Pub Date : 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100683
Xinyi Ouyang
The study of chronology for early Chinese dynastic periods of the Bronze Age is an important and distinctive issue in Chinese archaeology. In recent decades, the introduction of radiocarbon dating and the growing body of radiocarbon-based chronological knowledge have brought this topic to the forefront of interdisciplinary discussion. This paper reviews recent developments in radiocarbon-based chronological research on this period. Previous chronological studies, including site selection, sample collection, and Bayesian modeling, have largely been conducted within the traditional culture-historical framework, with the primary aim of constructing dynastic timelines. However, through a reassessment of published radiocarbon data from both the Central Plains and surrounding regions, this study highlights the non-uniform pace of material culture change and the significant regional variation. It argues that the study of Bronze Age chronology should shift from a narrow focus on dynastic narratives and refined cultural periodization toward a more dynamic investigation of historical processes, enabling a deeper understanding of local societies and regional interaction in Bronze Age China.
{"title":"Dating the early dynasties: Radiocarbon chronology in Bronze Age China","authors":"Xinyi Ouyang","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100683","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100683","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study of chronology for early Chinese dynastic periods of the Bronze Age is an important and distinctive issue in Chinese archaeology. In recent decades, the introduction of radiocarbon dating and the growing body of radiocarbon-based chronological knowledge have brought this topic to the forefront of interdisciplinary discussion. This paper reviews recent developments in radiocarbon-based chronological research on this period. Previous chronological studies, including site selection, sample collection, and Bayesian modeling, have largely been conducted within the traditional culture-historical framework, with the primary aim of constructing dynastic timelines. However, through a reassessment of published radiocarbon data from both the Central Plains and surrounding regions, this study highlights the non-uniform pace of material culture change and the significant regional variation. It argues that the study of Bronze Age chronology should shift from a narrow focus on dynastic narratives and refined cultural periodization toward a more dynamic investigation of historical processes, enabling a deeper understanding of local societies and regional interaction in Bronze Age China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100683"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100680
Zhangchi Li , Quan Zhang , Yazheng Wang , Mingkui Gao , Xuexiang Chen , Jixi Gao , Yu Dong
Unlike the Central Plains, southwestern Shandong developed an unusual settlement morphology centered on artificially elevated mound habitats, adapting to cope with floods since the Neolithic. Studying how late Neolithic, Bronze Age, and early Iron Age people in southwestern Shandong utilized and managed fauna resources can not only shed light on the subsistence patterns of the region, but also provide crucial insight into how they interacted with the natural and cultural landscape. Here we carried out stable isotope analyses on 131 animal bones (including pig, dog, cattle, sheep/goat, horse, deer, hare, and pheasant) to examine their diets and how they were managed. The results suggest high consistency in their diets from the late Neolithic to the early Iron Age. The pigs, dogs, and cattle were fed with lots of C4 foods, whereas sheep/goats had mixed C3 and C4 diets. The gradual adoption of wheat as feed during the late Bronze Age and the early Iron Age was only reflected in pigs' carbon isotope values, but not obviously seen in other domestic species. Previous studies on the Central Plains suggest a slightly different pattern, where pigs, dogs, and cattle all shifted to a diet of more C3 food (e.g., wheat), and the possible reasons are discussed. The current study situated livestock management strategies of southwestern Shandong within its historical and geographical context, and furthered our understanding of the ecosystem and subsistence scheme of mound settlements.
