Abstract: Pastoralists specialize in animal herding that requires high mobility, however there is enormous variability in subsistence strategies and degrees of mobility in pastoral societies. Jundushan cemeteries are key sites of Bronze Age pastoral Yuhuangmiao culture in North China that lasted for nearly 3 centuries. Till now, little is known about physical changes and its significance on the patterns of pastoralist behaviors. Data on the biomechanical properties of femoral mid-shaft cross-sections of Jundushan groups was collected to investigate lower limb functions or patterns of mobility that relate to pastoral economy. The prevalence of dental caries was recorded in order to evaluate changes in proportion of plant food that correlates to agriculture. The results of this study show that in males there is significant decrease of mobility as indicated by the ratio of anterioposterior to mediolateral second moments of area (Ix/Iy), and a remarkable increase in cariogenic sweet foods as revealed by the rate of dental caries. Females show almost no change in these two aspects. Combined with the changes of cultural relics, physical changes in lower limb function and the presence of dental caries may indicate a reduced dependence on pastoralism and an increase in agriculture, even though pastoralism is always a key subsistence strategy.

Key words: Jundushan; Mobility; Caries; Biomechanics; Yuhuangmiao culture