Remains of the grand platform in the locus of Huangchengtai at Shimao site in Shenmu, Shaanxi was discovered and excavated during the 2018–2019 season. The south-eastern corner and southern buttress of the platform were revealed. The locations of the other three sides of the buttresses were also preliminarily confirmed. As many as 70 stone carvings were discovered from multiple contexts, including the surface of the southern buttress, the floor of the corridor, as well as the debris of the southern buttress inside the corridor. The relative chronology of this platform and stone carvings cannot be later than the late Longshan period. The absolute date ranges from 2000 BCE to 1800 BCE. Fieldwork performed at the grand platform encourages multiple archaeological discussions, including the settlement layout within the Huangchengtai area, the nature of the settlement, and its role as the core of the Shimao site.
{"title":"The grand platform of Huangchengtai at Shimao site in Shenmu, Shaanxi","authors":"","doi":"10.1515/char-2021-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2021-0003","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Remains of the grand platform in the locus of Huangchengtai at Shimao site in Shenmu, Shaanxi was discovered and excavated during the 2018–2019 season. The south-eastern corner and southern buttress of the platform were revealed. The locations of the other three sides of the buttresses were also preliminarily confirmed. As many as 70 stone carvings were discovered from multiple contexts, including the surface of the southern buttress, the floor of the corridor, as well as the debris of the southern buttress inside the corridor. The relative chronology of this platform and stone carvings cannot be later than the late Longshan period. The absolute date ranges from 2000 BCE to 1800 BCE. Fieldwork performed at the grand platform encourages multiple archaeological discussions, including the settlement layout within the Huangchengtai area, the nature of the settlement, and its role as the core of the Shimao site.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42292756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract A number of charred plant seeds were recovered from the Donghulin site by means of flotation. The site is located in suburban Beijing and dates from 11,000 to 9000 BP. A total of 14 charred grains of foxtail millet have been collected and identified as of the domesticated species (Setaria italica) according to morphological analysis. One grain of broomcorn millet was also identified. These are the earliest domesticated millet grains recovered by flotation, providing crucial archaeological evidence for understanding the timing, locations, and processes of millet domestication. Moreover, the charred seeds of Setaria viridis provide important clues for exploring the wild ancestral plants of foxtail millet and the domestication process. The results of flotation at the Donghulin site are important for understanding the origins of dryland agriculture in North China, which was predominated by millet farming.
{"title":"Plant remains unearthed at the Donghulin site in Beijing: discussion on results of flotation","authors":"Zhijun Zhao, Chaohong Zhao, Jincheng Yu, Tao Wang, Tianxing Cui, Jingning Guo","doi":"10.1515/char-2021-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2021-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract A number of charred plant seeds were recovered from the Donghulin site by means of flotation. The site is located in suburban Beijing and dates from 11,000 to 9000 BP. A total of 14 charred grains of foxtail millet have been collected and identified as of the domesticated species (Setaria italica) according to morphological analysis. One grain of broomcorn millet was also identified. These are the earliest domesticated millet grains recovered by flotation, providing crucial archaeological evidence for understanding the timing, locations, and processes of millet domestication. Moreover, the charred seeds of Setaria viridis provide important clues for exploring the wild ancestral plants of foxtail millet and the domestication process. The results of flotation at the Donghulin site are important for understanding the origins of dryland agriculture in North China, which was predominated by millet farming.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":"21 1","pages":"193 - 200"},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66822339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract There are numerous, controversial theories on the function of the jiandiping amphorae as Yangshao culture water-drawing vessel, wine vessel, or other. This paper discusses jiandiping amphorae functional form from a typological perspective and presents the view from molding technique. The primary function of the pointed bottom concerned sedimentation, yet the vessel’s small opening was poorly adapted to cereal fermentation. The large jiandiping amphora was less transportable but better suited to long-term storage and sedimentation: wine decanted into medium- or small-sized flat-bottom vessels or jiandiping amphora was easily transferred and used, and decanting served to remove any sediment from turbid wine. Functional differences between the large and small jiandiping amphorae explain varying functions and uses of double-loop handles. The development of sediment separation technique is the key reason for the disappearance of the jiandiping amphorae.
