Archaeological Research Department, Shanghai Museum, 2001—2005 Excavation on the Guangfulin

Site in Songjiang District, Shanghai ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------( 3 )

Anyang Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Shang Tomb 5 Southeast of

Guojiazhuang within Yinxu in Anyang City, Henan ---------------------------------------------------------------( 22 )

Shaoyang Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics, Excavation of Eastern Han Tombs at Lianqiao in

Shaodong County, Hunan ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------( 34 )

Guangzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology et al., Iron and Leather Armor of the

Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties Period Unearthed from the Palace-site of the Nanyue Kingdom in

Guangzhou City --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------( 41 )

Cultural Center, Excavation of the Ming Period Water-clearing Pool at Xikou Village in Yongjia County,

Zhejiang -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------( 49 )

Lanehart et al., A Stable Isotope Analysis of the Longshan People’s Diet of the Liangchengzhen Site in

Rizhao, Shandong--- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------( 55 )

Wang Shuzhi et al., Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Measurement of the Dendrochronology-calibrated ¹⁴C

Date of the Chinese Juniper Samples from the Qilian Mountains Region ------------------------------------- (62 )

Liao Lingmin et al., Materials Science Research on the Bronzes from the Chu Tomb at Jiuliandun in

Zaoyang City, Hubei ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------( 68 )

Li Xiaocen et al., Analysis and Study of the Metal-ware from Lijiashan in Jiangchuan, Yunnan ----------------( 76 )

Li Boqian, Re-discussion of the Problem of When Did People in the Region South of the Five Ridges

Begin to Cast Bronzes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------( 91 )

 

 

 

Archaeological Research Department, Shanghai Museum, 2001—2005 Excavation on the Guangfulin Site in Songjiang District, Shanghai

   KEY WORDS: Shanghai  Guangfulin site  Liangzhu culture  Guangfulin culture   late Neolithic Age

ABSTRACT: In 2001 to 2005, the Archaeology Department of Shanghai Museum carried out many times of excavation on the Guangfulin site, which covered an area of 1,075 sq m. The late Neolithic cultural remains on the site fall into three phases. The first phase comprises ash-pits, ditches, wells and tombs; pottery of the ding tripod, yan steamer, dou stemmed vessel, ring-foot dish, basin, bo bowl, pot, jar, he vase, large-mouthed zun vase, high-necked urn, pocket-legged gui tripod, vessel cover and other types; and also a small number of stone implements and bone artifacts. The second phase includes ash-pits and wells, pottery belonging to the ding, dou, pot, jar, pocket-legged gui, vessel cover and other types, and a few stone tools. Its cultural contents are rather complex, showing not only the continuity of the first phase, but also foreign Longshan culture elements. The third phase is a representative of the Guangfulin culture. Among its remains are ash-pits, ash-trenches, wells; pottery shards of the ding, urn, jar, yan, bowl-shaped cauldron, dou, bo bowl, basin and other types. The Guangfulin culture contains some Liangzhu culture elements but shows a closer relationship with the Wangyoufang type.    

 

 

 

Anyang Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Shang Tomb 5 Southeast of Guojiazhuang within Yinxu in Anyang City, Henan

 KEY WORDS: Yinxu (the Yin Ruins) in Anyang  tomb  Shang period   Phase 2 of the Yinxu culture

ABSTRACT: In November 2006, the Anyang Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology excavated the intact Shang aristocratic tomb that had been discovered in Wenyuanlüdao Community southeast of Guojiazhuang in the works of digging the foundation trench of Building No. 6. This is an earthen-pit grave furnished with an inner coffin and an outer one. It yielded 63 pottery, bronze, jade, stone, bone and shell funeral objects. The pottery belongs to the gu cup, jue tri-legged cup, gui food container, lei covered pot, basin and other types; the bronzes, to the ding tripod, yan steamer, gu, jue, lei, pan-shaped object, ge dagger axe, kui halberd, yue battle axe, spearhead, sword, arrowhead, adze, chisel, spade, small knife, bow-shaped object, small bell, etc; the jades, to the ring, huang semi-disc, bar-shaped object, awl-shaped object and sickle; the stone implements, to the qi battle axe, ge and chime stone; and the bone and shell cultural relics, to the bone frog and cowry. Judged by the unearthed objects and the inscriptions on bronzes, the tomb can be assigned to the second phase of the Yinxu culture and its occupant must have been the chief or a senior nobleman ethnic group. This is one of the important burials recently discovered in the periphery of Yinxu. 

