| Lewis R.Binford(1930-2011),a central figure of Processual Archaeology,explored archaeological theory for nearly 60 years.His thoughts have had a profound influence on the partcice of archaeology.But his influence on Chinese archaeology is still limited because of the difference in research methods and paradigms between Chinese and American archaeology,even there used to be a great dissussion on the erectus behavior model of Pekinensis excaveted from Zhoukoudian Loc.1.However,Chinese archaeology have been changed since the 1990 s,although it still needs some breakthrough yet.Chinese archaeologists have done some translations and discussions involved in Processual Archaeology in recent years,there is still very lttle serious and sustained study.If we want to make our study more effective and to know the ancient world better,we should learn more about the existing theory and the history of world archaeology.In this paper,my aim is to study the archaeological thoughts of Lewis R.Binford from the perspective of Chinese Archaeology.The reason that I choose this theme is because I am interested in Binford’s academic experience,and the subject of archaeological history is still not a develeped branche of modern archaeological research.In the Chapter 1,I would to introduc the contents,methods,lines and the meaning of the archaeological history at first.As we all know,after 2011,the history of archaeology has been seemed as an individual branche of archaeology.More and more archaeologists stated to address the importance of it,then they also argued about the method,theory and prcatice in the new brance on modern archaeology.Based on those historical arguement,I would camb the line of the history of archaeologists,which put the role of archaeologist into part of the deveplopment of archaeology,and also try to combine the acadimic historical writing wih personal biography.The brief history of the archaeological history study is the theme of the Chapter 2.First I have to summary the main working in Chinese archaeological history among the last one hundred year.Based the time clue,we would partition it into four stages to explain the development from working aleady done and world-horizon.The fouc of archaeologists also processed through time,especially more and more young students and archaeologists who realized the influeence of great archaeologists put their passion into the memoirist.As Dr.Binford was an archaeologist and antrhopolost from theWestern world(also could be called “New World”),in Chapeter 3,I have to list the primary impact factor of the Western theory and method which has influenced Chinese archaeologial praction in differtent period.In particular,among those pattern we could recoginize,the Marxinism,Functionalism and Processualism might be worth to talk in detail.Now in Chapter 4,back to the personality of Dr.Binford,the background of his childhood,family and school time must affect his later academic life.Dr.Binford spent his childhood with his grandmother’s family in the country of Virginia,and then he started to get touched with professional archeology in the miltary servive time in Japanese.After back to America,Dr.Binford found his strong interst in archaeology and anthropology,so he transferred into the Anthropology department of the University of North Carolina and later got his degree in Anthropology from the University of Michigan.During those school time,Dr.Binford already tired of the largley descrotive and weak explanation.By the 1960 s,influenced by largerintellectual and societal upheavals,numbers archaeologists were ripe for new endeavors that would transcend traditional culture history.So in Chapter 5,I would to introduce the basement and argument which were popular in New Archaeology.Even we all know that New Archaeology soon met its climacteric in the middle of 70 s,“more scitific and mor anthropology” still changed most trend among the revuliton of paradigm.Thoses bitingly crisis really irritated Dr.Binford and his disciple to resolve the sysmactic problem in theory and practice.Thus in the next 20 years,from 70 s to the beginning of 90 s,it was a debating archeology period.So,the topics of Chapter 6 are the middle range archaeology and ethnoarchaeology.As early as 1965,Binfords(Sally and Lewis)had already raised the problem about the Mosterian and then debated with Frances Bordes in the next 20 years.Through the excavations in France and collections researching,Binfords then stepped into the big mass about those complicated relationship of artifacts.In order to find modern information to construc the behavior of Neanderthals,Lewis Binford started his Nunamiut Ethnoarchaeology working in 1969 to 1972.Besedi that,Dr.Binford also focused on the world wide perspective under which he put his eyes on Africa,Europe and Asia region,especially his analysis about Zhoukoudian Loc.1 has directly shocked Chinese Paleolithic archaeology aftrer 1980 s.Then in the Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 we would to discuss the details of Binford’s taphonomy working and trip to China in the Summer of 1985.I have checked about the published papers,personal diary,government documents and some unplished workding,then translated Binford’s opinon and comments about Chinese Paleolithic archaeology from an outsider’s perspective.Thanks to those detaied recording,I found an important propasal about an internation unsuccessful co-excavation which lead to the conclusion of the falling of Binford’s Chinese trip.These arguments focused attention on the Zhoukoudian Site and stimulated extensive debate based on the different theory and culture between the United States of America and China.The arguments,especially about the utilization of fire by early Homo erectus,still influence the way Chinese archaeologists work.I will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of those arguments based on our study of archived documents and interviews with various scholars who participated in the debate in the 1980 s.At the end of this paper,I would to share little understanding from my own reading on Constructing Frames of Reference: An Analytical Method for Archaeological Theory Building Using Ethnographic and Environmental Data Sets which is the last vital book by Dr.Binford,and the worthy acadamic legacy for both world and Chinese archaoelogy.Thus,the conclusion I lead in the end from the perspective of Chinese archaeology,might impact the future working,epecially about the sysmatic analysis,theory construction and scitific development in practice.Also,as an attempt in building the history of archaeologist,I hope this paper would be some useful leading in the method about combing people working and modelding demensional personality of schoolars from the analysising of typical archaeologist. |
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