{"title":"Analyzing the functional structure of pottery jiandiping amphorae","authors":"Xue Wei, Y. Qian","doi":"10.1515/char-2021-0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2021-0009","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract There are numerous, controversial theories on the function of the jiandiping amphorae as Yangshao culture water-drawing vessel, wine vessel, or other. This paper discusses jiandiping amphorae functional form from a typological perspective and presents the view from molding technique. The primary function of the pointed bottom concerned sedimentation, yet the vessel’s small opening was poorly adapted to cereal fermentation. The large jiandiping amphora was less transportable but better suited to long-term storage and sedimentation: wine decanted into medium- or small-sized flat-bottom vessels or jiandiping amphora was easily transferred and used, and decanting served to remove any sediment from turbid wine. Functional differences between the large and small jiandiping amphorae explain varying functions and uses of double-loop handles. The development of sediment separation technique is the key reason for the disappearance of the jiandiping amphorae.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":"21 1","pages":"133 - 143"},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49532903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology excavated at the site of Sunjiagang during 2016–2018 after 33 earthen pit tombs were uncovered in 1991. It yielded 192 pit tombs and one urn burial along with a number of pottery vessels and jade artifacts. The whole cemetery was laid out with a clear pattern of spatial arrangement, organized in an orderly style. A unique burial practice prevailed in the cemetery, for which the deceased was laid upon a layer of grave goods. According to the typology of unearthed pottery vessels and jade artifacts, the cemetery at the Sunjiagang site dates sometime from 2200 to 1800 BCE. It represents a new local variant of the Xiaojiawuji culture, and thus can be named the Sunjiagang type culture.
{"title":"The 2016–2018 excavation of the cemetery at the Sunjiagang site, Lixian County, Hunan","authors":"","doi":"10.1515/char-2021-0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2021-0007","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology excavated at the site of Sunjiagang during 2016–2018 after 33 earthen pit tombs were uncovered in 1991. It yielded 192 pit tombs and one urn burial along with a number of pottery vessels and jade artifacts. The whole cemetery was laid out with a clear pattern of spatial arrangement, organized in an orderly style. A unique burial practice prevailed in the cemetery, for which the deceased was laid upon a layer of grave goods. According to the typology of unearthed pottery vessels and jade artifacts, the cemetery at the Sunjiagang site dates sometime from 2200 to 1800 BCE. It represents a new local variant of the Xiaojiawuji culture, and thus can be named the Sunjiagang type culture.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48202277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract By examining the structural components, settlement plan, and developmental trajectory of the capital city at Erlitou, it is possible to explore the emergence of the state, kingship, and accompanying characteristics. Erlitou has been subjected to intensive excavation, revealing roads, walls, huge sacrificial pits, and palatial buildings with multiple courtyards as indicated by foundation No. 5. As to the developmental trajectory of the settlement pattern, all principal components of a capital city appeared in phase II of the Erlitou culture. A layout based on intersecting roads also formed, thus laying a foundation for the plan of an urban center in later periods. The open urban system formed during the Erlitou period changed to a closed system during later periods. The Erlitou site went through an initial phase during which it flourished as a capital city, then a period when principal urban components were gradually abandoned. The site became a high-ranking settlement during the early Erligang period. There is a relationship between the changes through time in pottery typology and the development of the settlement pattern. Kin-based residential and burial areas define the spatial division of the capital city at Erlitou. The mode of craft production is characterized by a large-scale workshop enclosure along with small-scale production sites.
