Craft Production and Social Change in Northern China (Fundamental Issues in Archaeology)

This book offers an anthropological analysis of how craft production changed in relation to the development of complex societies in northern China. It focuses on the production and use of food containers-pottery and bronze vessels-during the late prehistoric and early historic periods. A major theme is how production and use of prestige vessels changed in relation to increase in degree of social inequality. The research and writing of this book took place intermittently over a period of several years. When I first outlined the book in 1994, I planned to offer a more limited and descriptive account of social change during the late prehistoric period. In considering the human desire to display status with prestige goods, my initial approach emphasized how the case of northern China was similar to other areas of the world. I began to realize that in order to adequately explain how and why craft production changed in ancient China, it was crucial to consider the belief systems that motivated produc­ tion and use of food containers. Similarly, a striking characteristic of ancient China that I needed to include in the analysis was the preponderance of food containers, rather than other goods, that were buried with the deceased. I decided to investigate the social and ritual uses of food, bever­ ages, and containers during more than one period of Chinese history. Some strong patterns could have emerged during the late prehistoric period.

The development of complex societies is a central subject in archaeological research. Using archaeological evidence from the Yellow (Huanghe) River valley in Northern China, this volume examines changes in the culture that occurred during the late Neolithic Period of China and speculates that this development connects to the emergence of civilized societies in this area. Several developments in the culture of the Huanghe Valley that suggest their contribution to the development of complex societies include:
-Craft specialization; -Use of prestige goods such as jade, pottery, and bronze; -Display of status through both feasting and mortuary rituals. This work emphasizes the many different approaches that attempt to theorize the development of complex socieites, as well as outlines the approaches and methods used in this research. It will be of interest to archaeologists, cultural and historic anthropologists, ancien Asian historians and Asian preservationists.

Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Craft Production and the Development of Complex Societies in Ancient China....Pages 1-18 Sources of Data on Social and Economic Change during the Late Neolithic Period and Early Bronze Age....Pages 19-46 Food, Craft Production, and Social Inequality....Pages 47-65 The Gift of Food in Ancient China....Pages 67-87 The Dawenkou and Yangshao Periods....Pages 89-145 The Longshan Period....Pages 147-199 The Early Bronze Age....Pages 201-239 Craft Production and Social Change in Northern China....Pages 241-258 Back Matter....Pages 259-346