An Archaeological Study On Xu State

This dissertation mainly based on the archaeology materials which were unearthed from several Jiunudun mounds, Liangwangcheng & Eyacheng sites in Pizhou City, Jiangsu Province. A large number of ritual bronzes and musical instruments, pottery vessels, jades and stone artifacts were unearthed from Jiunudun mound No. 2 , No. 3, and others. Among these treasures knobbed bells bear " 'the Xu king' 's grandson" , " 'the Gong king' 's grandson" and other inscriptions.In the light of relevent historical records and material remains the present paper argues that the Jiunudun tombs, Liangwangcheng & Eyacheng sites were all concerned with activities of the Xu people in the vicinity during the Spring and Autumn period, and that the tomb-owners must have belonged to the royal aristocracy of the Xu State.Then the author makes a systemic and thorough study of the inscriptions, types and decorations of Xu State bronzes. The author puts forward some new views. The author believes that the bronze culture of the Xu State in the late Spring and Autumn period pessessed rich cultural connotations. For example, the bronze from Mound No. 3 at Jiunudun contain elements of many cultures. In type, there are the ding tripod with an inverted dish-shaped cover,the swing-chained pot and the covered dou stemmed vessels commenly seen on contemporaneous vestiges in the Central Plains and Qi and Lu States.On the other hand among the finds are the Tang ding, zun vase,dragon-head-shaped he tripod and fou pot characteristic of contemporaneous tombs of the Wu and Yue graves. Another type of bronze object is the animal-head ding previously yielded mainly from the territory of ancient Shu ethnic group. Moreover, there is a batch of bronzes typical of the Xu State, such as the chime-bells decorate with winged-animal-shaped scrolls, ear- less leg-less washing basin, burner tray with the base on a post-shaped ring foot. In decorative style, one can see elements of the Rong and Di cultures.In the end,the author analyses the origin and the characteristics of Xuulture,he also discusses the relationship between Shu and Xu, and explains the legend of Xu Yanwang in a new way.