Craft Production and Social Change in Northern China

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.

Provides an anthropological analysis of social and economic change during the late prehistoric and early historic period of Northern China Demonstrates that competition among descendant groups for economic and dealogical power caused diversification in the material culture Interprets material culture into the social changes of a complex society Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Klappentext

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.

Inhalt

1. Craft Production and the Development of Complex Societies in Ancient China.- Prestige Goods and the Development of Complex Societies.- Reconsidering the Role of Prestige Goods in Social Change.- Change in Production and Use of Pottery Vessels as Complex Societies Develop.- Investigating Consumption of Pottery and Bronze Vessels in Northern China.- Methodological Approach.- Burials as Indicators of Changing Economic Relations.- The Plan of This Book.- 2. Sources of Data on Social Change during the Late Neolithic Period and Early Bronze Age.- The Yellow River Valley of Northern China.- Complex Societies during the Early Bronze Age.- Textual Data from the Shang Period, and the Importance of Descent Groups.- The Longshan Period (c. 26001900B.C.).- Longshan Economic Systems.- Concern for Ancestors.- The Late Yangshao Period (c. 40002800B.C.).- Late Yangshao Economic Systems.- The Dawenkou Period (c. 41002600B.C.).- Dawenkou Economic Systems.- 3. Food, Craft Production, and Social Inequality: Cross-Cultural Perspectives.- Integrative and Hierarchical Relations through Exchange of Food.- Variation in More Competitive Feasts.- Mortuary Feasts.- Giving Away Goods versus Burying Goods.- Exchange of Food Surplus for Craft Goods.- Summary of Expectations: Food, Craft Production, and Increase in Social Inequality.- 4. The Gift of Food in Ancient China: The Role of Food, Drink, and Containers in Social Relations.- Food, Containers, and Social Relations in China.- Mortuary Rituals in Late Historic and Modern China.- Early Historic China.- Texts from the Han and Eastern Zhou Periods.- Feasting and Political Relations.- Records from the Western Zhou Period.- Textual Data from the Shang Period.- Additional Expectations for the Late Neolithic Period and Early Bronze Age ofNorthern China.- 5. The Dawenkou and Yangshao Periods.- Ceramic Consumption during the Early Dawenkou Regional Phase (c. 41003500S.C.) in Western Shandong.- Inferences about Ceramic Production.- Ceramic Consumption during the Later Dawenkou Regional Phases in Western Shandong.- Inferences about Ceramic Production in Western Shandong.- Consumption Patterns for Eastern Shandong during the Late Dawenkou Phase.- Inferences about Ceramic Production in Eastern Shandong.- Patterns of Ceramic Consumption for Yangshao Sites and Inferences about Production.- Organization of Ceramic Production.- Nonceramic Prestige Goods in Dawenkou and Yangshao Period Graves.- House Remains from Dawenkou and Yangshao Sites.- Conclusions: Food, Craft Production, and Social Inequality.- 6. The Longshan Period.- Consumption of Ceramics from Graves in Western Shandong.- Inferences about Ceramic Production in Western Shandong.- Mortuary Ceramics in Eastern Shandong.- Inferences about Production in Eastern Shandong.- Mortuary Ceramics in the Central Yellow River Valley.- Assessing Ceramics from Habitation Contexts at Hougang and Baiying.- Assessment of Standardization.- Direct Evidence for Ceramic Production.- Consumption Patterns for Nonceramic Prestige Goods and Inferences about Production: Mortuary and Residential Remains.- House Remains from Longshan Sites.- Conclusions: Food, Craft Production, and Changing Social Relations.- 7. The Early Bronze Age.- Bronze Vessels in Graves and Inferences about Production: The Early-Middle Bronze Age.- Bronze Vessels in Graves from the Late Shang Period and Inferences about Production.- Large Bronze Vessels from Shang Sites.- Ceramic Vessels and Other Containers in Graves.- Other Bronze Items in Graves.- Jade Items in Graves.- Direct Evidence for BronzeProduction.- Direct Evidence for Ceramic Production at Early Bronze Age Sites.- The Political Economy of Early States in Northern China.- Remaining Questions about Regional Economic Organization.- Conclusions: Food, Craft Production, and Social Change.- 8. Craft Production and Social Change in Northern China.- The Dawenkou and Yangshao Periods.- The Longshan Period.- The Early Bronze Age.- Closing Thoughts.- Notes.- References.- Appendices.