9, Early Chulmun, Osan-li, Korea (Chuncheon National Museum); 10, Middle Chulmun, Hasidong, Korea (Chuncheon National Museum); 11, Late Chulmun, Bangokdong, Korea (Chuncheon National Museum); 12, Late Chulmun, Wonsudae, Korea (National Museum of Korea). (b) Disk-like whorls: 13, Xinglongwa (Schelach and Teng , p. 44); 14, Zhaobaogou; Aohan Banner (Aohan Zhaobaogou, Xinshiqi Shidai Juluo 1997, Fig. 35); 15, Hongshan, Wengniute Banner, Inner Mongolia (http://blog.sina.cn); 16, Zaisanovka, Lower Siny Gai A, southern part of Primorye (Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of Far Eastern Federal University); 17, Early–Middle Chulmun, Amsadong, Seoul (National Museum of Korea); 18, Yayoi, Shimonagata B, Japan; 19, Yayoi, Karako-Kagi (http://www.town.tawaramoto.nara.jp/karako_kagi/museum/syoukai/search/2/yayoinowaza/oruamuwaza/oruwaza/bosuisha/7569.html). (c) Loom weights: 20, Xinglongwa (Wu and Liu 2003); 21, Hongshan, Wengniute Banner, Inner Mongolia (http://blog.sina.cn); 22–23, Zaisanovskaya, Lower Siniy Gai A, southern part of Primorye (Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography of Far Eastern Federal University).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
The dispersal of textile technology, agriculture and language across Northeast Asia. The numbers correspond to the sites, listed in Figure 2. Archaeological sites where (bi)conical whorls have been recovered in relatively high proportions are indicated in blue.
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