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The
Erlitou culture (simplified Chinese: 二里头文化, traditional Chinese: 二里頭文化, pinyin: èrlǐtóu wénhuà) is a name given by
archaeologists to an Early Bronze Age
urban society that existed in China
from
2000 BCE to 1500
BCE. The culture was named after the site
discovered at Erlitou (二里頭村) in Yanshi,
Henan
Province
.
The
culture was widely spread throughout Henan and Shanxi Province
, and later appeared in Shaanxi
and Hubei Province
. Most Chinese archaeologists identify the
Erlitou culture as the site of the
Xia
Dynasty, while most Western archaeologists remain unconvinced
of the connection between the Erlitou culture and the Xia Dynasty
since there are no extant written records linking Erlitou with the
official history.
Culture
Erlitou was the largest settlement in China and even East Asia up
to c 1500 BCE. Currently it is the earliest confirmed capital of
China to date with palace buildings and bronze smelting workshops.
For this reason it is of primary importance both in emergence of
cities as a world wide phenomenon in general, the emergence of
cities in the Yellow River cradle of civilization specifically, the
transition between
Neolithic and Bronze
ages in the Far East, and the genesis of Chinese culture.
The Erlitou culture may have evolved from the matrix of
Longshan culture. Originally centered
around Henan and Shanxi Province, the culture later spread to
Shaanxi and Hubei Province. There is a controversial connection
with the disputed Xia Dyansty as Erlitou may be the Xia capital
Zhēnxún. Dr. Xu Hong head of the Erlitou Archeological Team
summerizes the dispute:
Was it built by people of the Xia or the
Shang?
Further excavation will help find the final resolution
and provide new materials for periodization of the two
dynasties.
Archeology
Discovered in 1959, Erlitou is the largest site associated with the
Erlitou Culture. Erlitou monopolized the production of ritual
bronze vessels. After the rise of the
Shang Dynasty, the site at Erlitou greatly
diminished in size, but remained inhabited during the early phase
of the Shang Dynasty. The city is sited on the
Yi River a tributary of the
Luo River. The city was approximately 2.4 km by
1.9 km; however, because of flood damage only 3 km
2 are
left. The palaces are located in the southeast portion of the city.
Palace 3 is of particular interest; it was composed of 3 courtyards
along a 150 m axis.
Chronology
- Erlitou phase I (100 ha)
- Erlitou phase II (300 ha) A palace area of 12 ha was
demarcated by four roads. It contained the 150x50 m
Palace 3 and Palace 5. South of the palatial complex was
a bronze foundry.
- Erlitou phase III (300 ha) The palatial complex is walled
by a 2 m thick rammed earth wall and Palaces 1, 7, 8, 9 are built.
Palace 3 and 5 are abandoned and replaced by 4200
m2Palace 2 and Palace 4.
- 1564-1521 BCE Erlitou phase IV
(300 ha) Palace 6 is built as an extension of Palace 2.
Palaces 10 and 11 are built.
- 1600-1450 BCE Lower Erligang phase
Decline begins as.
- 1450-1300 BCE Upper Erligang phase
(30 ha) Erlitou is returns to a village all the palaces are
abandoned.
See also
Notes
- Allan 2007; Liu & Xu 2007
- Allan 2007; Liu 2004; Liu & Xu 2007
- Li, 2009
- Li, 2009
- Li, 2009
- Li, 2009
- Liu, 2007
References
- http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/chbro_bron.shtm The Golden Age
of Chinese Archaeology
- Allan, Sarah, Erlitou and the Formation of Chinese
Civilization: Toward a New Paradigm, The Journal of Asian
Studies, 66:461-496 Cambridge University Press, 2007