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Abstract: Abstract The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 902 to 979) was a period of division that lasted for nearly 80 years after the extermination of the Tang Dynasty. With the deepening of archaeological work in recent years, 26 pieces of Xiangsheng ceramics were found in sites of the Nanhan, Qianshu, and Houshu kingdoms in Guangdong and Sichuan, all of which were in the shape of fruits. In this paper, these Xiangsheng ceramics are divided into three types, their different manufacturing techniques and origins are discussed, and their natures and uses are determined based on the literature. PubDate: 2024-06-12 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00091-x
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Abstract: Abstract In April, 2021, the School of Archaeology of Jilin University and the Liaoning Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology conducted a Paleolithic archaeological survey in Chaoyang City, Liaoning Province. The archaeological team traversed the three counties of Halaqinzuoyi Mongolian Autonomous County, Chaoyang County, and Beipiao City, and found more than 10 Paleolithic sites, among which the Xiagachacunnanshan site is one of them. Investigators found 33 stone artifacts at the Xiagachacunnanshan site, including cores, flakes, and tools. The raw materials of these stone artifacts is mainly quartz, quartz sandstone, and sandstone. According to the types of stone artifacts and pottery pieces collected, it is inferred that the stone industry of the site belongs to the small stone tool industry of the Late Paleolithic period, and the site should be dated from the Late Paleolithic to the Bronze Age. PubDate: 2024-05-28 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00089-5
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Abstract: Abstract The Vasa, an impeccably preserved seventeenth-century ship, stands as a pinnacle of maritime heritage, drawing the highest visitor footfall to its museum in Sweden. Following deliberation on optimal preservation strategies, the vessel underwent pioneering treatment with polyethylene glycol (PEG), a process spanning 17 years, succeeded by a protracted phase of gradual desiccation that remained incomplete as of 2011. Continual vigilance and scholarly inquiry characterize ongoing efforts to safeguard the Vasa wreck, reflecting a commitment to its enduring conservation. Over time, approaches to the archaeological excavation, retrieval, and exhibition of shipwrecks have evolved significantly, transitioning from conventional practices prevalent in the mid-twentieth century to contemporary paradigms emphasizing immersive, in-situ showcases and interpretive narratives that contextualize cultural artifacts within their marine ecosystems. This transformative journey has culminated in the establishment of shipwreck parks, dive corridors, and Marine Protected Areas, emblematic of a holistic conservation ethos that harmonizes the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. The collective wisdom gleaned from these endeavors serves as a beacon guiding future conservation endeavors, informing strategies tailored to both the Vasa and newly discovered wrecks. PubDate: 2024-05-13 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00090-y
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Abstract: Abstract The Houtaomuga site is located at the southern end of the Songnen Plain, in the confluence area of the rivers in the lower reaches of the Nen River, which has always been a densely populated region of ancient human activities in Northeast China. This study conducted ancient DNA (aDNA) experiments on 20 canine bone samples excavated from the Houtaomuga site, successfully extracting 12 ancient canine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop sequences. Through aDNA analysis, the study determined the species of the canine remains from the Houtaomuga site, and combined the results with archaeological research, emphasizing that the domestic dogs from the Houtaomuga site may have been closely related to those in Northeast Asia. Furthermore, this suggests that as early as the Late Neolithic period, the Eurasian steppe had already become an important conduit for cultural exchanges between the East and West. Furthermore, the presence of Haplotype C domestic dogs at the site provides direct genetic evidence of East–West interaction in the far eastern region of the Eurasian continent. PubDate: 2024-05-07 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00088-6
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Abstract: Abstract This study presents a discovery of Acavus haemastoma, wet-humid favouring arboreal land snails from Semi-Arid coastal lagoon habitat during the late Holocene period in Southern Sri Lanka, occurring around the mid-4th millennium BP. These findings challenge established notions regarding palaeoecological conditions within the Semi-Arid and Transitional Zones (SATZ), prompting a re-evaluation of prevailing archaeological assumptions. We propose that the presence of Acavus sp. in the SATZ is primarily attributed to their natural behaviours rather than anthropogenic influences. In conjunction with an examination of early archaeological literature, we explore the implications of humid phases within the SATZ, aligning these phases with Acavus snails’ distribution patterns and climatic fluctuations and proposing the value of land snails in Sri Lanka as a potential proxy for small scale micro-climatic conditions. PubDate: 2024-05-02 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00086-8
