Preliminary Results from a Multi-Methodological Approach on a Refuse Pit from the Middle Shang Period at Huanbei

Summary

In the study of refuse pits from Bronze Age China, much effort has been invested in defining chronologies illustrated by ceramic typology, while overlooking the practices surrounding the usage of the pits. Our research is intended to capture and interpret depositional behaviors related to domestic ritual and social organization and transformation during the middle Shang period. We are presenting our preliminary results of a refuse pit (2016NEK0541H128) excavated at Huanbei (late 14th century – mid 13th century BCE) in the summer of 2016. Excavation uncovered a variety of ceramic sherds and numerous animal bones, as well as two nearly complete human skeletons. Our results were obtained from a multi-methodological approach, whereby osteological analysis, coupled with statistical analysis of the pottery remains, were employed. We seek to integrate the results derived from these different methods in order to assess what was being created, employed, and deposited within this pit, which will highlight the impact of culturally contingent factors influencing daily practice.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Lifeways in Bronze Age China

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16367