Craft Production and Social Change in Northern China [Hardcover]

This book offers an anthropological analysis of how craft production changed in relation to the development of complex societies in northern China. It focuses on the production and use of food containers-pottery and bronze vessels-during the late prehistoric and early historic periods. A major theme is how production and use of prestige vessels changed in relation to increase in degree of social inequality. The research and writing of this book took place intermittently over a period of several years. When I first outlined the book in 1994, I planned to offer a more limited and descriptive account of social change during the late prehistoric period. In considering the human desire to display status with prestige goods, my initial approach emphasized how the case of northern China was similar to other areas of the world. I began to realize that in order to adequately explain how and why craft production changed in ancient China, it was crucial to consider the belief systems that motivated produc? tion and use of food containers. Similarly, a striking characteristic of ancient China that I needed to include in the analysis was the preponderance of food containers, rather than other goods, that were buried with the deceased. I decided to investigate the social and ritual uses of food, bever? ages, and containers during more than one period of Chinese history. Some strong patterns could have emerged during the late prehistoric period.1. Craft Production and the Development of Complex Societies in Ancient China.- Prestige Goods and the Development of Complex Societies.- Reconsidering the Role of Prestige Goods in Social Change.- Change in Production and Use of Pottery Vessels as Complex Societies Develop.- Investigating Consumption of Pottery and Bronze Vessels in Northern China.- Methodological Approach.- Burials as Indicators of Changing Economic Relations.- The Plan of This Book.- 2. Sources of Data on Social Change during the Late Neolithic Period and Early Bronze AglSÄ