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The Metal Road of the Eastern Eurasian Steppe

The Formation of the Xiongnu Confederation and the Silk Road

  • Offers the first systematic exploration of cultural interactions between the Northern Zone of China and the Eurasian Steppe, shedding new light on the formation process of the Xiongnu Confederation and the Silk Road

  • Provides critical evidence that the Rong, Di and Hu ethnic groups have played a major historical role in shaping the relationship between the Central Plains culture and the nomadic culture of North Asia

  • Offers a grand panorama of two thousand years of cultural interactions between the Northern Zone of China and the Eurasian Steppe, with more than three hundred figures and color photographs

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-lxvii
  2. The Germination of Northern Bronzes

    • Jianhua Yang, Huiqiu Shao, Ling Pan
    Pages 1-46
  3. The Expansion of Steppe Culture During the Second Millennium B.C.

    • Jianhua Yang, Huiqiu Shao, Ling Pan
    Pages 47-131
  4. The Emergence and Expansion of Bronzes in the Northern Zone of China

    • Jianhua Yang, Huiqiu Shao, Ling Pan
    Pages 133-226
  5. The Beginning of the Early Nomadic Age

    • Yang Jianhua, Shao Huiqiu, Pan Ling
    Pages 227-278
  6. The Northern Zone of China and the Eurasian Steppe in the Early Iron Age

    • Jianhua Yang, Huiqiu Shao, Ling Pan
    Pages 279-463
  7. Back Matter

    Pages 539-571

About this book

This book is one of the first to systematically explore cultural interactions between the Northern Zone of China and the Eurasian Steppe, with a focus on the formation process of the Xiongnu Confederation and the Silk Road. Combining partition and staging analyses, the authors adopt a broad perspective, viewing the Northern Zone as part of the Eurasian Steppe and combining history with culture by investigating the spread of bronze artifacts. In addition, with more than three hundred figures and color photographs, it offers readers a uniquely grand panorama of two thousand years of cultural interactions between the Northern Zone of China and the Eurasian Steppe.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jilin University, Changchun, China

    Jianhua Yang, Huiqiu Shao, Ling Pan

About the authors

Dr Jianhua Yang is a Professor of Archaeology at Jilin University, Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for Ancient Civilization Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), member of the Academic Committee of the CASS Institute of Archaeology, and standing member of the Chinese Archaeology Society. She has been a Senior Visiting Scholar at the University of Cambridge, UK (1993-1994, 2002), and at the University of Pittsburgh, USA (2007-2008). Her research interests include archaeological theory, historical development of archaeology as a discipline, West Asian archaeology, and Bronze Age archaeology in Northern China.



Dr Huiqiu Shao is a Professor of Archaeology at Jilin University, and has been a Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, USA (2012-2013). His research interests include Bronze Age archaeology in Northern China, Xinjiang archaeology and Eurasian Steppe archaeology.


Dr Ling Pan is a Professor of Archaeology at Jilin University. Her research interests include Chinese northern frontier archaeology, Warring-States archaeology, Qin Dynasty archaeology and Han Dynasty archaeology.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access