A Study of Flexed Burials in the Central Lake Region of Yunnan: from Neolithic to Bronze Age

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Recent Research on Early Chinese Borderland Cultures and Archaeological Materials" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The flexed burial is a distinct burial style that has prevailed in various regions of China since ancient time. Scholarly interest in flexed burials in the Central Lake region (Lake Dian and adjacent lands) of Yunnan began after discovery of a grave in 1955 during the excavation of the ancient necropolis at Shizhaishan. This topic became researched extensively after more flexed skeletal remains were found in ancient settlements and burial sites in the Central Lake region. Quantitatively, flexed burials account for a small proportion of burials in the entire Central Lake region, but this unique mortuary style appears to have conveyed special meanings and therefore deserves further investigation. Incorporating relevant archaeological materials from areas surrounding Yunnan, this project explores the reasons that led to the presence of flexed burials in the Central Lake region during the Neolithic era and Bronze Age, and discusses the evolution of this unique burial custom over time.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Recent Research on Early Chinese Borderland Cultures and Archaeological Materials   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25355