Erlitou culture

Erlitou culture
Kanguole · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Erlitou culture
Period	Bronze Age
Dates	c. 1900 – c. 1500 BCE
Typesite	Erlitou
Major sites	Yanshi, Zhengzhou, Luoyang
Precededby	Longshan culture
Followedby	Erligang culture

Erlitou culture. The Erlitou culture was an early Bronze Age society that flourished in the Yellow River valley, centered in modern-day Henan province. Its discovery provided the first major archaeological evidence of a complex, state-level society in China, predating the historically attested Shang dynasty. The culture is named after the type site discovered near Yanshi.

History and discovery

The type site at Erlitou was first identified in 1959 by the archaeologist Xu Xusheng during a survey aiming to locate capitals of the legendary Xia dynasty. Systematic excavations by the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences began in the 1960s, revealing a vast settlement. Further discoveries at sites like Zhengzhou and Luoyang expanded understanding of the culture's geographic spread. The chronology of the culture was refined through radiocarbon dating and stratigraphy, placing it squarely in the early second millennium BCE.

Characteristics and chronology

The culture is divided into four distinct phases spanning from approximately 1900 to 1500 BCE. Phase I shows continuity with the preceding Longshan culture, while Phases II and III represent the zenith of its development, featuring large-scale palatial construction. Phase IV shows a transition toward the subsequent Erligang culture. Key characteristics include the earliest known bronze ritual vessel castings in China, the construction of large rammed-earth palace foundations, and a clear hierarchical settlement pattern with Erlitou as a primary center.

Society and economy

Society was highly stratified, with a ruling elite residing in the palatial compounds at the core of urban centers like Erlitou. The economy was based on intensive millet agriculture, supported by advanced bronze production for ritual and military purposes. Evidence of workshops for crafting turquoise, jade, and pottery indicates specialized artisanship and a complex division of labor. Control over the production and distribution of prestige goods like bronze vessels was likely a key source of political power for the elite.

Artifacts and material culture

The culture is renowned for its sophisticated bronze working, producing ritual vessels like the *jue*, *jia*, and *he*, which became central to later Chinese ritual bronzes. Other significant finds include elaborate turquoise-inlaid objects, such as a dragon-shaped plaque, and finely worked jade blades and insignia like *zhang* and *cong*. The pottery includes distinctive types like the *jia* tripod and serving stands, often decorated with cord marks.

Relationship to the Xia dynasty

The temporal and geographic correlation between the Erlitou culture and the traditionally recorded Xia dynasty has led many scholars, particularly in China, to identify the two. This association was notably proposed by Xu Xusheng and is supported by texts like the Bamboo Annals and Records of the Grand Historian. However, the absence of contemporaneous written records from the site means the identification remains a hypothesis, with some archaeologists preferring to treat it as a distinct archaeological complex preceding the Shang dynasty.

Significance and legacy

The Erlitou culture represents a critical stage in the formation of Chinese civilization, marking the transition from Neolithic chiefdoms to a bronze-using, urban state. Its technological innovations in metallurgy, urban planning with a central axis, and ritual traditions were directly inherited and elaborated by the Shang dynasty at sites like Yinxu. The culture's artifacts and architectural principles profoundly influenced the development of later Chinese art and statecraft, establishing foundational cultural patterns for millennia.

Category:Archaeological cultures of China Category:Bronze Age Asia Category:History of Henan