{"title":"Persistent livestock management practices from the late Neolithic to the Iron Age in southwestern Shandong, China: From the perspective of stable isotopes","authors":"Zhangchi Li , Quan Zhang , Yazheng Wang , Mingkui Gao , Xuexiang Chen , Jixi Gao , Yu Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100680","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100680","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Unlike the Central Plains, southwestern Shandong developed an unusual settlement morphology centered on artificially elevated mound habitats, adapting to cope with floods since the Neolithic. Studying how late Neolithic, Bronze Age, and early Iron Age people in southwestern Shandong utilized and managed fauna resources can not only shed light on the subsistence patterns of the region, but also provide crucial insight into how they interacted with the natural and cultural landscape. Here we carried out stable isotope analyses on 131 animal bones (including pig, dog, cattle, sheep/goat, horse, deer, hare, and pheasant) to examine their diets and how they were managed. The results suggest high consistency in their diets from the late Neolithic to the early Iron Age. The pigs, dogs, and cattle were fed with lots of C<sub>4</sub> foods, whereas sheep/goats had mixed C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub> diets. The gradual adoption of wheat as feed during the late Bronze Age and the early Iron Age was only reflected in pigs' carbon isotope values, but not obviously seen in other domestic species. Previous studies on the Central Plains suggest a slightly different pattern, where pigs, dogs, and cattle all shifted to a diet of more C<sub>3</sub> food (e.g., wheat), and the possible reasons are discussed. The current study situated livestock management strategies of southwestern Shandong within its historical and geographical context, and furthered our understanding of the ecosystem and subsistence scheme of mound settlements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100680"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100679
Xiaojun Qi , Daohua Hao , Yihao Geng
While fish remains are common in Chinese archaeological sites, their utilization during the Eastern Zhou Period remains poorly understood. In this study, we re-examined the fish bones unearthed from Jiwanggu Tomb No.1 and identified two types of large, uniform-sized marine fish originating from distant regions: brown croaker and snapper. These marine fishes were reserved for funerary ceremonies rather than daily consumption, which reveals a tribute system involving a complex chain of marine fish harvesting, processing, transportation, and interment. Compared with the nobiliary tombs of other regional states during the Eastern Zhou period, as well as tombs belonging to the Ju State's aristocracy, the marine fishes in this tomb are unique. The tomb owner held an unparalleled social prominence in the Ju State, acquiring valuable marine resources through social control over communities possessing fishery expertise along southeastern Shandong coastline.
{"title":"Marine fishes for Nobiliary interment during the Eastern Zhou period: Zooarchaeological evidence from Jiwanggu Tomb No. 1, Shandong, China","authors":"Xiaojun Qi , Daohua Hao , Yihao Geng","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100679","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While fish remains are common in Chinese archaeological sites, their utilization during the Eastern Zhou Period remains poorly understood. In this study, we re-examined the fish bones unearthed from Jiwanggu Tomb No.1 and identified two types of large, uniform-sized marine fish originating from distant regions: brown croaker and snapper. These marine fishes were reserved for funerary ceremonies rather than daily consumption, which reveals a tribute system involving a complex chain of marine fish harvesting, processing, transportation, and interment. Compared with the nobiliary tombs of other regional states during the Eastern Zhou period, as well as tombs belonging to the Ju State's aristocracy, the marine fishes in this tomb are unique. The tomb owner held an unparalleled social prominence in the Ju State, acquiring valuable marine resources through social control over communities possessing fishery expertise along southeastern Shandong coastline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100679"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100678
Yaping Li , Qian Ma , Yuwei Li , Wenhao Zheng , Kai Su , Junna Zhang , Kai Ning , Zhenjing Yang , Guiyun Jin
The environmental background of subsistence economies is an important research topic in archaeology. However, this topic hasn't been sufficiently explored in northern Shandong between the Neolithic period and Bronze Age. This study reconstructed the local Holocene vegetation and sedimentary environment using sporopollen, grain size, magnetic susceptibility, loss-on-ignition and chromaticity from the Dingjiazhuang profile. Furthermore, this study reviews the regional paleoenvironment and subsistence evolution in northern Shandong between the Middle Neolithic period and the Bronze Age using previous research findings. Paleoclimate during the Middle and Late Neolithic periods (from Houli to early Dawenkou culture, 8300–5400 BP) was warm and humid. Many lakes and marshes provided with abundant wild plant and animal resources. Hunting and gathering were predominant, but agriculture contributed increasing proportion. During the late Neolithic period (from middle-late Dawenkou to Longshan culture, 5400–3800 BP), dwindling lakes, marshes, and forests led to reduced plant and animal resources. As the population grew, people migrated to low floodplains, cultivating expanded agricultural land. In the middle-late Dawenkou periods, agriculture became the dominant subsistence strategy. This was reinforced in the Longshan culture, with peaked rice farming in prehistoric time. Paleoclimate during the Bronze Age (from Yueshi culture to Shang and Zhou Dynasties, 3900–2206 BP) was warm and dry. Lakes and marshes gradually disappeared; paddy rice farming gave way to dryland farming. This study revealed the profound influence of environmental changes on subsistence patterns, demonstrating people's ability to shape and adjust the environment.
