The Research Of Western Zhou Cemetery In Southern Shanxi Province

The dissertation mainly focuses on the research of Tianma-Qucun and Hengshui Cemeteries and also makes a brief analysis on Yongningbao, Shangma, Qiaobei, Sanjiao and Xiguan cemeteries which are located in Southern Shanxi Province and belong to the Western Zhou period. In the preface, the author defines several concepts that appear in the dissertation, illustrates the findings and current situation of the Western Zhou cemeteries within this area, analyzes the feasibilities and limitations of the research and presents the aim, methodology and process of the research.The dissertation consists 6 chapters.Chapter One, Background Introduction, is about the findings of late Shang remains and Western Zhou sites (cemeteries) in Southern Shanxi.Chapter Two, The Analyses and Comparison of Western Zhou Cemeteries in Southern Shanxi, summarizes the general characteristics of the cemeteries, researches into the hierarchical structure and the origin and the components of the residents based on the analyses of Tianma-Qucun and Hengshui cemeteries. In this part, a brief analysis on other cemeteries in this area, on the basis of the comparison among the cemeteries, conclusion could be made from the point of cemeteries-except the unclarity in Changzhi and Jincheng due to the limited materials, three archeological cultures could be identified in Southern Shanxi during Western Zhou: 1) Culture represented by Tianma-Qu cemetery, including Tianma-Qucun Type (Shangma cemetery included), Yongningbao Type, Sanjiao Type; 2) Culture represented by Qiaobei cemetery; 3) And culture represented by Hengshui cemetery including Hengshui Type, Dahekou Type.Chapter Three, The Comparison between Cemeteries in Southern Shanxi and Northern China, illustrates that the main pottery assemblage of Western Zhou cemeteries is the integration of pottery forms from late Shang and early Zhou. The assemblage and the types of the potteries have developed compared to those in late Shang and early Zhou. The dominated assemblage type of Tianma-Qucun and other Western Zhou cemeteries is pottery Li or Li. However, Tianma-Qucun is distinct especially on the pottery assemblage. From the type of the artifacts, Tianma-Qucun cemetery is very analogous with Hengshui and Zhangjiapo cemetery. Through the comparison between Tianma-Qucun, Hengshui and the cemeteries in Northern China, the author concludes that Tianma-Qucun and Hengshui cemeteries belong to two isolate archeological cultures.Chapter Four, Cultural Factors Analyses of Western Zhou Cemeteries in Southern Shanxi-Tianma-Qucun Cemetery, illustrates the components of Tianma-Qucun cemeteries: 1) Shang & Zhou cultural factors,2) Zhou cultural factors,3) Shang cultural factors,4) cultural factors from Northern China,5) other cultural factors,and 6) local cultural factors and local Jin cultural factors.Chapter Five, Jin & Zhou Culture-the Relationships among the Western Zhou Archeological Cultures in Southern Shanxi, researches into the differences between archeological cultures during the historic and prehistoric period from the point of definition of archeological culture. In this part, the author presents that cultural system is prior to archeological culture and the systems should belong to historical concepts but not archeological culture field. Analyzing deeper and deeper, at the end, the common characteristic of the specific time, territory and the community should be actually what archeological culture is. Thus the author thinks that the so-called Tang culture is only an empty reputation.Chapter Six is a summary of the dissertation. It sums up the conclusions from each chapter and the characteristics of Western Zhou cemeteries in Southern Shanxi Province and indicates several fundamental problems existing in the research of the dissertation. It also presumes the marriage and social structure status during Western Zhou and discusses the politics, cultures, human integration and concept of Yin adherents during Western Zhou.