The Archaeology of China From the Late Paleolithic to the Early Bronze Age 1st Edition by Li Liu, Xingcan Chen ISBN 0521644321 9780521644327

CHAPTER 1: CHINESE ARCHAEOLOGY: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

• The Formative Period (1920s–1940s)

  • The Historical Context of Chinese Archaeology

  • The Beginning of Modern Chinese Archaeology

  • Excavations in Anyang

  • Discovery of the Longshan Culture

  • Excavations at Doujitai in Shaanxi

  • Western Origin, Dual Origins, and Indigenous Origin of Chinese Civilization

• Development of Archaeology in the People’s Republic of China (1950-Present)

  • Archaeology Before the Cultural Revolution (1950–65)

    • Paleolithic Archaeology

    • Neolithic Archaeology

    • Archaeology of the Three Dynasties

    • The Central Plain Focus

  • Archaeology During the Cultural Revolution (1966–77)

  • Archaeology in the Post-cultural Revolution Era (1978–present)

• Interpretations

  • Multiregional Development of Civilization in China

  • National History and the Origins of Civilization

• International Collaborative Research in China

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 2: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

• Geography

• River Systems

• Ecological Divisions

• Paleoclimate, Paleoenvironment, and Human Adaptations

  • Variation of the Monsoon System

  • Sea Level Fluctuation

  • Postglacial Abrupt Climate Changes

  • Human-induced Environmental Deteriorations

  • Communications in Geographical Contexts

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 3: FORAGERS AND COLLECTORS IN THE PLEISTOCENE–HOLOCENE TRANSITION (24,000–9000 CAL. BP)

• Environmental Conditions and Human Adaptations

• Research Questions and Terminology

• Terminal Pleistocene Foragers in North China

  • Xiachuan

  • Longwangchan

  • Shizitan

  • Hutouliang

• Early Holocene Collectors in North China

  • Donghulin and Zhuannian

  • Nanzhuangtou

  • Lijiagou and Bianbiandong

  • Summary

• Pleistocene Foragers in Central and South China

  • Yuchanyan

  • Zengpiyan

• Holocene Collectors in Central China

  • Shangshan

  • Summary

• Origins of Pottery in China

• Origins of Pottery in the Regional Context of East Asia

• The Emergence of Sedentism in China

• Transitions in Other Regions of China

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 4: DOMESTICATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

• Domestication of Plants

  • Rice

  • Millets

  • Soybeans

  • Tubers

  • Wheat, Barley, and Oats

  • Development of the Multicropping Agricultural System

• Domestication of Animals

  • Dogs

  • Pigs

  • Sheep and Goats

  • Cattle

  • Water Buffalo

  • Horses

  • Chickens

  • Secondary Products in Animal Domestication

  • Summary

• Dynamics of Domestication

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 5: NEOLITHIZATION: SEDENTISM AND FOOD PRODUCTION IN THE EARLY NEOLITHIC (7000–5000 BC)

• Determining Sedentism and Subsistence Strategies

• Northeast and North China

  • The Xinglongwa Culture (ca. 6200–5200 BC)

  • The Cishan-beifudi Culture (ca. 6500–5000 BC)

  • The Houli Culture (ca. 6500–5500 BC)

  • The Peiligang Culture (ca. 7000–5000 BC)

  • The Baijia-dadiwan Culture (ca. 6000–5000 BC)

• The Yangzi River Region

  • The Middle Yangzi River Region

  • The Lower Yangzi River Region

• South China

• Discussion

  • Variability in Settlement Pattern, Site Function, and Subsistence Strategy

  • Variability in Sedentism

  • Variability in the Development of Food Production

  • The Role of Nut Collection and Arboriculture

  • Variability in Ritual Activity and Social Complexity

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 6: EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY – THE MIDDLE NEOLITHIC (5000–3000 BC)

