December 23, 2024

Infernos of Intrigue: War’s Fiery Legacy Along the Silk Road

Credit: Zhang et al. A research study of Tianchi Lake sediments shows that warfare, rather than natural factors, ended up being the primary driver of increased fire incidents along the Silk Road over the past 2,000 years.Impact of War on Fire Frequency Along the Silk RoadHuman activities such as intentional burning, pastoralism, metallurgy, and agriculture can affect the frequency of fire in an ecosystem. Guanghui Dong, Aifeng Zhou, and associates investigated whether another typical human activity has affected fire history in the locations along the Silk Road: war.Ancient Warfare and Fire UseFire was a significant weapon in ancient Chinese warfare. Credit: Zhang et al.On centennial timescales, fires throughout this period are concurrent with warfare, as tape-recorded in the List of Wars in Historical China.