{"title":"Environmental background of subsistence changes from the Middle Neolithic to the Bronze Age in northern Shandong, China: Geoscientific evidence from the Dingjiazhuang profile","authors":"Yaping Li , Qian Ma , Yuwei Li , Wenhao Zheng , Kai Su , Junna Zhang , Kai Ning , Zhenjing Yang , Guiyun Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The environmental background of subsistence economies is an important research topic in archaeology. However, this topic hasn't been sufficiently explored in northern Shandong between the Neolithic period and Bronze Age. This study reconstructed the local Holocene vegetation and sedimentary environment using sporopollen, grain size, magnetic susceptibility, loss-on-ignition and chromaticity from the Dingjiazhuang profile. Furthermore, this study reviews the regional paleoenvironment and subsistence evolution in northern Shandong between the Middle Neolithic period and the Bronze Age using previous research findings. Paleoclimate during the Middle and Late Neolithic periods (from Houli to early Dawenkou culture, 8300–5400 BP) was warm and humid. Many lakes and marshes provided with abundant wild plant and animal resources. Hunting and gathering were predominant, but agriculture contributed increasing proportion. During the late Neolithic period (from middle-late Dawenkou to Longshan culture, 5400–3800 BP), dwindling lakes, marshes, and forests led to reduced plant and animal resources. As the population grew, people migrated to low floodplains, cultivating expanded agricultural land. In the middle-late Dawenkou periods, agriculture became the dominant subsistence strategy. This was reinforced in the Longshan culture, with peaked rice farming in prehistoric time. Paleoclimate during the Bronze Age (from Yueshi culture to Shang and Zhou Dynasties, 3900–2206 BP) was warm and dry. Lakes and marshes gradually disappeared; paddy rice farming gave way to dryland farming. This study revealed the profound influence of environmental changes on subsistence patterns, demonstrating people's ability to shape and adjust the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100678"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100682
Mahdi Alirezazadeh , Hanan Bahranipoor
During recent archaeological excavations at the Chaparabad site in northwestern Iran, dating to the mid-fifth millennium BCE, two fetal vessel burials were discovered. In this region, the fifth millennium BCE can be divided into two cultural horizons: the Dalma culture in the first half and the Pisdeli culture in the second half. The burial practices of Dalma and Pisdeli fetuses are unclear. The study of these burials and their comparison with similar burials at other sites in southwest Asia may provide insight into burial practices during the fifth millennium BCE. Because of the exceptional preservation of the remains, particularly specimen L522.1, which contained over 90 % of its skeletal elements intact, quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as content analysis, were employed. To estimate the fetal age at death, 305 measurements were taken for burial L522.1 and 165 measurements were taken for burial L815.1, in addition to qualitative studies. According to their long bones and other indicators, both Chaparabad fetuses were preterm at approximately 36–38 weeks of gestational age. The connection between burials and other archaeological findings, such as burial vessel typologies, architecture, artifacts, and faunal remains, has been established using qualitative methods and content analysis. The cranial bones of burial L522.1 were positioned near the rim of the jar, with the lower limbs extending toward the base, indicating how the fetus was placed. The burial jar also contained bones of ovicaprids. The bones came from various parts of the animal, and the jar was placed atop the butchered remains. Compared to burial L522.1, burial L815.1 lacked burial goods, indicating that burial customs varied. Burial L522.1 was placed within an architectural space interpreted as a kitchen, whereas burial L815.1 was located adjacent to a grain storage facility. A study of these fetal burials highlights the potential of burial analysis to offer new insights into prehistoric cultures in an area of research that is heavily dominated by ceramics.
