Urbanization in the eastern seaboard (Haidai) area of northern China: Perspectives from the late Neolithic site of Liangchengzhen

Underhill, Anne P.; Cunnar, Geoffrey; Luan, Fengshi; Crawford, Gary W.; Yu, Haiguang; Fang, Hui; Wang, Fen; Wu, Hao

doi:10.1016/j.jaa.2021.101288

“…It is characterized by an abundance of fine black-and grey-polished, eggshell-thin ceramics of various types, which indicates increased reliance on pottery wheel technology and craft specialization (Druc et al 2021;Underhill 2002). Stone tools are diverse and predominantly shaped by grinding (Bennett 2007;Cunnar 2007Cunnar , 2013Underhill et al 2021). Osseous technology from Longshan contexts varies intra-regionally depending on the exploitable resources in the immediate environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition About 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

Yin¹,

Luan²,

Doyon³

2023

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The study of cultural changes associated with the emergence of complex societies in Ancient China has heavily relied on evidence from ceramics, lithic technologies, changes in settlement pattern, burial practices, and prestige goods. However, it remains unclear whether, and if so to what extent, other aspects of material culture follow similar evolutionary trajectories. Here, we analyze a large bone tool assemblage found in Longshan (n = 76) and Yueshi (n = 124) contexts at Yinjiacheng, a key site from the Haidai region. These two cultural entities are of particular interest as they allow to investigate cultural change dynamics in the Haidai region during the transition between the Late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. Our assessment allows us to document changes in bone technology along three lines of evidence: typological diversity, technological know-how, and morphometric standardization. From a typological standpoint, we document an increased diversity in tool types during the Yueshi period compared to Longshan. However, the techniques used to manufacture bone tools during the Longshan and Yueshi periods remain broadly the same. Furthermore, we identify the persistence of specific reduction sequences for the manufacture of some awl and projectile point sub-types shared by the two cultural systems.Morphometrically, Longshan domestic tools are generally more standardized than Yueshi tools, while Yueshi hunting implements show a higher degree of standardization compared to their Longshan counterparts. We argue this pattern reflects the preservation of a common know-how among Longshan and Yueshi settlers at Yinjiacheng. We interpret the typological diversification of Yueshi hunting implements and changes in the standardization of Yueshi bone tools as a proxy for the articulation of this knowledge through applying less rigid rules of production to meet new emerging needs.

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“…It is characterized by an abundance of fine black-and grey-polished, eggshell-thin ceramics of various types, which indicates increased reliance on pottery wheel technology and craft specialization (Druc et al 2021;Underhill 2002). Stone tools are diverse and predominantly shaped by grinding (Bennett 2007;Cunnar 2007Cunnar , 2013Underhill et al 2021). Osseous technology from Longshan contexts varies intra-regionally depending on the exploitable resources in the immediate environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition about 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

YIN¹,

LUAN²,

Doyon³

2022

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The study of cultural changes associated with the emergence of complex societies in Ancient China has heavily relied on evidence from ceramics, lithic technologies, changes in settlement pattern, burial practices, and prestige goods. However, it remains unclear whether, and if so to what extent, other aspects of material culture follow similar evolutionary trajectories. Here, we analyze a large bone tool assemblage found in Longshan (n = 76) and Yueshi (n = 124) contexts at Yinjiacheng, a key site from the Haidai region. These two cultural entities are of particular interest as they allow to investigate cultural change dynamics in the Haidai region during the transition between the Late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. Our assessment allows us to document changes in bone technology along three lines of evidence: typological diversity, technological know-how, and morphometric standardization. From a typological standpoint, we document an increased diversity in tool types during the Yueshi period compared to Longshan. However, the techniques used to manufacture bone tools during the Longshan and Yueshi periods remain broadly the same. Furthermore, we identify the persistence of specific reduction sequences for the manufacture of some awl and projectile point sub-types shared by the two cultural systems.Morphometrically, Longshan domestic tools are generally more standardized than Yueshi tools, while Yueshi hunting implements show a higher degree of standardization compared to their Longshan counterparts. We argue this pattern reflects the preservation of a common know-how among Longshan and Yueshi settlers at Yinjiacheng. We interpret the typological diversification of Yueshi hunting implements and changes in the standardization of Yueshi bone tools as a proxy for the articulation of this knowledge through applying less rigid rules of production to meet new emerging needs.

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Population dynamics and imperial expansion in eastern Shandong (China) during the last millennium BCE

Wang,

Feinman,

Nicholas

et al. 2024

Archaeological Research in Asia

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Urbanization in the eastern seaboard (Haidai) area of northern China: Perspectives from the late Neolithic site of Liangchengzhen

Cited by 12 publications

References 39 publications

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition About 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition About 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition about 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

Population dynamics and imperial expansion in eastern Shandong (China) during the last millennium BCE

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