 

 

 

Shaoyang Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics, Excavation of Eastern Han Tombs at Lianqiao in Shaodong County, Hunan 

  KEY WORDS: Lianqiao in Shaodong County    kin tombs  Houcheng in Zhaoyang  Eastern Han period

ABSTRACT: From September to November 2004, the Shaoyang Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics excavated 11 Eastern Han tombs in the Shaodong Lianqiao cemetery. These are knife-shaped, “凸”-shaped or rectangular vaulted brick graves. They yielded 194 funeral objects, including pottery, ironware, coins and shell artifacts. The pottery accounts for the majority of the grave goods and belong to the fu cauldron, pot, basin, jar, bo bowl and cup; and the coins, to the banliang, daquan Wushi, huoquan and wuzhu. Among the other articles are triangular iron frames, small bronze bells and shell beads. Judged by the tomb form and the funeral objects with nearby Eastern Han burials taken into account, this cemetery can be dated to be no later than the mid Eastern Han period. The excavation is of great significance to the comparative study of the structure, periodization and funeral objects of Han tombs in the Shaoyang area within the Zishui River valley.       

 

 

 

Guangzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology et al., Iron and Leather Armor of the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties Period Unearthed from the Palace-site of the Nanyue Kingdom in Guangzhou City

 

KEY WORDS: palace site of the Nanyue Kingdom    well    iron armor    leather armor    Eastern Jin period    Southern Dynasties period

ABSTRACT: In 2004 to 2006, the archaeological team jointly organized by the Guangzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Institute of Archaeology, CASS and the Preparatory Office of the Museum of Nanyue Royal Palace discovered two suits of armor (an iron and a leather) of the Eastern Jin and the Southern Dynasties periods in two wells respectively on the palace site of the Nanyue Kingdom. The former is made of 53 plates different in shape, and the latter must have been the poitrel of a bard. They were unearthed in association with ceramics as well as tile and other building materials. Being cultural relics discovered for the first time in this type for the Region South of the Five Ridge and for the whole country, they made up the gap of lacking armor data in this period.

 

 

 

Wenzhou Municipal Institute of Ancient Monument Protection and Archaeology and Yongjia County Cultural Center, Excavation of the Ming Period Water-clearing Pool at Xikou Village in Yongjia County, Zhejiang 

   KEY WORDS: Xikuo Village, Yongjia County  Li family compound    water-clearing pool   

late Ming period

ABSTRACT: In May 2004, the Wenzhou Municipal Institute of Ancient Monument Protection and Archaeology and Yongjia County Cultural Center excavated the water-clearing pool in the southeastern corner of the Li family compound at Xikou Village, Yongjia County. The pool walls are built of boulders; and the pool is partitioned into five sub-pools varied in size, which have walls made of livid bricks and do not lead to each other with no water holes or pipes in their walls, and the water in the pool was transported by overflowing. The water inlet and outlet of the pool are at the eastern wall foundation of the compound. Judged by its building style, the pool must go back to the late Ming period. This is the earliest water-clearing works known so far in China and has considerable value. Its discovery provided important data for researching into water-processing technology and building techniques in ancient China and has great significance to the study of the history of ancient Chinese science and technology and that of architecture.    