{"title":"New insights into the settlement patterns of the capital city at Erlitou","authors":"Haitao Zhao","doi":"10.1515/char-2021-0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2021-0012","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract By examining the structural components, settlement plan, and developmental trajectory of the capital city at Erlitou, it is possible to explore the emergence of the state, kingship, and accompanying characteristics. Erlitou has been subjected to intensive excavation, revealing roads, walls, huge sacrificial pits, and palatial buildings with multiple courtyards as indicated by foundation No. 5. As to the developmental trajectory of the settlement pattern, all principal components of a capital city appeared in phase II of the Erlitou culture. A layout based on intersecting roads also formed, thus laying a foundation for the plan of an urban center in later periods. The open urban system formed during the Erlitou period changed to a closed system during later periods. The Erlitou site went through an initial phase during which it flourished as a capital city, then a period when principal urban components were gradually abandoned. The site became a high-ranking settlement during the early Erligang period. There is a relationship between the changes through time in pottery typology and the development of the settlement pattern. Kin-based residential and burial areas define the spatial division of the capital city at Erlitou. The mode of craft production is characterized by a large-scale workshop enclosure along with small-scale production sites.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":"21 1","pages":"162 - 172"},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42298910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Lushanmao site is a large-scale settlement site from the late Miaodigou Phase II culture to the late Longshan age located in Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province. The core zone of the settlement is on a hill ridge, on the top of which four large-sized rammed-earth platform foundations are distributed, each of which had large-sized rammed-earth architecture sites on top. On the top of the excavated Da Yingpan Liang (Large Garrison Ridge), one large courtyard and two smaller courtyards were distributed. Of them, the large courtyard was facing south, which would be the earliest palace complex in an axial symmetrical plan known to date in China, and the two smaller ones would be its guardhouses. In the large courtyard, a set of roof tiles, which would be the earliest ones known to date in China, were unearthed; and jades were also found in the rammed-earth foundation or walls. These discoveries are significantly valuable for the studies on the early capital city planning, origins, and evolutions of palaces and the developments of the early ritual systems and architectural materials of China.
{"title":"The Lushanmao site of the Neolithic Age in Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province","authors":"","doi":"10.1515/char-2020-0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2020-0003","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The Lushanmao site is a large-scale settlement site from the late Miaodigou Phase II culture to the late Longshan age located in Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province. The core zone of the settlement is on a hill ridge, on the top of which four large-sized rammed-earth platform foundations are distributed, each of which had large-sized rammed-earth architecture sites on top. On the top of the excavated Da Yingpan Liang (Large Garrison Ridge), one large courtyard and two smaller courtyards were distributed. Of them, the large courtyard was facing south, which would be the earliest palace complex in an axial symmetrical plan known to date in China, and the two smaller ones would be its guardhouses. In the large courtyard, a set of roof tiles, which would be the earliest ones known to date in China, were unearthed; and jades were also found in the rammed-earth foundation or walls. These discoveries are significantly valuable for the studies on the early capital city planning, origins, and evolutions of palaces and the developments of the early ritual systems and architectural materials of China.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2020-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/char-2020-0003","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48968960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In 2017 and 2018, Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology and other institutions conducted a rescue excavation to the Liujiawa site, which recovered features including city site, ditches (moats), rammed-earth foundations, burials, and unearthed bronze ding-cauldrons with “Rui Gong (Duke of Rui)” inscription, as well as bronze gui-tureens, chime bells, zheng-bells, chime music stones, jade ge-dagger axes, and other ritual and musical instruments. The scale of the site and the ranks of the artifacts all showed that the Liujiawa site was the site of the capital of the Rui state at its late stage in the early and mid Spring-and-Autumn period; the bronze chime bells and chime music stones unearthed at this site provided critical materials for the studies on the development history of ancient musical instruments and musical archaeology of China.
