🏺Archaeology of Ancient China Unit 1 – Paleolithic and Neolithic China

Key Time Periods and Cultures

• Paleolithic period in China spans from roughly 1.7 million years ago to 10,000 BCE
  • Lower Paleolithic (1.7 million - 300,000 years ago) earliest evidence of human activity in China
  • Middle Paleolithic (300,000 - 30,000 years ago) emergence of modern human behavior and technology
  • Upper Paleolithic (30,000 - 10,000 BCE) increased cultural complexity and regional variation
• Neolithic period in China extends from around 10,000 BCE to 2000 BCE
  • Early Neolithic (10,000 - 6000 BCE) development of agriculture and sedentary life
  • Middle Neolithic (6000 - 3500 BCE) expansion of farming communities and cultural interaction
  • Late Neolithic (3500 - 2000 BCE) rise of complex societies and early states
• Key cultures include Peiligang (7000-5000 BCE), Yangshao (5000-3000 BCE), and Longshan (3000-2000 BCE)
• Peiligang culture known for early agriculture, pottery, and jade artifacts
• Yangshao culture characterized by painted pottery, silk production, and social stratification
• Longshan culture marked by advanced metallurgy, walled settlements, and emergence of writing

Major Archaeological Sites

• Zhoukoudian near Beijing, a Lower Paleolithic site famous for Homo erectus remains (Peking Man)
• Xiaochangliang in Nihewan Basin, one of the oldest Paleolithic sites in China dating to 1.36 million years ago
• Shuidonggou in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a Late Paleolithic site with evidence of blade technology and ornaments
• Jiahu in Henan Province, an Early Neolithic site with early evidence of rice cultivation and pottery
• Banpo near Xi'an, a well-preserved Yangshao culture village with distinctive painted pottery and burial practices
• Liangzhu in Zhejiang Province, a Late Neolithic site with advanced jade craftsmanship and hydraulic engineering
• Erlitou in Henan Province, often considered the site of the legendary Xia dynasty and early bronze metallurgy

Tools and Technology

• Paleolithic tools evolved from simple choppers and handaxes to more sophisticated blades, points, and microliths
  • Lower Paleolithic tools were mainly core tools like choppers and handaxes made from river cobbles
  • Middle Paleolithic saw the emergence of prepared core techniques and more standardized tool forms
  • Upper Paleolithic marked by the proliferation of blade technology, bone tools, and composite tools
• Neolithic period witnessed the development of ground stone tools, such as axes and adzes, for land clearance and woodworking
• Pottery emerged in the Early Neolithic, with early forms including cord-marked and basket-impressed wares
  • Yangshao culture known for its fine painted pottery with geometric and naturalistic designs
  • Longshan culture characterized by thin, hard, and glossy black pottery made using advanced firing techniques
• Silk production and weaving developed during the Neolithic, particularly in the Yangshao culture
• Metallurgy emerged in the Late Neolithic, with the Longshan culture producing early bronze artifacts

Subsistence Strategies

• Paleolithic subsistence relied on hunting, gathering, and fishing
  • Lower Paleolithic hominins likely scavenged and hunted small to medium-sized animals
  • Middle Paleolithic saw an increase in the hunting of large mammals (mammoths, woolly rhinos)
  • Upper Paleolithic marked by a broadening of the diet to include a wider range of plants and animals
• Neolithic period marked the transition to agriculture and animal domestication
  • Early Neolithic communities began cultivating millet, rice, and other crops
  • Middle Neolithic saw the expansion of farming and the domestication of pigs, dogs, and chickens
  • Late Neolithic marked by intensified agriculture, irrigation, and the emergence of specialized crafts
• Fishing and shellfish gathering remained important throughout the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, particularly along coastal and riverine areas
• Foraging and hunting continued to supplement agricultural production in the Neolithic

