| Abstract: |
Current studies of Neolithic and Bronze Age ground stone tools in China focus upon typology with little emphasis on issues such as manufacturing techniques or craft specialisation. In order to improve on our knowledge of Chinese ground stone technology, a study was completed of a ground stone assemblage from Huizui, an Erlitou stone tool manufacturing site located in Henan Province, China. Issues addressed include the location of the sources of raw material, what tool types were produced on site, the manufacturing techniques utilised to produce different tool types, and the distribution of tools upon completion. In addition, this study also attempts to answer larger scale questions relating to craft specialisation, the changes over time in stone tool assemblages, and what role the Huizui site played in the regional economy of the Erlitou state.
|