{"title":"The Liujiawa site of the Rui state of the Eastern Zhou in Chengcheng County, Shaanxi Province","authors":"","doi":"10.1515/char-2020-0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2020-0004","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 In 2017 and 2018, Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology and other institutions conducted a rescue excavation to the Liujiawa site, which recovered features including city site, ditches (moats), rammed-earth foundations, burials, and unearthed bronze ding-cauldrons with “Rui Gong (Duke of Rui)” inscription, as well as bronze gui-tureens, chime bells, zheng-bells, chime music stones, jade ge-dagger axes, and other ritual and musical instruments. The scale of the site and the ranks of the artifacts all showed that the Liujiawa site was the site of the capital of the Rui state at its late stage in the early and mid Spring-and-Autumn period; the bronze chime bells and chime music stones unearthed at this site provided critical materials for the studies on the development history of ancient musical instruments and musical archaeology of China.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2020-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/char-2020-0004","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46054425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract In recent years, some lokapāla statues which might be carved in the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties are unearthed in Chengdu area, the features of which have some differences from that of the lokapāla statues of the northern system found in Khotan, Dunhuang and other areas; they have some similarities with the early lokapāla statues of the Northern Wei dynasty, but also have some differences. The early lokapālas in the Buddhist scriptures have only names and titles with little concrete descriptions; the archaeologically discovered lokapāla statues enriched our understandings of this motif.
{"title":"On the early lokapāla statues in the Buddhist sculptures unearthed in Chengdu","authors":"Wei Huo","doi":"10.1515/char-2020-0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2020-0016","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In recent years, some lokapāla statues which might be carved in the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties are unearthed in Chengdu area, the features of which have some differences from that of the lokapāla statues of the northern system found in Khotan, Dunhuang and other areas; they have some similarities with the early lokapāla statues of the Northern Wei dynasty, but also have some differences. The early lokapālas in the Buddhist scriptures have only names and titles with little concrete descriptions; the archaeologically discovered lokapāla statues enriched our understandings of this motif.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":"20 1","pages":"171 - 178"},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2020-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/char-2020-0016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42527820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract In recent years, with the participation of genetics and other disciplines, the controversy on the origins of the domestic chicken has returned. As the resource of primary data, archaeology plays an extremely important role in this dispute. Taking an archaeological standpoint, this paper aims to establish a set of bone morphological identification standards for domestic chicken bones unearthed at archaeological remains, beginning with the bone morphology as the most basic but also the least studied aspect. By this set of standards, we reanalyze available chicken bone materials and relevant pictorial and textual materials for domestic chicken candidate samples as mentioned by previous scholars. The results show that no confirmed domestic chicken bones have been found in China’s early to mid-Holocene remains to date; meanwhile, there is no substantial archaeological evidence to support China as the earliest place of origin of domestic chicken. Future work seeking to advance research on the origin of the domestic chicken should first pay proper attention to the archaeological background; only continuing scientific analyses and exploration on the origin of domestic chicken based on scientific morphological identification will prove the most convincing methodology.
{"title":"Identification of domestic chicken bones in archaeological sites","authors":"Hui Deng, Jun Li","doi":"10.1515/char-2020-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/char-2020-0018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In recent years, with the participation of genetics and other disciplines, the controversy on the origins of the domestic chicken has returned. As the resource of primary data, archaeology plays an extremely important role in this dispute. Taking an archaeological standpoint, this paper aims to establish a set of bone morphological identification standards for domestic chicken bones unearthed at archaeological remains, beginning with the bone morphology as the most basic but also the least studied aspect. By this set of standards, we reanalyze available chicken bone materials and relevant pictorial and textual materials for domestic chicken candidate samples as mentioned by previous scholars. The results show that no confirmed domestic chicken bones have been found in China’s early to mid-Holocene remains to date; meanwhile, there is no substantial archaeological evidence to support China as the earliest place of origin of domestic chicken. Future work seeking to advance research on the origin of the domestic chicken should first pay proper attention to the archaeological background; only continuing scientific analyses and exploration on the origin of domestic chicken based on scientific morphological identification will prove the most convincing methodology.","PeriodicalId":41590,"journal":{"name":"Chinese Archaeology","volume":"20 1","pages":"193 - 200"},"PeriodicalIF":0.1,"publicationDate":"2020-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1515/char-2020-0018","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"66822149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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