Reconstruction Of Micro-environment During Yueshi Culture At Chengziya Site

In 1930,Li Ji and Liang Siyong dug a north-south trench through the whole site at Chengziya,marking the first excavation at this important site.In 2013 and 2014,the Shandong Provincial Institute of Relics and Archaeology reopened part of the trench and expected to gain some new insights on those old sections by using new methods and techniques.At the northern end of trench TG47,a section of moat sediments was exposed and confirmed to be deposited during Yueshi culture by the stratigraphy.This article aims to study the formation process of the moat and reconstruct the paleo-environment and human behaviour by geoarchaeological methods.A column of undisturbed block samples for micromorphology analysis and loose samples for geochemical analysis were collected.Through the AMS dating,micromorphological analysis and geochemical analysis,the following conclusions can be made:Three phases of moat sediments were identified through archaeological strata.HG3 and HG2 were actively utilized.The absolute age was between c.3750-3400BP.During this period,water was barely seen in the moat.But it was moist probably due the underground water and precipitation,thus well vegetated.The vegetation could be burnt when cleaning the moat sediments,which mostly came from debris dropped off the wall and slope erosion.The cleaning activity could be regular nevertheless only the one represented by layer③ can be confirmed.The layers above was in a state of natural deposition,until the laye④ of HG1.During this period,the sediments mainly came from slope erosions.No mass cleaning had been spotted.More rain or higher water table might make the moat more humid even allow short existence of standing water.The moist moat surface was frozen at low temperature.From layer③ above,the moat was totally abandoned and turned to be dry land,possibly as a dumping area When the moat was finally leveled on the ground,the possibility of functioning as farming land cannot be excluded.Overall,the sedimentation rate was fairly high.The dissertation composes the following chapters:Chapter 1:The introduction.Introduction of Yueshi culture and current geoarchaeological studies in China.Chapter 2:Chengziya.The excavation history at Chengziya and archaeological studies,its modern and past environment.Chapter 3:Materials and methods.Sampling strategy and lab analysis.Chapter 4:Results.They are shown by tables and figures and followed by interpretation.Chapter 5:Discussion and conclusion,existing problems.