ARC 1010 - Bronze Age SW China

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The arrival of metals

  • Traditionally, beginnings of metallurgy in China regarded as an independent invention of 2000-1500BCE n the Central Plain area (lower Yellow river) and associated with the early Shang dynasty.
  • Now more open and intense archaeological research is challenging many longheld views. New fieldwork across China is beginning to show that the use of metals begins earlier – late 4th -3 rd millennium BCE (proto-dynastic period) at sites in Gansu and other sites across north China, from west (Xinjiang) to east (Liaoning and Shandong) – all beyond the central plain area.
  • Now strong evidence for transmission during the late Neolithic from eastern Eurasia (central steppe area, Kazakhstan, and Russian Far East)..
  • metallurgy v imp, 1/driving forces in development, X ubiquitous commodity, involves inter-commectivity of communities and trade
  • idea of E/W sep -> chinese archaeology focused on its distinctive characteristics etc.  
  • much of what happened in China was in Central Plain area 
  • Possible transmission of technology (metals, horse and chariot) from central Asia across Steppes to Central Plain of Yellow river (dates inaccurate) -> connections along the silk road
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Longshan sites: Shandong

  • 3000-2000BC
  • increasing social complexity
  • cemeteries with elite graves and rich grave goods (jade)
  • some bronze but metal rare
  • proto-script incised on pottery
  • human sacrifices
  • large earth-walled settlements (c.38 ha at Jingyanggang)
  • fine black neolithic pottery
  • Gansu: small bronze axes and blades
  • PROTO-DYNASTIC 3rd mill.
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Longshan culture: Shandong

  • human sacrifice in tomb, at the late capitol at Anyang (heads found elsewhere in the same tomb)
  • By 4th century BC human sacrifice declining and replaced by representative ‘attendants’ in death – encouraged by Confucious (painted wooden female figure from tomb in Henan)
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Dynastic period

Xia dynasty 1700-1600 BCE

Shang dynasty - Early Bronze Age 1500-1027 BCE (historical record here) 

  • Erlitou sites, Henan - Shang dynasty, bronze ritual food vessles, multi-piece mould castings
  • Mid 2nd millenium, Chinese culture emerges in this period w writing, cities, and use of metals, stratified polity ruled by powerful king
  • social differentiation expressed in burials
  • elite few buried w grave goods (<200 bronze objects could be interred in a single grave)
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Sanxingdui, Sichuan

  • equates shang culture
  • little known bc outside central plain
  • Bronze figures, 1 = over 3metres: life-size heads and figure
  • really cool, incredible rich and distinctive unlike other civilisations, though they share technology -> CULTURAL EXPRESSION
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Sanxingdui, Sichuan basin

  • outside the Central Plains Shang culture Walled city of 450ha surrounded by areas of occupation and cemeteries covering 15sqm
  • 1980s discovery of two ritual pits containing 60 elephant tusks; 735 bronzes; 61 gold objects; 486 jade objects + turquoise, ivory, tiger teeth; cowrie shells
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Jinsha, W Zhou period

  • Settlement site near Sanxingdui (now Chengdu city)
  • Now major museum and undercover site
  • Massive deposits of elephant and boar tusks
  • material culture telling us stories about life 
  • root plate = worship (?)
  • inspiration for Avatar
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More Dynasties

ZHOU DYNASTY 1050-256 BCE

  • Zhou came from up-river on the (Yellow River) in now Shaanxi province
  • initial period, 1050-771 BCE – Western Zhou
  • shift in power to Eastern Zhou
  • gradual disintegration of central polity into feudal fiefdoms
  • between 771-481 BCE ‘Spring’ and then ‘Autumn’ periods (Eastern Zhou dynasty)
  • 403-221 BCE – Warring States period (Eastern Zhou dynasty)

QIN 221 BCE 

  • Qin (Chin) unifies China - first Emperor of China

HAN 202 BCE – 220 CE 

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