{"title":"Fetal vessel burials dated to 6500 years ago at the Chaparabad archaeological site, Northwestern Iran","authors":"Mahdi Alirezazadeh , Hanan Bahranipoor","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During recent archaeological excavations at the Chaparabad site in northwestern Iran, dating to the mid-fifth millennium BCE, two fetal vessel burials were discovered. In this region, the fifth millennium BCE can be divided into two cultural horizons: the Dalma culture in the first half and the Pisdeli culture in the second half. The burial practices of Dalma and Pisdeli fetuses are unclear. The study of these burials and their comparison with similar burials at other sites in southwest Asia may provide insight into burial practices during the fifth millennium BCE. Because of the exceptional preservation of the remains, particularly specimen L522.1, which contained over 90 % of its skeletal elements intact, quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as content analysis, were employed. To estimate the fetal age at death, 305 measurements were taken for burial L522.1 and 165 measurements were taken for burial L815.1, in addition to qualitative studies. According to their long bones and other indicators, both Chaparabad fetuses were preterm at approximately 36–38 weeks of gestational age. The connection between burials and other archaeological findings, such as burial vessel typologies, architecture, artifacts, and faunal remains, has been established using qualitative methods and content analysis. The cranial bones of burial L522.1 were positioned near the rim of the jar, with the lower limbs extending toward the base, indicating how the fetus was placed. The burial jar also contained bones of ovicaprids. The bones came from various parts of the animal, and the jar was placed atop the butchered remains. Compared to burial L522.1, burial L815.1 lacked burial goods, indicating that burial customs varied. Burial L522.1 was placed within an architectural space interpreted as a kitchen, whereas burial L815.1 was located adjacent to a grain storage facility. A study of these fetal burials highlights the potential of burial analysis to offer new insights into prehistoric cultures in an area of research that is heavily dominated by ceramics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100682"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100677
Tao SHI
China's cultural landscape underwent a critical transformation during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages. With the collapse of Neolithic societies across many regions, north China emerged as a political hotspot during this period. The introduction of domesticated herbivores not only enriched local inhabitants' sources of meat, but also profoundly influenced their behavior, social organization, and ideology. This study integrates data on animal remains from north China to examine local inhabitants' attitudes toward different animals, particularly pigs and domesticated herbivores introduced from West Asia. It shows that agropastoralists in north China had clear preferences for animals in different use contexts. Domesticated herbivores, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, were used primarily in subsistence economies and divination practices, whereas pigs played a dominant role in mortuary rituals. By applying the concept of value, this study argues that these preferences were likely shaped by the recognition of different forms of value associated with animals. The importance of domesticated herbivores centered primarily on use and symbolic values, while pigs were more closely tied to social values. The prominence of pigs in social values possibly stemmed from their relative scarcity in daily life and the challenges of raising them, making them a more distinct indicator of wealth. Meanwhile, the dominance of domesticated herbivores in symbolic value indicates a possible metaphorical link between divination practices and the pastoral economy.