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Abstract: Abstract When Zhang Zhongpei put forward the concept of the “fishing and hunting Neolithic culture” in the 1980s, it broke through the ideological limitation that only an agricultural economy could produce Neolithic culture and provided references and inspiration for in-depth exploration and theoretical innovation of related issues. Since that time, a large number of studies have shown that the late stage of the Hongshan Culture (6500—5000 cal BP) in western Liaoning had entered a stage of early civilized society. Recent research based on scientific and technological archaeological materials shows that the Hongshan Culture was dominated by a fishing and hunting economy. It shows that in some specific areas, the fishing and hunting economy can not only produce Neolithic culture, but also can give birth to early civilization, which further breaks from traditional understanding. The Hongshan Culture has a special economic structure based on fishing and hunting, supplemented by agriculture. It shows the harmonious coexistence of nature and culture, which jointly promoted the development of society. PubDate: 2024-04-25 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00087-7
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Abstract: Abstract The burial sites of the elite during the Koguryŏ kingdom (37 BC–AD 668) constitute a unique collection of 126 painted tombs, previously unseen in northeast Asia that are distributed near the sites of the Koguryŏ capitals in northeast China (Jilin and Liaoning provinces) and in the Pyongyang, Nampo and Hwanghae regions in North Korea. A major hindrance in the study and analysis of the Koguryŏ painted tombs is the lack of a reliable chronological framework. These tombs have not been identified and securely dated apart from two tombs that do carry inscriptions revealing the identity of the occupant. This study focuses on the images of the Northern Dipper and the Southern Dipper constellations which are conspicuously depicted on a larger scale on the tombs’ ceiling. It compared two groups of tombs, the ones that feature the Northern Dipper constellation alone and those which have paired Northern and Southern Dipper constellations, and it inquired whether this difference has implications for the chronology of the tombs. This new study demonstrates that one mode of representation seems to have preceded the second group of tombs. PubDate: 2024-03-25 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00085-9
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Abstract: Abstract The Il-Khan ruler Hülegü (1215–1265 CE) was a grandson of Genghis Khan (the founder of the Mongol Empire), a son of Tolui, and a brother of both Möngke Khan and Kublai Khan. He died on February 8, 1265, CE, at an estimated age of 48 years. Unlike our knowledge about the death and burial of Genghis Khan (d. 1227 CE), which is recorded in one of the oldest of the autochthonous chronicles, The Secret History of the Mongols, with no reference to time or place, the approximate location of Hülegü’s final resting place is referenced in several documents. Contemporary Persian resources unanimously suggest that the treasury and royal tomb of Hülegü Khan lie somewhere in Lake Urmia on Shahi Island (Jazīreh-ye-Shāhī), Northwest Iran. Rashīd al-Dīn posited that the Hülegü’s treasury is filled with pillow-size gold ingots and treasures gathered from across the Ilkhanid Empire. The exact location and discovery of this hidden treasure and the burial place of Hülegü remain one of the most persistent unsolved mysteries and none of the later archaeological studies challenged this attribution. This paper will discuss the idea that Shahi Island contains the fabled tomb of the legendary ruler of Ilkhanid Iran (1256–1335 CE) Hülegü, his sons Abaqa Khan (1234–1282 CE), as well as Mongol queens, high priests, and other elites. The findings of this research are important because they could launch a new era for Mongol studies and the archaeology of hidden treasures. PubDate: 2024-03-20 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00082-y
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Abstract: Abstract The spread of rice is one of the most debated topic in East Asian archaeology due to the long history and multiple roles of rice in the region. Following domestication, how and when rice spread to various regions still remain disputed and unclear issues. Here, a comparison of the introduction of rice into Italy and Japan reveals great complexity in the modalities and timelines of the spread of rice into both of these territories. The comparison also reveals that while in Japan scholars for a long time considered that rice spread into the archipelago in a very short period in a linear mode, the situation is in fact extremely articulated. A further conclusion of this research isthat there is chronological discrepancy regarding the rice introduction into Japan from the Asian mainland. PubDate: 2024-03-20 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00083-x
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Abstract: Abstract The present study is divided in two parts: first, it offers a description of the game boards unearthed in Hong Kong and Macao, outlining the significance of the different theories proposed to explain the origin of these rock carvings in the light of the most recent scholarship on their Western counterparts, with which they had been previously compared. Second, it documents newly discovered game board rock carvings in Hong Kong and, through a comparative analysis of the evidence associated to similar carvings in Macao and Europe (archaeological contextualization, common typology and organization, and functionality), offers a tentative dating of eighteenth-nineteenth century. On account of the coincidence in their arrangement and design and the fact that there is no evidence of similar alquerque-like game board clusters outside of Europe in early times –all known examples appearing within a Roman or Christian context or being the result of territorial expansion or trade–, it shall be concluded that these game boards are the result of late contacts between European merchants stationed in Macao and Hong Kong and local tradesmen who may have assimilated and adapted these games to their own local culture, spreading them across the trading routes that connected old villages. PubDate: 2024-03-11 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-024-00084-w
