Technology and Design in 4th and 3rd Millennium BCE China
Part of: Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)
This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Technology and Design in 4th and 3rd Millennium BCE China," at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.
In the Neolithic archaeology of China investigations into ancient technologies are by no means a new trend. However, a wealth of new material excavated in recent years inspires us to look again at techniques, designs, and technological choices in all manner of crafts, particularly ceramics, during the Late Neolithic Age. Furthermore, even when examining finds from decades ago, new insights about these concepts as well as new comparisons drawn from the archaeological, ethnographical, and ethnoarchaeological record are causing outdated paradigms concerning the production and use of certain types of artifacts to be overturned. During the time period of our focus, the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE, immense social changes are reflected in the material culture. The production of ceramic artifacts shows increased specialization as well as a remarkable escalation of scale in certain cases. In a parallel development, new designs in artifacts and built environments emerge to represent new social roles and hierarchies. At the same time, during the 4th and 3rd millennium BCE, the territory of China featured a rich diversity of cultures providing us with varied approaches to technology and design.
Other Keywords
Ceramic Analysis •
Neolithic •
Cultural Transmission •
Craft Production •
Chalcolithic •
Subsistence and Foodways
Geographic Keywords
Kyrgyz Republic (Country) •
Japan (Country) •
Asia (Continent) •
Mongolia (Country) •
Republic of India (Country) •
People's Republic of Bangladesh (Country) •
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (Country) •
Union of Myanmar (Country) •
People's Republic of China (Country) •
Republic of Korea (Country)
Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-3 of 3)
- Documents (3)
-
The Dissemination of Miaodigou Culture Painted Pottery (2019)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the "Technology and Design in 4th and 3rd Millennium BCE China" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The cultural sequence of the Wei River valley, as exemplified by Miaodigou Culture of the Middle Yangshao Period, represents a pinnacle as reflected in its masterfully crafted ceramics. The classical forms are pointed-bottomed amphorae, flat-bottomed bottles, coarseware jars, deep basins, and deep bowls. Of special importance are...
-
A Functional Study of 'jiandiping' (Pointed base) Amphorae (2019)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the "Technology and Design in 4th and 3rd Millennium BCE China" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. There have been many debates on the function of jiandiping (or pointed base) amphorae of the Yangshao Culture in the Wei River valley. Although analyses of plant residue suggested that the amphorae might have been used as wine vessels, their function and the usage are still in doubt. Based on the observations of typological...
-
A Primary Study of Ceramic Technology at the Shimao Site (2019)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the "Technology and Design in 4th and 3rd Millennium BCE China" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The Shimao site was a significant stone-walled settlement in Northern China dating to around 2000 BCE. In recent excavations, vast amounts of pottery sherds were unearthed from Huangchengtai, the stone-walled platform which was encircled by both the interior and exterior stone walls. Around 200 pottery sherds were examined by...