Archaeology of the Chinese Bronze Age: From Erlitou to Anyang (Monographs (79))

Archaeology of the Chinese Bronze Age is a synthesis of recent Chinese archaeological work on the second millennium BCE--the period associated with China's first dynasties and East Asia's first "states." With a focus on early China's great metropolitan centers in the Central Plains and their hinterlands, this work attempts to contextualize them within their wider zones of interaction from the Yangtze to the edge of the Mongolian steppe, and from the Yellow Sea to the Tibetan plateau and the Gansu corridor. Analyzing the complexity of early Chinese culture history, and the variety and development of its urban formations, Roderick Campbell explores East Asia's divergent developmental paths and re-examines its deep past to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of China's Early Bronze Age. Cover 1 Title 2 Recent Publications 3 Copyright 5 Table of Contents 6 Table of Figures 7 Author Biography 10 Acknowledgments 11 Fronticepiece 13 Chapter 1: Introduction 14 Chapter 2: The Elitou Period 20 Chapter 3: The Erligang Period 70 Chapter 4: Xiaoshuangqiao-Huanbei Period 108 Chapter 5: The Anyang Period 130 Chapter 6: Conclusion: The Central Plains Bronze Age from Erlitou to Anyang 186 Index 214 Back Cover 234