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Abstract: Abstract The Xiayaogou Houshan site is one of more than 10 Paleolithic localities located during archaeological survey searching for Paleolithic localities in Xixia County, Nanyang City, Henan Province, in September 2020, carried out jointly by a team from the School of Archaeology of Jilin University and the Nanyang City Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute. The Xiayaogou Houshan site lithic assemblage includes cores, tools, and chunks, with small, flaked stone artifacts being the most abundant. Analysis of the lithics shows that the main industrial features are hard hammer percussion technology and bipolar technology. Scrapers are the most abundant retouched tool, and they were retouched by direct percussion with a mainly forward direction of retouch. All of the lithic artifacts found were chipped, and there were no ground or polished stone objects or pottery found. There were also no cultural materials suitable for dating, such as animal bone or carbonized plant materials, discovered. The available geological, stratigraphic, and artifact evidence, however, suggests that this locality should date to the Middle Pleistocene. Thus, Xiayaogou Houshan is likely an Early Paleolithic period locality. PubDate: 2024-01-08 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00081-5
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Abstract: Abstract Chuancangyu Dongling locality, which is located in Jizhou District of Tianjin City, was found during the fieldwork by Production Center of Cultural Heritage in Tianjin and Research Center of China’s Frontier Archaeology in Jilin University in April 29th, 2015. The number of the stone artifacts, which the raw materials are mainly quartz sandstone, is 48, and the types are cores, flakes and tools. According to the whole characteristics, the locality belongs to the small-stone-artifacts industry. Based on the characteristics of stone artifacts in this locality, this paper makes a preliminary study on the small-stone-artifacts industry in Jizhou District of Tianjin City in the Upper Paleolithic. PubDate: 2024-01-08 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00080-6
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Abstract: Abstract Horse was one of the important domestic animals in ancient China. Previous studies on ancient DNA have shown that Chinese domestic horses were introduced from the West, although the exact diffusion route remains ambiguous. In this study, we extracted three horse samples from the Jiulongshan Cemetery, dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and successfully acquired three mitochondrial genome sequences. The results of the ancient DNA analysis revealed matrilineal genetic diversity among the ancient horses from the Jiulongshan Cemetery, as well as interaction with the nomadic cultures around the Altai region. For the sake of the geographical asset that domestic horses from the West via the route entered China, the Jiulongshan Cemetery has played a significant role in the origin and domestication research of Chinese horses. These findings genetically prove that there was close communication with the nomadic of different groups in northern China and besides between those and the Western Eurasian steppe. PubDate: 2024-01-08 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00079-z
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Abstract: Abstract Since its discovery, the Liangzhu Culture amazed the public with its unprecedentedly levels of development rivaling most of its contemporaneous and postdating Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age cultures in the world. Yet, this culture has also puzzled scholars as its achievements were notably made in absence of two primary traditional presumptions of civilization emergence: writing and metallurgy. Through a review of existing archeological scholarship, this paper begins with exploring alternative pathways that the Liangzhu Culture might have pursued in its emergence and early state formation process, primarily the strategy of religious or ideological manipulation. Then, the paper proposes a novel idea that Liangzhu expansions into northern China was accompanied by an exportation of the Liangzhu model of early state formation, leading to the emergence of proto-states pertinent to the Longshan Culture. Finally, this paper analyses how the Liangzhu model of civilization emergence and its exportation northwards challenges traditional narratives of civilization emergence in China. PubDate: 2023-11-07 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00076-2
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Abstract: Abstract From February to July 2019, entrusted by the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Frontier Archaeology Research Center of Jilin University together with the Anhui Provincial Administration of Cultural Affairs formed a joint archaeological team to conduct field archaeological excavations at the Wawuying site in the Hefei City region of Anhui. A total of 11 pieces of mammal bone and 280 pieces of mollusk shell were unearthed from the site, as well as one bone hairpin. Identified mammals are sika deer (Cervus nippon) and horse (Equus caballus), while the mollusk shells belong to the large, freshwater snail (Cipangopaludina cathayensis). Stratigraphy and the cultural assemblage indicate that the Wawuying site dates roughly to the late Western Zhou to the early Eastern Zhou dynastic period (roughly 877–770 BC). Through the study of the animal remains excavated from the Wawuying site, we can further understand the utilization of animal resources by ancient humans in the Jianghuai region of China. PubDate: 2023-10-18 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00077-1
