A Companion to Chinese Archaeology presents an original collection of readings that focuses on the broad scope of Chinese archaeology from the Neolithic period and early Bronze Age. With contributions from international scholars and collaborative archaeological teams conducting research on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, the essays represent an unprecedented view of the world of contemporary Chinese archaeological research. Individual chapters reveal diverse methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding China’s past, from the era of early established agricultural villages from c. 7000 B.C. through to the end of the Shang dynastic period in c. 1045 B.C. Contributors reveal the diverse pathways to social complexity in geographic areas that include northeast China, the central and lower Yellow River valley, the central and lower Yangtze River valley, south China, and Taiwan. By shifting the focus from burial remains to settlements and regions, the readings offer rich insights into the diversity of social and economic organization in ancient China. A Companion to Chinese Archaeology is an important new resource on the origins of one of the world’s oldest civilizations.
