Erlitou culture

34.701758333333112.69707777778Koordinaten: 34 ° 42 ' 6.33 "N, 112 ° 41' 49.48 " E

As Erlitou culture (二 里头 文化/二 里头 文化, èrlǐtóu Wenhua ) denote archaeologists a municipal corporation of the Early Bronze Age, the BC to 1500 existed in China from 2000 BC. The culture was named after the archaeological site, which one (二 里头 村) discovered in the village Erlitou the independent city of Yanshi, in the administrative area of the prefecture-level city of Luoyang, Henan province. The culture was throughout Henan, they had there its center, as well as widespread in the province of Shanxi. Later, she also extended in Shaanxi and Hubei Province. Most Chinese archaeologists identify the Erlitou culture as the archaeological site of the Xia Dynasty, while most Western archaeologists remain unconvinced of the connection between the Erlitou culture and the Xia Dynasty since there are no written records that the Erlitou - culture associated with the official history.

Culture

Erlitou was the largest settlement in China and even in East Asia until about 1500 BC. Currently, it is to this day the earliest confirmed capital of China with palace buildings and bronze melting workshops. The Erlitou culture is possibly originated from the breeding ground of the Longshan culture. There is also a controversial connection with the controversial Xia Dynasty: It is claimed that Erlitou was possibly the Xia capital Zhēnxún. Dr. Xu Hong, head of the Erlitou archeology team, summarizes the dispute together:

Was it built by the people of the Xia or the Shang? Further excavations will help to find the solution and provide new material for periodization ( temporal position ) of the two dynasties.

Archeology

Discovered in 1959, Erlitou is the largest archaeological site that is linked to the Erlitou culture. Erlitou monopolized the production of ritual bronze vessels.

After the rise of the Shang dynasty, the investment in Erlitou reduced greatly, but remained inhabited during the early phase of the Shang Dynasty. The ( big ) city is located on Yi He, a tributary of the Southern Luo He River. The city was approximately 2.4 km by 1.9 km in size; There are, however übrigeblieben due to flooding damage only 3 km2. The palaces are located in the southeastern section of the city. Palace 3 is of particular interest; it consisted of three courtyards along a 150 m axis.

Chronology

  • Erlitou Phase I ( 100 ha)
  • Erlitou Phase II ( 300 ha) - A palace area of 12 ha was demarcated by four streets. It contained the 150x50 m 3 Palace and the Palace 5 - South of the palace complex was a bronze foundry.
  • Erlitou Phase III ( 300 ha) - The palace complex is surrounded by a 2 m thick rammed earth wall and the palaces of 1, 7, 8 and 9 are built. Palaces 3 and 5 to be abandoned and replaced by the 4200 m2 large palaces 2 and 4.
  • 1564-1521 BCE Erlitou Phase IV (300 acres) - 6 Palace is built as an extension of Palace 2 palaces 10 and 11 to be built.
  • 1600-1450 BC Early Erligang phase - decay begins.
  • 1450-1300 BCE Late Erligang phase (30 ha) - Erlitou is back to a village, all the palaces are abandoned.
Paleolithic Ordos culture Neolithic Xinle culture Beixin culture Yangshao culture Daxi culture Liangzhu culture Zhukaigou culture Qijia culture Erligang culture Xindian culture Iron Age List of Neolithic cultures of China
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