Quantitative Analysis On Potteries Unearthed From The Graveyard Of Ba Clan At Lijiaba Site

The graveyard of Ba Clan, located at the Lijiaba Site in Yunyang county of Chongqing City, is the biggest graveyard of late Ba culture we have found so far. Chinese scholars' research on it shows that it is an important type of Ba culture in its late period, and influenced by several archaeological cultures such as the Chu culture, Shu culture, Qin culture, Yue culture, and so on, but the basic culture character belongs to Ba culture. Generally speaking, the potteries' style is consistent and the assemblage is stable.The author uses cluster analysis to classify the potteries unearthed from the graveyard of Ba Clan at Lijiaba Site, then discusses the potteries' dating, assemblage, and periodization. We also discuss the advantage and disadvantage of using quantitative analysis in archaeological typology research.In my thesis, the following seven kind of potteries are chose to carry out the cluster analysis: jar with high neck (高领罐), jar with big mouth and flat bottom (大口平底罐) , jar with concave bottom (底内凹罐) , dou (豆) ,fu (釜) , mou (鍪) , and pot (壶) . The jars with big mouth and flat bottom contain bigger ones and smaller ones, the dou contain ones with lid, and ones without lid, and the pots contain ones with flat bottom, ones with fake ring foot, and ones with ring foot. The jars with high neck could be divided into 4 groups; the bigger jars with big mouth and flat bottom can be divided into 6 groups, and the smaller ones can be divided into 3 groups; the jars with big mouth and flat bottom can be divided into 6 groups; dou with lid can be divided into 4 groups, and ones without lid can be divided into 6 groups; fu can be divided into 5 groups; mou can be divided into 3 groups; pots with flat bottom can be divided into 4 groups, ones with fake ring foot can be divided into 2 groups, and ones with ring foot can be divided into 3 groups. According to the different group, and the variety of artifacts type, the above-mention potteries can be divided into 3 periods. The first period of the potteries was in the early Warring States Period,the second period was in the middle Warring States Period,and the third period was in the later Warring States Period.Cluster analysis method can quickly help us find out homologous ones from the huge quantity of potteries. The result is an assoeted system which the homologous level is variable, and it is convenient for spliting and combination. It could build a quantitative bridge between the stuff materials and various records. It also can make sure that the standard of classification is consistent. But this method could not be abused unless some conditions are satisfied. Moreover, the method itself could not tell us how many types the objects should be divided into. It is very important that our different classification and group have typological meaning among the research process.