{"title":"Valuing animal use in the agropastoral societies of the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages in North China","authors":"Tao SHI","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China's cultural landscape underwent a critical transformation during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages. With the collapse of Neolithic societies across many regions, north China emerged as a political hotspot during this period. The introduction of domesticated herbivores not only enriched local inhabitants' sources of meat, but also profoundly influenced their behavior, social organization, and ideology. This study integrates data on animal remains from north China to examine local inhabitants' attitudes toward different animals, particularly pigs and domesticated herbivores introduced from West Asia. It shows that agropastoralists in north China had clear preferences for animals in different use contexts. Domesticated herbivores, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, were used primarily in subsistence economies and divination practices, whereas pigs played a dominant role in mortuary rituals. By applying the concept of value, this study argues that these preferences were likely shaped by the recognition of different forms of value associated with animals. The importance of domesticated herbivores centered primarily on use and symbolic values, while pigs were more closely tied to social values. The prominence of pigs in social values possibly stemmed from their relative scarcity in daily life and the challenges of raising them, making them a more distinct indicator of wealth. Meanwhile, the dominance of domesticated herbivores in symbolic value indicates a possible metaphorical link between divination practices and the pastoral economy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100677"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145694052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100676
Dian Chen , Liangren Zhang , Chao Li , Jie Zhang , Dongyang Sun , Wugan Luo
This study presents the first systematic provenance analysis of raw materials used in ancient Chinese gold artifacts, focusing on 16 gold foil fragments excavated from archaeological sites in Xinjiang, China, dating to the 6th–3rd centuries BCE. Most samples are associated with the Pazyryk culture, with one attributed to the Suodunbulake culture. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), we analyzed surface morphology, elemental composition, and lead isotope ratios. The foils, uniformly hammered thickness of 40–50 μm, exhibit elemental signatures consistent with alluvial gold, including tin concentrations exceeding 100 ppm and platinum over 20 ppm. Remarkably, some foils from the Qiangkanhe site contain exceptionally high endogenous mercury levels (some reaching up to 30 %), ruling out artificial addition. Lead isotope analysis reveals distinct source regions: the Qiangkanhe gold likely originate from the Rudny Altai region in Russia, while gold from Fuyun County and the Suodunbulake culture appears to derive from the Tianshan-Beishan region. These findings offer new insights into ancient gold craftsmanship, raw material procurement, and exchange networks within the Pazyryk culture and its neighboring groups, and lay the groundwork for further research on early Chinese gold artifacts.
{"title":"Source, craftsmanship, and exchange: The first comprehensive scientific analysis of gold foils unearthed from Xinjiang (6th–3rd centuries BCE)","authors":"Dian Chen , Liangren Zhang , Chao Li , Jie Zhang , Dongyang Sun , Wugan Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100676","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100676","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents the first systematic provenance analysis of raw materials used in ancient Chinese gold artifacts, focusing on 16 gold foil fragments excavated from archaeological sites in Xinjiang, China, dating to the 6th–3rd centuries BCE. Most samples are associated with the Pazyryk culture, with one attributed to the Suodunbulake culture. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), we analyzed surface morphology, elemental composition, and lead isotope ratios. The foils, uniformly hammered thickness of 40–50 μm, exhibit elemental signatures consistent with alluvial gold, including tin concentrations exceeding 100 ppm and platinum over 20 ppm. Remarkably, some foils from the Qiangkanhe site contain exceptionally high endogenous mercury levels (some reaching up to 30 %), ruling out artificial addition. Lead isotope analysis reveals distinct source regions: the Qiangkanhe gold likely originate from the Rudny Altai region in Russia, while gold from Fuyun County and the Suodunbulake culture appears to derive from the Tianshan-Beishan region. These findings offer new insights into ancient gold craftsmanship, raw material procurement, and exchange networks within the Pazyryk culture and its neighboring groups, and lay the groundwork for further research on early Chinese gold artifacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100676"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145694051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100675
Mickael Baillet , Guangmao Xie , Yao Li , Hong Chen , Yunhao Guo , Liping Xue , Qiang Lin
Contrary to prior assumptions of distinct cultural provinces, recent lithic analyses identified four cross-regional parallels between Lingnan and northern Vietnam (1. cobble-based industries; 2. similar flaking production systems; 3. analogous flake morphometrics; 4. similar retouched tool types on both flakes or cobbles), recurring in three phases from MIS3 to the mid-Holocene, suggesting intermittent cross-regional behavioral homogeneity. Nevertheless, a more systemic analysis questions their evidential value, requiring further research to validate, and some cross-regional behavioral disparities persisted, exemplified by the perforated stones or the “Sumatraliths”. The present study addresses these ambiguities by applying techno-functional analysis to lithic assemblages from the extensive chrono-stratigraphic sequence of Yahuai Cave. Four findings support behavioral homogeneity over time: 1) cobble-cores used mainly for volumetric reduction, and occasionally secondary modification into tools (i.e. cobble-core-tools); 2) cobbles with few localized flake removals on functional edges were actually cobble-tools, but generally not cores; 3) Paleolithic scraping tools evidence a culturally significant practice: the processing of hides with ochre application; 4) all sizes of unmodified flakes were used as tools and have a natural ergonomic grip. Proposed cross-stratigraphic behavioral homogeneity at Yahuai requires testing in other multi-stratified sites across Guangxi and northern Vietnam. This hypothesis questions whether potential cross-regional lithic traditions developed local particularisms, exhibiting minimal in situ typotechnological variation in stone tool assemblages, while maintaining the tooled activities technical systems. If confirmed, such a scenario may explain the previously perceived chrono-cultural divide between northern Vietnam and Lingnan, despite episodic typo-technological parallels.
