Upper Xiajiadian culture

The Upper Xiajiadian culture (夏家店上層文化) (1000-600 BC ["Leadership Strategies, Economic Activity, and Interregional Interaction: Social Complexity in Northeast China", pp. 143] ) was a Bronze Age archaeological culture in Northeast China derived from the Eurasian steppe bronze tradition ["The Rise of Civilization in East Asia: the Archaeology of China, Korea and Japan", pp. 153] , and roughly contemporaneous to the Western Zhou Dynasty. The culture was found mainly in southeastern Inner Mongolia, northern Hebei and western Liaoning, China; its range was slightly larger than that of the Lower Xiajiadian culture, reaching areas north of the Xilamulun River. Compared to the Lower Xiajiadian culture, the population levels were lower, less dense, and more widespread. The culture still relied heavily on agriculture, but also moved toward a more pastoral, nomadic lifestyle. The social structure changed from being an acephalous or tribal society to a more chiefdom-oriented society. The type site is represented by the upper layer at Xiajiadian, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia.

The Upper Xiajiadian culture produced inferior ceramic artefacts compared to that of the Lower Xiajiadian culture, although this was compensated by superior bronze, bone and stone artefacts. The culture is well-known for its bronze objects, producing bronze daggers, axes, chisels, arrowheads, knives and helmets. Upper Xiajiadian bronzes were decorated with animal and natural motifs. These motifs indicate possible Scythian affinities, suggesting continuing cultural contact and exchange across the Eurasian steppes ["The Rise of Civilization in East Asia: the Archaeology of China, Korea and Japan", pp. 153] . The locally produced bronze vessels were much smaller than comparable bronzes from Zhou states. In the later periods, Zhou-style dagger-axes and bronze vessels were found at Upper Xiajiadian sites. In one case, bronze vessels belonging to the ruling family of the state of Xu (許) were discovered in an Upper Xiajiadian grave at Xiaoheishigou, evidenced by the inscriptions on one of the vessels ["Leadership Strategies, Economic Activity, and Interregional Interaction: Social Complexity in Northeast China", pp. 214-216] .

The culture showed evidence of a drastic shift in lifestyle compared to that of the Lower Xiajiadian culture. The Upper Xiajiadian culture placed less emphasis on permanent structures, preferring to reoccupy Lower Xiajiadian structures or reuse Lower Xiajiadian stones for building Upper Xiajiadian structures. The horse became important to the culture, as evidenced by the remains of horses and horse paraphernalia found at Upper Xiajiadian sites ["Leadership Strategies, Economic Activity, and Interregional Interaction: Social Complexity in Northeast China", pp. 162] . The culture also moved away from a centralized social organization, as no evidence for large public works was discovered at Upper Xiajiadian sites. The culture shifted from relying on pigs to relying on sheep and goats for its primary source of domesticated protein. The culture built more extravagant graves for its elites than the Lower Xiajiadian, with more numerous and elaborate burial offerings. Upper Xiajiadian burials were marked by cairns and tumulus.

References

Further reading

* Shelach, Gideon, "Leadership Strategies, Economic Activity, and Interregional Interaction: Social Complexity in Northeast China", ISBN 0-306-46090-4
* Barnes, Gina. "The Rise of Civilization in East Asia: the Archaeology of China, Korea and Japan", ISBN 05-0027-974-8

ee also

* Lower Xiajiadian culture
* Yan (state)
* Zhukaigou culture