The Origination And Development Of Black Pottery In The Middle And Lower Reaches Of Yangtze River

According to the research status of black pottery in China, most of the scholars focus on Shandong Longshan Culture, while few of them notice the value of black pottery in other areas. Therefore, this dissertation studies black potteries in the Middle and Lower reaches of Yangtze River. In order to summarize several different modes of technological innovation and cultural transmission, three aspects of black potteries have been researched, including the origination and development, the techno-function, and the socio-function or ideo-function of black potteries.Firstly, with the aim of exploring the origin and development of black potteries, the limitation of morphology in chronology is reviewed and a new time frame applying radio carbon data is tried to establish. In this time frame, after comparing the earliest black potteries in three areas of the Yangtze River, carburizing process is considered to be invented in Kuahuqiao Culture. However, as the Kuahuqiao Culture died out, there was a new competition of black pottery techniques between the Middle reaches of Yangtze River and the Lower reaches. Finally, with stable natural environment and temporally coherence of culture, the Middle reaches of Yangtze River may have better development of black pottery, whether in quantities, technology or abundance of pottery types.Secondly, for the purpose of understanding the techno-function of black potteries, different periods of black pottery samples are collected from Jinluojia site in Macheng, Guangfulin site in Shanghai, Zhumucun site in Kunshan. According to the comparison of microstructure and water absorption differences, black potteries collecting from the Middle reaches of Yangtze River are superior to the Lower reaches in practical permeable techno-function. What’s more, analyzing the style of black pottery Hu( a kind of vessel), potters from the Middle reaches of YangtzeRiver seem to have better and deeper understanding of the techno-function. Thirdly, beyond the techno-function of black potteries, socio-function and ideo-function of black potteries have been considered in this dissertation. With the statistical context of macroscale and microscale context of some cases, the black pottery in Middle reaches and Lower reaches of Yangtze River represents wealth and social status. And the important ideo-function of black pottery is also mentioned. However, the black pottery unearthed in the southern part of Anhui and northern part of Jiangxi which connect the Middle reaches and Lower reaches of Yangtze River is different, as the socio-function and ideo-function of black pottery seems to be insignificant.Finally, based on the findings of all chapters, four modes about technology and culture development have been summarized. Along with the accumulation of technology, the area with the centric mode not only invents the earliest production which also has wider popularity, but also leads the innovation trends. What’s more, there are some unique socio-function or ideo-function beyond the techno-function of the invented production. This kind of developing mode is represented by the East area of Hanshui River and Taihu Lake area.Integrated acculturation mode refers to input the external invention from the centric area. During the slow development process, the related technology is obvious affected by the centric area. Meanwhile, the impact is not a one-way transmission, as the local culture conversely outputs some elements to the centric area. Xiajiang area is the typical representative of integrated acculturation mode. Replacing mode refers that some external invented technologies and related culture suddenly appear and replace the native culture. The northwestern plain of Dontinghu Lake is the representative.Last one is edge mode which refers to unsynchronized of the understandingand the application of external technologies. And the original socio-function and ideo-function in centric area is not available of the local production. The southern part of Anhui and northern part of Jiangxi is the typical representative.Summarizing all the conclusion, this dissertation points out the long accumulated technical advantages in the Middle reaches of Yangtze River will evolve to the earliest bronze civilization in China.