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Pots and potters of the Bronze Age of north-west Xinjiang

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 October 2019

Paula N. Doumani Dupuy Open the ORCID record for Paula N. Doumani Dupuy [Opens in a new window] ,
Peter Weiming Jia ,
Alison Betts  and
Dexin Cong
Paula N. Doumani Dupuy*
Affiliation:
Nazarbayev University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Peter Weiming Jia
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and China Studies Centre, Old Teachers College, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Alison Betts
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and China Studies Centre, Old Teachers College, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Dexin Cong
Affiliation:
Archaeological Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Science, 27 Wangfujing Dajie, Beijing 100010, P.R. China
*
*Author for correspondence (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Bronze Age agro-pastoralist populations with economies and materials that are generally consistent with the Andronovo Culture—but with localised variations—are known throughout the mountains bordering the Eastern Eurasian Steppe. Recently, evidence for this tradition has also been found in north-west Xinjiang, China, although many questions remain about the production, use and significance of ceramics here. The authors’ analyses of a sample of pottery from sites across the Bortala Valley permit the reconstruction of the ceramic chaîne opératoire and offer two distinct stories: one of cultural connectivity with regional networks of Eurasian pastoralists, and another about self-expression through small-scale local ceramic production.

Keywords

ChinaXinjiangBronze AgeAndronovoceramicschaîne opératoire
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 93 , Issue 371 , October 2019 , pp. 1231 - 1248
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2019 

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