{"title":"Assessing regional behavioral homogeneity through the lithic industries from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene: Integrated techno-functional analysis at Yahuai Cave (Guangxi, South China)","authors":"Mickael Baillet , Guangmao Xie , Yao Li , Hong Chen , Yunhao Guo , Liping Xue , Qiang Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Contrary to prior assumptions of distinct cultural provinces, recent lithic analyses identified four cross-regional parallels between Lingnan and northern Vietnam (1. cobble-based industries; 2. similar flaking production systems; 3. analogous flake morphometrics; 4. similar retouched tool types on both flakes or cobbles), recurring in three phases from MIS3 to the mid-Holocene, suggesting intermittent cross-regional behavioral homogeneity. Nevertheless, a more systemic analysis questions their evidential value, requiring further research to validate, and some cross-regional behavioral disparities persisted, exemplified by the perforated stones or the “Sumatraliths”. The present study addresses these ambiguities by applying techno-functional analysis to lithic assemblages from the extensive chrono-stratigraphic sequence of Yahuai Cave. Four findings support behavioral homogeneity over time: 1) cobble-cores used mainly for volumetric reduction, and occasionally secondary modification into tools (i.e. cobble-core-tools); 2) cobbles with few localized flake removals on functional edges were actually cobble-tools, but generally not cores; 3) Paleolithic scraping tools evidence a culturally significant practice: the processing of hides with ochre application; 4) all sizes of unmodified flakes were used as tools and have a natural ergonomic grip. Proposed cross-stratigraphic behavioral homogeneity at Yahuai requires testing in other multi-stratified sites across Guangxi and northern Vietnam. This hypothesis questions whether potential cross-regional lithic traditions developed local particularisms, exhibiting minimal in situ typotechnological variation in stone tool assemblages, while maintaining the tooled activities technical systems. If confirmed, such a scenario may explain the previously perceived chrono-cultural divide between northern Vietnam and Lingnan, despite episodic typo-technological parallels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100675"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145625086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100674
Lin Ban , Xiaohong Lv , Wenqi Wei , Zhe Zhang , Chunxue Wang , Yaoting Xie
This study examines the breeding, management, and roles of dogs in the Western Zhou period through an integrated analysis of zooarchaeology, ancient DNA (aDNA), stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N), and paleopathology from the Hengshui Cemetery (Peng State), southern Shanxi, China. The assemblage displays a male-biased sex ratio among sacrificial dogs. Stable isotope values indicate millet-based diets closely tied to human agriculture, with dogs generally accessing less animal protein than humans, consistent with a subordinate position in household provisioning. Mild ankle osteoarthritis (AO) occurs frequently among medium-to-large young males, aligning with interpretations of physically demanding activities for a subset of dogs. Mortuary placements suggest dual roles for dogs as both practical assets in life and symbolically charged participants in funerary practice. Preliminary observations raise questions about potential management differences by sex; however, the small number of identifiable females and their isotopic overlap with males preclude firm conclusions. Overall, the results illuminate how dogs were actively managed and embedded in Western Zhou social, economic, and ritual systems.
