The Nomadic Culture of the Steppes

ASIA IN ANCIENT TIMES HIST 1301 | History The Nomadic Culture of the Steppes The immense grasslands, mountains, and deserts that make up the eastern part of the Eurasian Steppe—also known as the Inner Asian Steppe—are no longer suited for cultivation and are only sporadically inhabited. Climate change has affected its past significantly. Rainfall in Mongolia's grasslands previously allowed herds of pasturing sheep, camels, goats, and horses. However, during colder months, the grasslands might diminish, causing the nomads to move about in quest of fresh pastures. Droughts may also force them to resort to extreme tactics. When neighbouring cultures refused to trade, the nomads would frequently be forced to plunder towns and fields in order to subsist. Researchers now believe that many of the local population was compelled to switch from agricultural to herding animals as the environment began to cool and dry about 1500 BCE. But grazing animals needed nomadic human settlements that could quickly locate fresh pastures and keep their herds safe from scavengers. People had to adjust culturally when they learned how to ride horses because they had to take care of their animals. Many of the Inner Asian Steppe's population were livestock herders, who produced goods from animal flesh and furs that could be exchanged in farming communities. They also consumed a lot of meat and dairy products. Some of them, like the Jie, could have even spoken IndoEuropean dialects, but most of them spoke Turkic or Mongolic, languages unrelated to Chinese. The peoples of the steppes were in continual touch with agrarian civilizations like the Chinese, who frequently viewed the nomads and their herds as a plague and threat to their own livelihoods due to the limitations placed on pastoralism by a changing environment. However, the ethnic and ancestral boundaries dividing Asia's nomads from their neighbours were pliable, despite centuries of attempts by Chinese and Koreans to build physical and cultural barriers between their civilizations and the "foreign" populations on the steppes. The chieftains of the steppe peoples gave their devoted followers prizes from their raids, like silk, lacquerware, grain, and war captives. These supporters then gave their leaders new titles, like chanyu or khan, which denoted a supreme leader with claims to both spiritual and military supremacy. In an era of cavalry warfare, the khans' authority over thousands of horses contributed to their increased power. The Silk Roads, a network of trade routes that carried upscale commodities to and from China and other regions of central Asia, India, and the Middle East, were ruled by tribal confederations residing on the steppes. Manufactured and luxury commodities held great material, social, and political importance in a nomadic culture. For example, nomads loved silk because it was silky and perfect for lining mattresses, and it was light enough to wear during the hot summer months. Strong generals and khans gathered vast amounts of the cloth and used it as a symbol of their authority. This also applied to other luxury items like wine. The majority of Asia's nomadic peoples were either tiny family units or clans, which were made up of numerous households that shared an encampment and engaged in joint hunting and herding. Loyalty to a leader chosen for his skill as a horseback warrior bound clans together. On the other hand, the steppe communities were more egalitarian than many other ancient cultures. The disparities in status and roles between men and women were less pronounced than in urban areas or rural communities. Female bones from the Xiongnu, Xianbei, and Turkic peoples of the steppes have recently been discovered archaeologically. These finds provide proof that women were skilled in combat sports like archery and horseback riding. They probably served as the historical foundation for folktales that first circulated in Chinese culture in the sixth century, stories about mythical female warriors like Mulan. The accumulation of riches and its presentation in dress and building were constrained by mobile lives, which may also account for the lower prevalence of writing script development. On the other hand, it was also true that the majority of Inner Asian Steppe tribes were quick to adopt ideas, products, and technology from nearby civilizations. The steppe peoples made substantial military advances over their neighbours by domesticating horses, a move they considered a pioneering achievement. People started both hunting and riding horses at a young age, and both pastimes gave them the martial arts training they required for battle. Hunting was a fundamental aspect of nomadic culture and the focal point of ceremonies that denoted social advancement from infant to adulthood or from the lowest echelons of society to the highest levels. The steppes, which touched both Europe and Asia, served as a bridge over which innovations like the chariot and horse warfare gradually extended throughout the remainder of Asia. In response, the emergence of confederations that posed a potent military threat was spurred by chariots and mounted troops. Thus, the campaigns of steppe conquerors like Modun (209 BCE) signalled a paradigm shift in the interaction between the Inner Asian Steppe, the remainder of China, and the emerging Silk Roads as ancient world trade routes.