• The Liao River Valley

  • Hongshan Subsistence Economy

  • Hongshan Settlement Patterns and Ritual Landscape

  • Hongshan Jades

  • Social Complexity of the Hongshan Culture

  • The Collapse of Hongshan Complex Society

• The Yellow River Region

  • The Beixin Culture

  • The Dawenkou Culture

  • The Yangshao Culture

  • Ritual Power

• The Yangzi River Region

  • The Middle Yangzi River

  • The Lower Yangzi River

  • Ritual Power

• South China

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 7: RISE AND FALL OF EARLY COMPLEX SOCIETIES: THE LATE NEOLITHIC (3000–2000 BC)

• The Yellow River Valley

  • The Lower Yellow River Region

  • The Middle Yellow River Valley

  • The Northern Zone

  • The Upper Yellow River

• Northeast China

• The Yangzi River Region

  • The Liangzhu Culture

  • Qujialing (3400–2500 BC) and Shijiahe (2500–2000 BC)

• South and West China

  • Southeast China

  • Southwest and West China

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 8: FORMATION OF EARLY STATES IN THE CENTRAL PLAIN: ERLITOU AND ERLIGANG (1900/1800–1250 BC)

• Approaches and Definitions

  • Xia Nai’s Classic Evolutionary Approach

  • Su Bingqi’s Neolithic Civilization Approach

  • Historiographical Approach

  • Social Archaeological Approach

• Search for the Xia Dynasty

  • The Xinzhai Phase

• The Erlitou Culture and Erlitou State

  • The Erlitou Urban Center

  • Erlitou Urban Planning and Population

  • Erlitou Bronze Metallurgy and Ritual Power

  • Erlitou Hinterland and Periphery

• The Neighbors of the Erlitou State

  • Xiaqiyuan

  • Yueshi

• The Erligang Culture and Erligang State

  • The Erligang Core Area

  • Erligang Expansion

  • Summary

• Aftermath of the Erligang Expansion: The Middle Shang Decentralization

• Conclusions

CHAPTER 9: BRONZE CULTURES OF THE NORTHERN FRONTIERS AND BEYOND DURING THE EARLY SECOND MILLENNIUM BC

• Environmental Conditions and Cultural Background

• The Lower Xiajiadian Culture

  • Subsistence and Settlement Patterns

  • Mortuary Pattern and Social Relations

  • Metallurgy

  • Cultural Interactions

• The Zhukaigou Culture

  • Subsistence

  • The Zhukaigou Site

  • Metallurgy and the Formation of the Northern Zone Tradition

• The Qijia Culture

  • Settlement Patterns and Subsistence

  • Burial Patterns

  • Jade and Stone Ritual Objects

  • Metallurgy

  • Cultural Interactions

• The Siba Culture

  • Subsistence and Settlement Distribution

  • Burial Patterns

  • Metallurgy and Cultural Interactions

• The Early Bronze Age in East Xinjiang

  • Qäwrighul and Tieban River Cemeteries

  • Xiaohe

  • Tianshanbeilu

• Conclusions

  • Eastward Exploration by Central Asian and Eurasian Steppe Cultures

  • Political Expansion of the Central Plain States

  • Development of Social Complexity in the Northern Frontier Cultures

CHAPTER 10: THE LATE SHANG DYNASTY AND ITS NEIGHBORS (1250–1046 BC)

• Research Questions

• The Shang World

  • Yinxu: Site of the Late Shang Capital City

• Shang and Its Neighbors

  • Taixi in the North

  • Shandong in the East

  • Wucheng in the South

  • Sanxingdui in the Southwest

  • Laoniupo in the West

  • The Loess Plateau in the Northwest

• Discussion and Conclusions

CHAPTER 11: CHINESE CIVILIZATION IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

• Interpreting Chineseness

• Ancient China with Other Parts of the World

• Formation of Chinese Civilization and Cultural Identity

• Rise and Fall of Complex Societies

• Conclusions