Longshan culture: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Yobot (talk | contribs)
Bots
4,732,723 edits
m WP:CHECKWIKI error fixes using AWB (10274)
(4 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 14: Line 14:
|followedby = [[Erlitou culture]]
|followedby = [[Erlitou culture]]
}}
}}
The '''Longshan culture''' ({{zh|t={{linktext|龍|山|文|化}}|s={{linktext|龙|山|文|化}}|p=Lóngshān wénhuà}}), sometimes encountered as '''Lung-shan''' after its [[Wade-Giles|previous romanization]], was a late [[Neolithic]] culture in [[China]], centered on the central and lower [[Yellow River]] and dated from about 3000 BC to 2000 BC. The Longshan culture is named after the town of [[Longshan]] (<small>lit.</small>&nbsp;"Dragon Mountain") in the east of the area under the administration of the city of [[Jinan]], [[Shandong Province]], where the first [[archaeology|archaeological]] find (in 1928) and excavation (in 1930 and 1931) of this culture took place at the [[Chengziya Archaeological Site]]. Early studies indicated that the Longshan and Yangshao cultures were one and the same. It was once widely accepted that the Longshan culture is in fact a later development of the [[Yangshao]] culture.<ref>{{cite web|title= Neolithic and Bronze Age Cultures|url= http://www.ibiblio.org/chinesehistory/contents/02cul/c03s04.html}}</ref> However, the Yangshao culture is not ancestral or related to the Longshan culture (at least on the male side) because the Yangshao had a high frequency of N y-dna,common in North Siberia, and in Far north East Europe among Finno-Ugrians, while the Longshan had a high frequency of O3 y-dna common in the modern Chinese, and other Sinnic peoples.<ref>http://cdmd.cnki.com.cn/Article/CDMD-10183-1012365432.htm</ref>
The '''Longshan culture''' ({{zh|t={{linktext|龍|山|文|化}}|s={{linktext|龙|山|文|化}}|p=Lóngshān wénhuà}}), sometimes encountered as '''Lung-shan''' after its [[Wade-Giles|previous romanization]], was a late [[Neolithic]] culture in [[China]], centered on the central and lower [[Yellow River]] and dated from about 3000 BC to 2000 BC. The Longshan culture is named after the town of [[Longshan]] (<small>lit.</small>&nbsp;"Dragon Mountain") in the east of the area under the administration of the city of [[Jinan]], [[Shandong Province]], where the first [[archaeology|archaeological]] find (in 1928) and excavation (in 1930 and 1931) of this culture took place at the [[Chengziya Archaeological Site]]. Early studies indicated that the Longshan and Yangshao cultures were one and the same. It was once widely accepted that the Longshan culture is in fact a later development of the [[Yangshao]] culture.<ref>{{cite web|title= Neolithic and Bronze Age Cultures|url= http://www.ibiblio.org/chinesehistory/contents/02cul/c03s04.html}}</ref> However, the Yangshao culture is not ancestral or related to the Longshan culture (at least on the male side) because the Yangshao had a high frequency of N y-dna,common in North Siberia, and in Far north East Europe among Finno-Ugrians, while the Longshan had a high frequency of O3 y-dna common in the modern Chinese, and other Sinnic peoples.<ref>http://cdmd.cnki.com.cn/Article/CDMD-10183-1012365432.htm</ref> According to archaeological evidence, scholars have found reason to believe the [[Dawenkou culture]] was the precursor to the Longshan culture.<ref name="A Companion to Chinese Archaeology">{{cite book|last1=Underhill|first1=Anne P.|title=A Companion to Chinese Archaeology|date=Feb 28, 2013|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=USA|isbn=978-1-4443-3529-3|page=576|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=LyOi8VQ4nYwC&pg=PR2&lpg=PR2&dq=a+companion+to+chinese+archaeology&source=bl&ots=9vsCubeDC4&sig=Q6LDEdi4uXhDU4tFcKVJqfbzxRo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NMDaU7S0A9bhoAT9lICQCA&ved=0CFcQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=31 July 2014}}</ref>

