Intra- and interregional interactions contributed to the emergence of herding in the late prehistoric Upper Yellow River region (2500–1500 BCE)

This study examines the emergence and diversification of subsistence patterns in the Upper Yellow River region of northern China between 2500 and 1500 BCE through a systematic review of published archaeological evidence. Drawing on data from 54 settlement and burial sites, we investigate how domesticated herd animals—introduced from Central Asia and/or Mongolia—were incorporated into local subsistence practices and lifeways. The results demonstrate that pastoralism did not develop as a uniform practice across the region; instead, communities chose locally adapted strategies. In the Tao and Upper Wei River Valleys, herding was integrated into established pig–millet agricultural systems, whereas groups in the Huangshui River Valley pursued mixed subsistence strategies combining herding, hunting, and agriculture, with low reliance on pigs. In both sub-regions, the presence of large settlements with multiple architectural features suggests relatively long-term site occupation. By comparison, communities in the Hexi Corridor exhibit a predominance of sheep husbandry and hunting, with limited pig-farming and few settlement features, possibly indicating a greater reliance on herd animals and higher residential mobility. Through a critical assessment of legacy datasets, this study also highlights key limitations in existing data quality, contextual resolution, and analytical practice, and proposes suggestions for improving future data collection and interpretation.