A Study Of Late Neolithic Remains In Zones Along The Yanshan Mountains

This dissertation addresses the zones along the Yanshan Mountains: a vast areastarching from of the Yiwulv Mountains and the coast of the Bohai Sea in the east tothe Greater Khingan range in the west and from the Nenjiang Plain in the north to theHaihe Plain in the south. The location of this region is of great importance becauseduring the prehistoric and historic times it was on the vital communication lineconnecting the Central Plain and Haidai cultural zones with the northeastern culturalzone. In addition, it is also the intermediate zones which link the mid and west part ofNorth China with Northeast China. Societies all over China experienced dramaticchanges during the late Neolithic period (5500-4500aB.P.). This change is particularlynotable in zones along the Yanshan Mountains, but there is a great divergence ofopinions among different scholars about the nature of the late Neolithic remains at thisregion. This dissertation is divided three main parts and conduct a systematic analysisand research of the late Neolithic remains in zones along the Yanshan Mountains.Part OneThis part reanalyzes the remains of late Neolithic cultures in zones along theYanshan Mountains. Based on this analysis the data is assigned to 8 mainarchaeological cultures or types which, according to the analysis, experienced threemajor developmental steps. The research also reveals that from the late part of the firststage of the late Neolithic period, the zones alone the Yanshan Mountains can befurther divided into three sub-regions from north to south. Among the specific resultsof this research are:A. Among the 8 main archaeological cultures and types, Wufang I Type,Nanboligaotu Type, Haminmangha Culture, Daqintala Type, Jiajiaying Type are the newly distinguished archaeological cultures or types classified by this work. Suchdivision will make the classification of late Neolithic remains more detailed andprecise.B. The author was able to develop more advanced and detailed periodizationscheme than was evaluable before. Such periodization allow for more comprehensiveanalysis of these cultures. According to the dissertation, the phases are divided intothree developmental stages: 5600-5000 aB.P., 5000-4500 aB.P., and 4500-4300 aB.P. .This division of phases establishes an overall cultural pattern during the late Neolithicperiod.C. Building on the comprehensive understading of the cultural feathers of lateNeolithic remains in this reign, the author suggests that this region can be furtherdivided into 3 sub-cultural regions. These sub-regions include the area along thesouthern foot of Yanshan Mountain, the Liaoxi area and the area located at thenortheastern part of the Horqin Sand Land. In particular, research about the area in thenortheastern part of the Horqin Sand Land, which is based on the analysis to a greatamount of first-hand materials, is the first serious academic research of archaeologicalremains dated to the late Neolithic period in this region. Hence this dissertation fillsout a blank in the academic research.Part TwoIn this part of the dissertation I deduce the cultural patterns and interactiverelations among late Neolithic societies in zones along the Yanshan Mountains. Itconcludes that the spatial and temporal patterns of the late Neolithic remains in zonesalone the Yanshan Mountains are: (1) the breaking up of traditional culture; (2) theemergence of new culture influenced from adjacent culture tradition; (3) the existenceof transformation of regional functions; (4) the continuation, in spite of the externalinfluences, of independent cultural zone in the eastern part of Northern China. Morespecific conclusions include:A. The traditional cultures of this region, represented by the Hongshan culture, reached late apex of their flourishing during the first developmental phase of late theNeolithic period. The Hongshan culture represents a high level of social complexityfollowing by a rapid decline. The end of the Hongshan marks the disappearance oflong held cultural attributes such as the"之"pattern decoration which has a longhistory in this region, starting as early as Xinglongwa culture (8000-7000 aB.P.).B. The Xiaoheyan culture, XueshanⅠculture, Nanbaoligaotu type all appearedfollowing the late period of Hongshan Culture. They all absorbed influences fromadjacent culture zones. Especially notable influences are from the Miaozigou cultureof mid-southern Inner Mongolia (to the west of this region). The three local culturesoccupied three different sub-regions and exhibit intimate evidence for contact amongeach other.C. From the beginning of late period of the first development phase, the zonesalone the Yanshan Mountains gradually changed from a cultural center whichpossesses its unique cultural characters to transitional zones impacted and influencedby various adjacent cultures.D.Since this region experienced significant impact from adjacent cultures, thelocal cultural feathers began to reveal many adjacent culture elements However theoverall cultural make up of this region still retained clear regional characters such asthe flat-bottomed pots. This demonstrates the preservation of some degree of localidentity.Part ThreeAccording to the comprehension of environmenta and social background of zonesalone the Yanshan Mountains in late Neolithic age, this part of the dissertationaddresses the different choices taken by cultural groups facing the adaptation pressures.Such perspective illustrates the reasons for the local trajectories during the lateNeolithic period. The research demonstrates that the difference economical, political,and military strategies adopted by different cultures is the curial explanation for thedecline or development of each society. Also crucial are the particular natural and cultural backgrounds as well as the interactions with foreign culture. Specific results ofthis research include:A. Although the Hongshan Culture during its late period boosted a considerablelevel of cultural development, there were many hidden dangers that existed behind thisprosperous appearance. They include relying on agriculture as the single economicmodel; the increasing demands for food to sustain the large scale of population; thelavish sacrifice activity in unprecedented scale; the overdue exhaustion of labour andmaterial resources; the weak military power revealed by the scarcity of weapons anddefensive structures; the decline of communication with adjacent regions reflected bypotteries ( revealing the conservative tendency of cultural development). When facingwith the cooling event during about 5000 aB.P., these hidden weaknesses surfacedand the whole society quickly collapsed.B. The newly developed cultures, such as Xiaoheyan, though failing to reach thehigh cultural development level of the late Hongshan period, demonstrate the highdiversity of economic models. During this period levels of population density werelow, leaving vast activity area for each social group. The low extent of religional orsacrifice activity; the low level of exhaustion of social resources is associated withsuch development. The existence of violence during the Xiaoheyan period is showedby highly developed microblade tools and by evidence for injuries found on humanbones. The composition of diversified culture elements and relatively intimateinter-regional communication may be related to the forming of political alliances.Because of these survival strategies adopted by the newly developed cultures, thepeople at this region successfully coped with the cooler weather and the expansion ofadjacent cultures.C. Because of the decline of the Hongshan culture which led to the break up of theregional cultural tradition, as well as the impact of adjacent cultures, this region lost itsstatus as a cultural center. The onset of a cooler weather prevented the developmentof large scale agricultural production. Under these conditions the newly developedlocal cultures maintained were under pressure from adjacent cultures. The main conflict resulted from the expansion of the highly developed agricultural culture ofDawenkou from the Haidai region to Central Plain. In view of the reasons mentionedabove, the zones along the Yanshan Mountain were enable to alleviate the influence ofthe external cultures and maintained a high level of cultural independency.