Ulaanzuukh culture

The Ulaanzuukh culture, also Ulaanzuukh-Tevsh culture (Ch:乌兰朱和文化, c. 1450-1000 BCE), is an archaeological culture of the Late Bronze Age eastern Mongolia. It likely preceded and was the origin of the Slab-grave culture.

Genetic profile
The genetic profile of individuals belonging to this culture is virtually identical to the profile the Slab Grave culture individuals, which is consistent with the hypothesis that the Slab Grave culture emerged from the Ulaanzuukh. Genetically, the populations of the Ulaanzuukh culture were rather homogeneous, and part of the Ancient Northeast Asians (ANA). In a recent study, they have been shown to have a purely Northeast Asian profile (nearly 100% ANA), with one outlier having a western Altai_MLBA profile. The Ulaanzuukh culture was genetically distinct from the Deer stone culture, located in western and northern Mongolia.

The Ulaanzuukh and Slab Grave culture individuals cluster closely together and are collectively referred to as the "Ulaanzuukh_SlabGrave genetic cluster". The later Xiongnu are inferred to have formed via the merger of Eastern Saka (Chandman culture) and the local Ancient Northeast Asian, Ulaanzuukh-Slab Grave culture, which corresponds with the presence of both Iranian and Turkic languages among them. The ruling clan of the Turkic peoples, the Ashina tribe, was found to display close genetic affinities with the Slab Grave and Ulaanzuukh culture remains.

Influences
The Ulaanzuukh culture may have contributed to transfer to Shang dynasty China of the chariot and weapon technologies and designs which originated with the Deer stones culture of the Mongolian plateau. Daggers found in Ulaanzuukh graves have broadly similar designs to those of the Deer stones culture, with curved blades and pommels decorated with the heads of animals or with "jingles", which are key design elements adopted by the Shang dynasty for their weaponery.