Neolithic Cultures in China

Neolithic Cultures in China

Type-sites:

• Yangshao Culture: c. 5000-2750 BCE
• Hongshan Culture: c. 4500-2750 BCE
• Liangzhu Culture: c. 3300-2250 BCE
• Longshan Culture: c. 3000-1700 BCE

Myths and Legends of Civilisation of China: great human beings, not god, known for technology and craftwork; Divine Farmer, Yellow Lord黄帝

Absence of reliable written records, archaeology created a framework for the prehistory of China

Chinese dynastic civilisation did not originate solely in the Yellow River basin entered on a single royal line as had previously been though, but that it was formed by a confluence

Neolithic Culture: Archeological cultures that made stone tools by grinding tor polishing

- cultivated plants and domesticated animals

- semi-permanent dwellings

- pottery

Yangshao Culture 5000-2750 BCE

Banpo Phase:

- painted pottery

- black and red designs

- common motif: geometric figures, human masks, fish, and sometimes other animals

- coiling technique

- clay fired at relatively low temperates, earthenware, relatively soft, paint applied before or after firing

- symmetric

- many different functions, not sure what origin context

- Image 1: human mask and fish, common motif, inverted rim

- Image 3: unlike other Yangshao pottery, not patterns but realistic image, single angle for viewing, treated as a flat picture surface, might symbolise family or clan name

- Image 4: human image, features generalised, patterns unrelated with human head, late Banpo phase, innovative, combines sculpture-like form and traditional patterned vessels

- Image 5: similar motifs as traditional vessels, same pit as Image 4, fish symbol, sleeker shape

Miaodigou Phase:

- immediately followed Banpo

- painted pottery

- shape changes

- smooth, flowing curves

- decoration focused on the upper part, never interior

- abstract patterns

- Image 2

Longshan Culture c. 3000-1700 BCE

- east of Yangshao culture

- characterised by built platforms and pounded earth walls

- mostly black pottery: smooth and sleek shape, thin bodied, very technical and skilled, elegant styled, dark clay shaped on slow turntable, used bamboo cutting tools, no painting/decoration, sometimes called eggshell as walls are very thin, light-weighted, very fine clay, uniform black

- continuation to bronzes

- Image 6: Gui, white pottery, hollow tripod legs, maximises heating, shape continued into bronze-ware

- Image 7: typical black pottery, Gu