Water resources and cultural patterns in dry and Mongolian Inner Asia
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| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | The aim of this paper was to show that theoretical framework of the conference can also be applied to extremely dry Inner Asia like Mongolian Gobi or especially the Tarim Basin, where ancient inhabitants of oasis cities along the glacier rivers and villages near mountain streams moved under similar circumstances like population in the delta of Mekong. Even if the water was not used as a basic form of transport, the distribution of water resources and dependently the market network and linguistic exchange in Xinjiang were analogous to lowlands of Southeast Asia. The paper had also focus on local conditions like: historical migrations after local climate changes, rivers allowing to cross the Taklamakan Desert, ancient technology of underground canals and importance of smaller springs and lakes in most dry sections of trade routes. Mongolian hydronyms also often have meaning for better orientation and survival (c.f. death of local guides of Sven Hedin when they did not found water). For more complete picture, the spirit worship near almost every spring was taken into consideration together with Inner Asian springs of Yellow River, where Mongols, Tibetans and emperor of China gave regular offerings to the spirits, because this river was important for the economy and political stability of North China. |
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