The Chinese Neolithic: Trajectories to Early StatesThis book studies the formation of complex societies in prehistoric China during the Neolithic and early state periods, c. 7000–1500 BC. Archaeological materials are interpreted through anthropological perspectives, using systematic analytic methods in settlement and burial patterns. Both agency and process are considered in the development of chiefdoms and in the emergence of early states in the Yellow River region. Interrelationships between factors such as mortuary practice, craft specialization, ritual activities, warfare, exchange of elite goods, climatic fluctuations, and environmental changes are emphasized. This study offers a critical evaluation of current archaeological data from Chinese sources, and argues that, although some general tendencies are noted, social changes were affected by multiple factors in no pre-determined sequence. In this most comprehensive study to date, Li Liu attempts to reconstruct developmental trajectories toward early states in Chinese civilization and discusses theoretical implications of Chinese archaeology for the understanding of social evolution. |
Contents
| 1 | |
2 The changing environmental contexts of Chinas first complex societies | 19 |
3 Household subsistence and ritual | 33 |
4 Spatial organization and social relations in communities | 73 |
5 Community burial patterns | 117 |
6 Development and decline of complex societies in the Central Plains | 159 |
7 Development and decline of social complexity beyond the Central Plains | 192 |
8 Trajectories toward early states | 223 |
9 Reconstructing social processes | 239 |
NOTES | 254 |
1 APPENDIXES | 256 |
| 275 | |
| 301 | |
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Common terms and phrases
ancient artifacts Banpo Beijing bones Bronze burials cemetery central Henan Central Plains central Shaanxi ceramic changes chapter chiefdoms China Chinese cluster Dadiwan Dawenkou culture dynasty edited elite enclosure environmental Erlitou culture excavated fajue faunal feasting Figure Gansu groups Henan Henan Institute household Institute of Archaeology jade Jiahu jianbao Jiangzhai Kangjia Kaogu late Longshan period late Yangshao located Longshan culture Longshan sites major center male mortuary Neolithic period number of grave number of sites Peiligang Peiligang culture phase pits political population pottery Qijia culture region residential ritual Rizhao settlement hierarchy settlement patterns settlement systems Shaanxi Shandong Shang skeletons social complexity southern Shanxi suggesting Taosi tombs vessels Wang Wang Qing Wangchenggang Wei River Wei River valley Wenwu Press western Henan Xinzhai Yangshao culture Yangshao period Yanjiu Yellow River Yellow River valley Yiluo yizhi Yuchisi Yueshi Zhang Zhengzhou Zhongguo Zhou