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Abstract: Abstract This paper presents a new map and account of the emergence and spread of spindle whorls in archaeological sites across southern China and southeast Asia. Spindle whorls are evidence of intensive yarn production, and hence of weaving. In the past two decades a considerable amount of new data on the presence of spindle whorls in the archaeological record has come to light, along with improved dates for existing sites. In mainland southeast Asia the occurrences of spindle whorls are linked to the emergence and spread of Neolithic lifeways, including rice farming. Remains of loom parts, a much rarer occurrence, are also considered. Loom components that have been misinterpreted or overlooked in previous publications are described and placed in context. Southwestern China emerges as a key center for innovation in weaving technique, linked with the emergence and differentiation of the ethnolinguistic groups found in the region today. Loom designs that belong to lineages that originated in the Neolithic period are still in use in rural areas southwestern China and southeast Asia today. PubDate: 2023-09-18 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00074-4
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Abstract: Abstract Myanmar’s (also called Burma) critical location at the juncture between South and East Asia plays a significant role in shaping the region’s cultural trajectory, particularly in terms of long-range population migrations and cultural interactions within the framework of southern China and Southeast Asia. This paper summarizes the history and practices of prehistoric archaeological research in Myanmar by collecting, sorting, and analyzing global publications from the last 150 years. We outline five significant periods in the development of research on prehistoric archaeology in Myanmar: the roots in the 1870 to 1930s; the beginnings, between the 1930 and 1950s; stagnation in the 1950s through 1970s; recovery in the 1970s through 1990s; and continuous development since the 1990s. Finally, we briefly discuss the features and hotspots of prehistoric archaeological research in Myanmar, as well as current constraints and future directions for the field. PubDate: 2023-09-18 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00075-3
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Abstract: Abstract Domestic animal usage remains a key problem in understanding Japan’s premodern economy. Assumptions that religious and other cultural proscriptions limited the use of domesticated animals, and the consumption of meat in particular, from Late Antiquity until Westernisation in the nineteenth century remain widespread. However, the zooarchaeological record from historic Japan is patchy and the scholarly literature often uncritically reproduces state-centred ideas about agriculture and the economy. In this essay we critically review the ways in which historical and zooarchaeological studies of animal usage in premodern Japan have been impacted by broader cultural discourses. We examine animal usage from the Bronze Age to the eve of modernisation, broadly 1000 BC to AD 1850, in terms of a tension or dialectic between promotion and restriction by the state and other authorities. While the utilisation of animals for warfare and official transport was more closely controlled, other uses reflected a complex and often international political ecology that requires further analysis by zooarchaeologists. PubDate: 2023-08-29 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00072-6
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Abstract: Abstract Xieng Khouang and neighboring provinces in Central Laos are home to a vast megalithic landscape featuring large stone jars, discs, and imported boulders located in elevated positions. Sites were first noted in the late nineteenth century, with systematic recording commencing in the 1930s. Continuing on from the 2019 field survey by the Plain of Jars Archaeological Research Project, this paper presents the results of a 2020 survey across Xieng Khouang Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) which led to the documentation of 27 previously unreported megalithic sites, growing the Lao PDR Government database from 102 to 127 known jar sites, with 124 geo-located. In addition, a preliminary analysis of the known jar sites to date is conducted regarding distribution and jar characteristics providing a basis for further investigation. PubDate: 2023-07-19 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00071-7
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Abstract: Abstract While resolving chronological issues of the Chinese Bronze Age through written records found in ancient texts is a central issue in historical and archaeological research in China, an academic dilemma exists in that no contemporaneous writings produced during the Xia Dynasty itself have yet been discovered. Identifying cultural remains of the Xia period is a task for archaeology and the premise behind studying what is called the Xia Culture. To explore the Xia Culture, we should “seek the unknown from the known.” For archaeological research on the Xia Dynasty, two indispensable prerequisites for systematic archaeological cultural pedigree research are, first, great concentration on archaeological materials, and second, assiduous historical research: through cultural remains, we may seek out a comprehensive understanding that not only conforms to the specific historical particularities but also reflects the archaeological concerns about universal laws of human behavior. This is how archaeological discourse may make contributions to the writing of the ancient history of the Xia Dynasty. PubDate: 2023-06-12 DOI: 10.1007/s41826-023-00070-8
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