Social Organization

• Paleolithic social organization likely consisted of small, mobile bands of hunter-gatherers
  • Lower Paleolithic groups were probably loosely organized and fluid in composition
  • Middle Paleolithic saw increased social complexity and possible evidence of extended family units
  • Upper Paleolithic marked by the emergence of larger, more structured social groups and possible social hierarchies
• Neolithic period witnessed the development of sedentary villages and the emergence of social stratification
  • Early Neolithic communities were small, egalitarian farming villages
  • Middle Neolithic saw the growth of larger settlements and the emergence of social differentiation based on wealth and status
    • Burial practices in the Yangshao culture suggest the presence of social hierarchies and possible hereditary inequality
  • Late Neolithic marked by the rise of chiefdoms, elite classes, and early state formation
    • Longshan culture characterized by walled settlements, specialized crafts, and evidence of warfare and conflict

Art and Symbolism

• Paleolithic art in China includes carved bone artifacts, shell ornaments, and occasional cave paintings
  • Lower Paleolithic art is rare, but includes modified shells and ochre used for symbolic purposes
  • Middle Paleolithic saw an increase in the use of pigments and the creation of abstract engravings on bone and stone
  • Upper Paleolithic marked by a flourishing of artistic expression, including figurative cave art and elaborate personal ornaments (perforated teeth, shell beads)
• Neolithic art became more diverse and sophisticated, reflecting the growing complexity of society and belief systems
  • Early Neolithic art included simple geometric designs on pottery and jade carvings
  • Middle Neolithic saw the emergence of more complex painted pottery designs and the use of silk for decorative purposes
    • Yangshao culture famous for its intricate spiral and geometric designs on painted pottery
  • Late Neolithic marked by the proliferation of jade artifacts, often associated with elite status and ritual practices
    • Liangzhu culture known for its highly sophisticated jade carvings, including elaborate ritual objects and ornaments

Environmental Changes and Adaptations

• Paleolithic environments in China were affected by global climatic fluctuations, particularly the alternation of glacial and interglacial periods
  • Lower Paleolithic hominins adapted to a wide range of environments, from subtropical forests to grasslands
  • Middle Paleolithic saw the expansion of hominin populations into more diverse environments, including high-altitude and arid regions
  • Upper Paleolithic marked by the Last Glacial Maximum, leading to the expansion of grasslands and the adaptation of human populations to colder conditions
• Neolithic period witnessed the Holocene climatic optimum, characterized by warmer, wetter conditions favorable for agriculture
  • Early Neolithic communities developed agriculture in response to the stabilization of post-glacial environments
  • Middle Neolithic saw the expansion of farming into new regions and the adaptation of crops to local conditions
  • Late Neolithic marked by the intensification of agriculture and the development of irrigation and water management techniques to cope with environmental challenges
• Human activities, such as deforestation and land clearance, began to have significant impacts on the environment during the Neolithic period

Legacy and Significance

• Paleolithic cultures in China laid the foundation for the development of later civilizations
  • Lower Paleolithic saw the earliest evidence of human activity in East Asia and the emergence of Homo erectus
  • Middle Paleolithic marked the arrival of modern humans and the development of new technologies and behaviors
  • Upper Paleolithic witnessed the emergence of regional cultural traditions and the adaptation of human populations to diverse environments
• Neolithic cultures in China set the stage for the rise of early states and the emergence of Chinese civilization
  • Early Neolithic marked the beginnings of agriculture, sedentism, and pottery production in China
  • Middle Neolithic saw the growth of complex societies, long-distance trade, and cultural interaction
    • Yangshao culture had a lasting influence on later Chinese art and culture, particularly in the use of painted pottery and silk
  • Late Neolithic witnessed the emergence of early states, writing, and bronze metallurgy
    • Longshan culture is often seen as a precursor to the Bronze Age civilizations of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties
• Archaeological research on Paleolithic and Neolithic China has provided invaluable insights into the early history of human evolution, cultural development, and environmental adaptation in East Asia