==Subsistence==
==Subsistence==


Line 37: Line 36:
The early period of the Longshan culture is considered to be 3000 to 2600 [[Before Christ|BC]], while the late period is 2600 to 2000 BC.<ref name="Chang">[http://books.google.com/books?id=sP-PN2StH2cC&pg=PA88&dq=longshan+wei&sig=Ao5b3uZHsmphlQ-dW1b8Kp Kwang-chih Chang, "The Formation of Chinese Civilization: An Archaeological Perspective", 2005, Yale University Press, 384 pages ISBN 0-300-09382-9]</ref>
The early period of the Longshan culture is considered to be 3000 to 2600 [[Before Christ|BC]], while the late period is 2600 to 2000 BC.<ref name="Chang">[http://books.google.com/books?id=sP-PN2StH2cC&pg=PA88&dq=longshan+wei&sig=Ao5b3uZHsmphlQ-dW1b8Kp Kwang-chih Chang, "The Formation of Chinese Civilization: An Archaeological Perspective", 2005, Yale University Press, 384 pages ISBN 0-300-09382-9]</ref>
A variety of geographic regions of China are involved among the various sub-periods of the Longshan civilisation, particularly for the Late Longshan period.<ref name="Chang"/> For example the middle reaches of the [[Jing River]] and [[Wei River]] evince settlement known as the Shaanxi Longshan.<ref name="Chang"/> The We'i River valley would participate in key historic events in China as the [[North Silk Road]] developed in that same area.
A variety of geographic regions of China are involved among the various sub-periods of the Longshan civilisation, particularly for the Late Longshan period.<ref name="Chang"/> For example the middle reaches of the [[Jing River]] and [[Wei River]] evince settlement known as the Shaanxi Longshan.<ref name="Chang"/> The We'i River valley would participate in key historic events in China as the [[North Silk Road]] developed in that same area.

==Craniofacial/Skeletal analysis==

According to recent research on neolithic skeletal remains, two Longshan cultures Miaodigou(4000 BC to 3000 BC) and Chengzierqi(3500 BC) located in Henan and Shandong respectively cluster with the Yangshao people of Shaanxi. While the other four Yangshao culture sites the Miaozigou(3490 B.C.), Jiangjialiang(4000-3000 BC) from Inner Mongolia and Hebei cluster as Ancient Northern Chinese while the Liuwan(2590-1990 BC) and Yangshan of Qinghai cluster with Ancient Northwestern Chinese.
<ref name="Comprehensive study of skeletal remains of small/middle size Yinxu tombs">{{cite journal|last1=Yuan|first1=Haibing|title=Comprehensive study of skeletal remains of small/middle size Yinxu tombs|journal=Jilin University|date=10 April 2010|pages=162-171|accessdate=1 August 2014}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 18:23, 1 August 2014

Longshan culture 龍山文化
Geographical rangeNorth China Plain
Periodlate Neolithic
Datesc. 3000–2000 BC
Major sitesTaosi
Preceded byYangshao culture
Followed byErlitou culture

The Longshan culture (simplified Chinese: 龙山文化; traditional Chinese: 龍山文化; pinyin: Lóngshān wénhuà), sometimes encountered as Lung-shan after its previous romanization, was a late Neolithic culture in China, centered on the central and lower Yellow River and dated from about 3000 BC to 2000 BC. The Longshan culture is named after the town of Longshan (lit. "Dragon Mountain") in the east of the area under the administration of the city of Jinan, Shandong Province, where the first archaeological find (in 1928) and excavation (in 1930 and 1931) of this culture took place at the Chengziya Archaeological Site. Early studies indicated that the Longshan and Yangshao cultures were one and the same. It was once widely accepted that the Longshan culture is in fact a later development of the Yangshao culture.[1] However, the Yangshao culture is not ancestral or related to the Longshan culture (at least on the male side) because the Yangshao had a high frequency of N y-dna,common in North Siberia, and in Far north East Europe among Finno-Ugrians, while the Longshan had a high frequency of O3 y-dna common in the modern Chinese, and other Sinnic peoples.[2] According to archaeological evidence, scholars have found reason to believe the Dawenkou culture was the precursor to the Longshan culture.[3]