 

 

 

Lanehart et al., A Stable Isotope Analysis of the Longshan People’s Diet of the Liangchengzhen Site in Rizhao, Shandong

  KEY WORDS: Liangchengzheng in Shandong   Longshan culture   stable isotope analysis  diet

ABSTRACT: In Neolithic North China, various types of crops and domestic animals were the prehistoric people’s basic food source, but the specific diet in different regions is still little known. Analyses of the floral samples and phytolith specimens obtained from the Rizhao Liangchengzhen site in Shandong by means of floatation show that rice and millet were important food for the Longshan people of the site. As for their meat source, we have few data as the animal bones on the site are in a poor condition. To improve this imperfection, the present study applies the C-N stable isotope method to research into ancient people’s diet character and structure. This method is a recently ripened technique, by means of which the proportion of terrestrial and marine foods in prehistoric man’s diet can be effectively determined through analyzing the content of isotope in human bones, and the absorption of ³C and ⁴C can also be measured. Based on the results of a preliminary analysis of the remains on Liangchengzhen pottery vessels, this isotope study provides supplementary qualitative data for investigating the relative importance of different types of foods varied in the content of isotope in the then people’s diet.

 

 

 

Wang Shuzhi et al., Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Measurement of the Dendrochronology-calibrated ¹⁴C Date of the Chinese Juniper Samples from the Qilian Mountains Region

   KEY WORDS: ¹⁴C    tree ring    AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry)

ABSTRACT: Results of a restrict scientific dating show that the Qilian Chinese Juniper samples collected from Plank XTT302 of Tomb 3 at Xiatatu of Guolimu Township in Delingha, Qinghai Province go back to 517 BC—AD 784. By using the AMS method for analyzing ten samples each with ten tree rings that have been dendrochronology-dated to the time from 420 BC to 320 BC to measure their ¹⁴C concentration, it can be concluded that the results match well with Calibrating Curves IntCa104 and INTCAL98, and the AMS technique requires only a little quantity of wood sample. Evidently both dendrochronological and AMS methods are precise dating means.

 

 

 

Liao Lingmin et al., Materials Science Research on the Bronzes from the Chu Tomb at Jiuliandun in Zaoyang City, Hubei 

KEY WORDS: Chu tomb at Jiuliandun   bronzes   microstructure  materials science

ABSTRACT: The present paper reports a systematic and comprehensive materials science study of the microstructure, alloying composition and micro-hardness of the broken bronzes from the Chu tomb at Jiuliandun in Zaoyang, Hubei by means of electronic microscopes and other modern analytical techniques. It concludes that bronze-alloying technology in the Chu State had been highly developed by the mid and late Warring States period, and various objects could be skillfully made with different alloying compositions and processes applied in accordance with the functions of products. Meanwhile, the authors discuss the making technology and material character of bronze gravers. Moreover, they discover that a bronze sword poor in quality was used as a funeral object in the tomb.

 

 

 

Li Xiaocen et al., Analysis and Study of the Metal-ware from Lijiashan in Jiangchuan, Yunnan 

   KEY WORDS: Jiangchuang Lijiashan  Han period tombs  metal artifacts  technology

ABSTRACT: This paper examines 55 samples of the metallic artifacts unearthed from Jiangchuang Lijiashan tombs in Yunnan by means of metallographic structure analysis and SEM-EDX. The results show that they were made of a lot of metals such as gold, silver, copper, tin-bronze, lead-bronze, iron and mercury in Yunnan from the mid Warring States period to the Western Han Dynasty. Metallographic structure analyses also indicate that the bronzes are largely cast and partly forged and cold-wrought after casting. The iron objects are made through forging and quenching processes. Some bronzes bear gilt and tinned decorations.

 

 

 

Li Boqian, Re-discussion of the Problem of When Did People in the Region South of the Five Ridges Begin to Cast Bronzes 

   KEY WORDS: Region South of the Five Ridges    bronzes    Fubin culture

ABSTRACT: Archaeological practice evidences that in the Region South of the Five Ridges, bronzes  began to be cast in the period of Fubin culture corresponding to the time from the late Shang to the mid Western Zhou period. It is an undeniable scientific judgment that the Fubin culture, the kui-dragon design pottery culture and the “米”-shaped design pottery culture are three stages developing successively from the Bronze Age to the early Iron Age.