Technology, Production, and Social Changes in Chinese Archaeology

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Technology, Production, and Social Changes in Chinese Archaeology" at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This session explores the profound impacts of technological advancements and production techniques on societal transformations within Chinese archaeology. By examining key prehistorical/historical periods, we will explore how technology in a wide array of natural resources, such as plants, animals, soils, minerals, metals, water, labor, etc. not only enhanced production capabilities but also triggered profound social changes. This session aims to expand discussions through the examination of diverse cultural materials to highlight the intricate connections between technological progress and social structures.

Participants will gain insights into how these advancements influenced economic-political systems, social differentiations, and ritual practices. Featuring a discussion on how integrating archaeological data with diverse approaches can offer a more nuanced understanding of the development of ancient Chinese civilization, this session underscores the pivotal role of technology and production in driving social changes, in order to provide a comprehensive perspective on the dynamic interactions between humans and non-human factors.