Subsistence

History

Black eggshell pottery of the Longshan culture
Jadeware produced during Longshan culture, now collected in Shandong Museum

The distinctive feature of the Longshan culture was the high level of skill in pottery making, including the use of pottery wheels. The Longshan culture was noted for its highly polished black pottery (or egg-shell pottery). This type of thin-walled and polished black pottery has also been discovered in the Yangtze River valley and as far as today's southeastern coast of China.[4] It is a clear indication that neolithic agricultural sub-groups of the greater Longshan Culture had spread out across ancient boundaries of China.[5]

Life during the Longshan culture marked a transition to the establishment of cities, as rammed earth walls and moats began to appear; the site at Taosi is the largest walled Longshan settlement. Rice cultivation was clearly established by that time. Small-scale production of silk by raising and domesticating the silkworm Bombyx mori in early sericulture was also known.[5]

Remains found at archaeological sites suggest that the inhabitants used a method of divination based on interpreting the crack patterns formed in heated cattle bones.[6]

The Neolithic population in China reached its peak during the Longshan culture. Towards the end of the Longshan culture, the population decreased sharply; this was matched by the disappearance of high-quality black pottery found in ritual burials.

Eleven characters found at Dinggong in Shandong, China on a pottery sherd, Longshan culture

Periodization

The early period of the Longshan culture is considered to be 3000 to 2600 BC, while the late period is 2600 to 2000 BC.[7] A variety of geographic regions of China are involved among the various sub-periods of the Longshan civilisation, particularly for the Late Longshan period.[7] For example the middle reaches of the Jing River and Wei River evince settlement known as the Shaanxi Longshan.[7] The We'i River valley would participate in key historic events in China as the North Silk Road developed in that same area.

Craniofacial/Skeletal analysis

According to recent research on neolithic skeletal remains, two Longshan cultures Miaodigou(4000 BC to 3000 BC) and Chengzierqi(3500 BC) located in Henan and Shandong respectively cluster with the Yangshao people of Shaanxi. While the other four Yangshao culture sites the Miaozigou(3490 B.C.), Jiangjialiang(4000-3000 BC) from Inner Mongolia and Hebei cluster as Ancient Northern Chinese while the Liuwan(2590-1990 BC) and Yangshan of Qinghai cluster with Ancient Northwestern Chinese. [8]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Neolithic and Bronze Age Cultures".
  2. ^ http://cdmd.cnki.com.cn/Article/CDMD-10183-1012365432.htm
  3. ^ Underhill, Anne P. (Feb 28, 2013). A Companion to Chinese Archaeology. USA: John Wiley & Sons. p. 576. ISBN 978-1-4443-3529-3. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  4. ^ Fairbank, 32.
  5. ^ a b Fairbank, 33.
  6. ^ Longshan culture. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online
  7. ^ a b c Kwang-chih Chang, "The Formation of Chinese Civilization: An Archaeological Perspective", 2005, Yale University Press, 384 pages ISBN 0-300-09382-9
  8. ^ Yuan, Haibing (10 April 2010). "Comprehensive study of skeletal remains of small/middle size Yinxu tombs". Jilin University: 162–171. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)

References

  • Fairbank, John King and Merle Goldman (1992). China: A New History; Second Enlarged Edition (2006). Cambridge: MA; London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-01828-1
  • Liu, Li. The Chinese Neolithic: Trajectories to Early States, ISBN 0-521-81184-8
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Longshan Culture.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Longshan_culture&oldid=619453504"