{"title":"The breeding and functions of dogs in the Western Zhou dynasty of China: Evidence from sacrificed dogs at Hengshui cemetery","authors":"Lin Ban , Xiaohong Lv , Wenqi Wei , Zhe Zhang , Chunxue Wang , Yaoting Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100674","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100674","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the breeding, management, and roles of dogs in the Western Zhou period through an integrated analysis of zooarchaeology, ancient DNA (aDNA), stable isotopes (δ<sup>13</sup>C, δ<sup>15</sup>N), and paleopathology from the Hengshui Cemetery (Peng State), southern Shanxi, China. The assemblage displays a male-biased sex ratio among sacrificial dogs. Stable isotope values indicate millet-based diets closely tied to human agriculture, with dogs generally accessing less animal protein than humans, consistent with a subordinate position in household provisioning. Mild ankle osteoarthritis (AO) occurs frequently among medium-to-large young males, aligning with interpretations of physically demanding activities for a subset of dogs. Mortuary placements suggest dual roles for dogs as both practical assets in life and symbolically charged participants in funerary practice. Preliminary observations raise questions about potential management differences by sex; however, the small number of identifiable females and their isotopic overlap with males preclude firm conclusions. Overall, the results illuminate how dogs were actively managed and embedded in Western Zhou social, economic, and ritual systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100674"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145580302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ara.2025.100663
Mohammad Ruly Fauzi , Jatmiko , Thomas Sutikna , Fadhlan S. Intan , Sigit Eko Prasetyo , Harry Widianto , François Sémah , Truman Simanjuntak , Hubert Forestier
Bifacial handaxes from the Indonesian archipelago rarely get full attention, and a comprehensive study needs to be conducted on their variability. Not only is there a scarcity of numbers and a lack of a spatio-chronological context, but the limited information on Indonesian handaxes also generates difficulty in understanding their significance. Using previously published documented and grey literature from Indonesian institutions, we examine a total of 44 specimens of handaxes across the Indonesian archipelago. A fully digital observation was completed using classic-morphometric and geometric-morphometric analysis. The results provide essential quantitative insights into the often-overlooked aspects of shape variability (typology), symmetry, and cutting-edge morphology. Our analysis reveals that Indonesian handaxes from Java, Sumatra, and the Wallacea Zone exhibit similarities. However, applying multiple approaches to describing morphological attributes reveals subtle differences in shape variation. This finding indicates the timing for early hominin arrival in Sumatra, Java, and Wallacea. This study paves the way for advanced comparative research on Acheulean-related implements in Indonesia and Insular Southeast Asia.
{"title":"Further insight into the shape variability of handaxes from Indonesia","authors":"Mohammad Ruly Fauzi , Jatmiko , Thomas Sutikna , Fadhlan S. Intan , Sigit Eko Prasetyo , Harry Widianto , François Sémah , Truman Simanjuntak , Hubert Forestier","doi":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ara.2025.100663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bifacial handaxes from the Indonesian archipelago rarely get full attention, and a comprehensive study needs to be conducted on their variability. Not only is there a scarcity of numbers and a lack of a spatio-chronological context, but the limited information on Indonesian handaxes also generates difficulty in understanding their significance. Using previously published documented and grey literature from Indonesian institutions, we examine a total of 44 specimens of handaxes across the Indonesian archipelago. A fully digital observation was completed using classic-morphometric and geometric-morphometric analysis. The results provide essential quantitative insights into the often-overlooked aspects of shape variability (typology), symmetry, and cutting-edge morphology. Our analysis reveals that Indonesian handaxes from Java, Sumatra, and the Wallacea Zone exhibit similarities. However, applying multiple approaches to describing morphological attributes reveals subtle differences in shape variation. This finding indicates the timing for early hominin arrival in Sumatra, Java, and Wallacea. This study paves the way for advanced comparative research on Acheulean-related implements in Indonesia and Insular Southeast Asia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51847,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Research in Asia","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100663"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145466092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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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