China's transition from antiquity to the middle ages (according to archaeological data)

The article summarized the works of authors in the project devoted namely to investigations of archaeological data about the transitional period from Antiquity to the Middle Ages that took place in China. Among the main results of the project, the conception of «extended transitional period» (from the late Eastern Han up to the beginning of the Tang period) must be mentioned. It toadies in removing a contradiction with complete denial of any boundary between Antiquity and the Middle Ages presented in historiography. According to mass materials from ordinary burials, all the changes in construction and implements were realized through quantitative development. The study of elite burials with fixed dates - such as the mausoleum of Cao Cao, the graves of Luo Rui, Yu Hong, An Jia, and so on - is also important. In the latter graves with sarcophagus’ bas-reliefs and colored pictures, one could see representation of the myths and cults of Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Nestorianism. Therefore, the tomb of Yu Hong (and other «Sogdians») is said to be an example of medieval multi-culturalism. Cave temples and monasteries appeared in V-VI AD among nomads of Northern China. The architectural image of these monuments was formed under direct Middle-Asian (Sogdian) influences and mediate Indian impact, with a powerful nomadic factor as well. Complex studying is the most effective on mass materials, such as the collection of wooden and terracotta figurines from Astana cemetery (in Turpan) which was connected with the local state of Gaochang during 498-640 AD. The statuettes of horse-riders mostly represented cavalry, mounted with different types of armor. At that time, the Great Silk Road developed very intensively, and many nomad states tried to control at least some part of it. Therefore, military hardware and military art saw great progress there. The craftsmen of Astana fixed exact features of faces and many details of garments and armaments. Because of that we know that the people of Astana (or some part of them) were Caucasoid by race and Turks by their ethno-cultural characteristics. An idea of heavy cavalry was likely to have been lent by them from the neighboring Iranian peoples. Formation of the new combat branch had not been finished yet because no one plate of horse armor was found as well as no one pair of stirrups. But the situation changed quickly, and many figurines of horsemen using the stirrups were excavated in the Late Tang burials within the same cemetery. That was the Avars (Ruran tribes) who became known for their stirrups during the wars with Turks and brought this knowledge to Europe. But the problem of military development is quite complicated and will need its own special investigation.