Contacts between Chinese Regional Cultures and Northern Grasslands during the Early Bronze Age: a case study of turquoise-inlaid ornaments

Summary

The turquoise-inlaid bronze plaques with animal motifs excavated from the Erlitou sites are among the most conspicuous artifacts ever discovered in the Culture. This work explores issues regarding the function and origin of these items, which were worn as ornamental objects at the wrists of the deceased at the time of excavation. Through an analysis of the deposition and placement of these artifacts in the graves, it is speculated that this unique artifact type could be traced all the way back to late Neolithic period. On the basis of available data, this research reviewed the change of these turquoise-inlaid wrist ornaments in relation to turquoise-inlaid body ornaments from prehistoric China dated to periods prior to the 2nd millennium BC, to explore possible interactions between Chinese regional and Grassland cultures.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Cultural Contacts along the Silk Road during the Early Bronze Age

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16828