Baodun culture

Baodun culture
Geographical range Sichuan Basin
Period Neolithic
Dates c. 2700 – c. 1700 BC[1]
Type site Baodun
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 寶墩文化
Simplified Chinese 宝墩文化

The Baodun culture (2700 BC – 1700 BC) was a Neolithic culture centered on the Chengdu Plain in Sichuan, China. Archaeologists have divided the culture into four phases (I-IV).[2] Ten settlements from the culture have been found.[1] The first six sites discovered include: the type site at Baodun in Xinjin County, the site at Mangcheng in Dujiangyan City, the site at Yufucun in Wenjiang County, the site at Zizhu in Chongzhou, the site at Shuanghe in Chongzhou and the site at Gucheng in Pi County.

All of the settlements straddled the Min River. The settlement walls were covered with pebbles, a feature unique to the Baodun culture. The pottery from the culture share some similarities with Sanxingdui. The inhabitants lived in wattle and daub houses.[2] The earliest evidence for rice and foxtail millet agriculture in southwest China was discovered at the type site at Baodun.[1]

The Baodun type site

The Baodun type site was discovered in 1950.[2] The type site is the oldest and largest site associated with the Baodun culture. Baodun is surrounded by two walls: the inner wall covers an area of around 66 ha (660,000 m2), while the outer wall covers and area of around 245 ha (2,450,000 m2). Rice and foxtail millet were both cultivated at Baodun, with rice being the predominate crop.[1] Many common weeds associated with paddy rice cultivation were also discovered at Baodun.[1] The remains of Job's tears, Vicia, two types of Vigna, beefsteak plant, and Crataegus were also discovered at Baodun.[1]

Other sites

Yufucun is the second largest site associated with the Baodun culture. The site at Yufucun is also surrounded by two walls: The inner wall covers and area of around 25 ha (250,000 m2), while the outer wall covers and area of around 40 ha (400,000 m2).[2] The site at Mangcheng is also surrounded by two walls: the inner wall covers and area of around 7.2 ha (72,000 m2), while the outer wall covers and area of around 10.5 ha (105,000 m2).[2] The site at Gucheng is surrounded by a wall enclosing an area of around 30.4 ha (304,000 m2).[2] The sites at Zizhu and Shuanghe are also surrounded by double walls.[2]

See also

Notes

References

  • Allan, Sarah (ed), The Formation of Chinese Civilization: An Archaeological Perspective, ISBN 0-300-09382-9
  • Flad, Rowan (2013). "Chapter 7: The Sichuan Basin Neolithic". In Underhill, Anne P. A Companion to Chinese Archaeology. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 125–146. ISBN 978-1-4443-3529-3. 
  • Guedes, Jade d'Alpoim; et al. (2013). "Site of Baodun yields earliest evidence for the spread of rice and foxtail millet agriculture to south-west China". Antiquity. 87 (337). doi:10.1017/S0003598X00049449. 

Coordinates: 30°27′01″N 103°45′03″E / 30.4502°N 103.7508°E / 30.4502; 103.7508

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