A review of previous archaeological studies on the Xia,Shang,and Zhou dynasties reveals that the classification of artifacts has largely relied on researchers’subjective judgments.This phenomenon is limited by both o...A review of previous archaeological studies on the Xia,Shang,and Zhou dynasties reveals that the classification of artifacts has largely relied on researchers’subjective judgments.This phenomenon is limited by both objective conditions and the researchers’subjective understanding.By analyzing bronzes excavated from a Warring States tomb at Majia town,Xindu district,Chengdu,located in southwestern China’s Sichuan province,this study attempts to develop a more objective methodological framework through three steps:(a)identifying representative examples with well-preserved artifacts and primary contexts;(b)establishing classification criteria based on artifact forms,quantities,spatial arrangements,and anomalies;and(c)testing these criteria against a broader range of archaeological materials.展开更多
AI applications have already-irreversibly-entered the fields of Humanities,Classics,and archaeological research,but are rarely taught in class.This paper attempts to encourage teachers and students of Classical Archae...AI applications have already-irreversibly-entered the fields of Humanities,Classics,and archaeological research,but are rarely taught in class.This paper attempts to encourage teachers and students of Classical Archaeology,Classics,Art History,and related fields,to practically explore,evaluate,and critically discuss pattern recognition(here focusing on Greek vase-painting),without requiring previously acquired coding skills.For this task,I will outline the potential of the open access program“Orange Data Mining”for academic teaching,based on a seminar taught by myself at Heidelberg University in the winter semester of 2024/25.I will introduce four different pattern recognition exercises(“Image Grid,”“Image Clustering,”“Image Classification,”and“Prediction”)that are easily accessible for classicists(please,try this at home!)and report the results and experiences which came out of our seminar.Furthermore,I will evaluate how the“hands-on”use of Orange Data Mining in class enables students to access the current debate on the chances and limitations of AI for research in ancient studies.展开更多
The present paper explores the innovative use of video game creation,as a pedagogical tool,for teaching archaeology through an interdisciplinary course at the University of Cologne.The course entitled“That belongs in...The present paper explores the innovative use of video game creation,as a pedagogical tool,for teaching archaeology through an interdisciplinary course at the University of Cologne.The course entitled“That belongs in a museum!”is rooted in the concept of“archaeogaming,”as defined by Andrew Reinhard.Students from Archaeology,Digital Humanities and Digital and Computational Archaeology are brought together to collaboratively design video games that convey archaeological knowledge and challenge popular stereotypes.Through practical experience with game engines and storytelling techniques,students go on to create playable games which address themes such as cultural heritage,decolonisation,and public engagement with the past.The main discussion points for this paper will centre on three student projects,which were selected to best illustrate the creative potential and educational value of this approach.This paper contends that the creation of games has the potential to nurture digital literacy and collaborative skills,whilst simultaneously stimulating further critical reflections on archaeological practices and its variable representations in different media.While acknowledging potential challenges in infrastructure and expertise,this study demonstrates that archaeogaming can enrich university curricula by merging academic content with interactive media.This project,therefore,can be regarded as a case study in how digital tools and interdisciplinary cooperation can enhance both archaeological education and scientific communication(s)in a rapidly evolving media landscape.展开更多
This paper explores the archaeology of whaling in Arctic prehistory,focusing on the emergence and development of whaling as a central component of cultural ecology among prehistoric Inuit and related societies.Drawing...This paper explores the archaeology of whaling in Arctic prehistory,focusing on the emergence and development of whaling as a central component of cultural ecology among prehistoric Inuit and related societies.Drawing on archaeological evidence from key sites across Alaska,the Chukchi Peninsula,and the Bering Strait region,the study examines how whaling technologies and practices evolved alongside climatic fluctuations,ecological shifts,and social transformations.Integrating ethnographic insights and paleoclimatic data,the study argues that Inuit engagement with whales was not only a subsistence strategy but a long-term,historically contingent relationship that shaped and was shaped by broader cultural systems.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to research and identify starch grain microfossil found in archaeological sites in China, and to find appropriate procedures for the starch grain analysis experiment.[Method] Wheat starch grain...[Objective] The aim was to research and identify starch grain microfossil found in archaeological sites in China, and to find appropriate procedures for the starch grain analysis experiment.[Method] Wheat starch grain size distribution was analyzed, and some simulated experiments were carried out, like mortar grinding, ultrasonic treatment, hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide immersion, drying treatment, and so on. [Result] The mean size of wheat starch grains had increased in the growth process. Mortar grinding would make wheat starch grains larger than untreated sample. Long time of ultrasonic treatment can also make the starch grain size larger. 10% HCl and 6% H2O2 would have little effects on morphological feature of wheat starch grains. Low temperature heating did not cause starch grains to be gelatinized. [Conclusion] These experiment results can improve the accuracy of starch grain microfossil identification in the archaeological site. Starch grain analysis may be a utility and effective analytical tool in studying the origin of agriculture and the dispersal of crops in China.展开更多
In China, most directions of river flowing are from west to east. During historic period, since the water traffic played an important role, it was very important to form a cross-horizontal net of water carriage route....In China, most directions of river flowing are from west to east. During historic period, since the water traffic played an important role, it was very important to form a cross-horizontal net of water carriage route. Canals should be dug so as to make up the lack of north-south river. Tongji Grand Canal, dug in the first year of Daye (605 A.D.) in the Sui Dynasty, was the important component of north-south system of Grand Canals in China. It promoted economic and social development of the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties (605 A.D.-1279 A.D.). As Tongji Canal (i.e. Tongji Grand Canal) flowed across the Huaibei Plain, which is aggraded by abundant mud and sand deposit resulted from the Huanghe (Yellow) River flooding, many traces (such as old channel) and human culture heritages were buried under mud-sand. Tongji Canal was silted up, and disappeared in the Jin Dynasty (1115 A.D.-1234 A.D.). From then on, there were many different stories about the flowing route of the canal in historical literature. Based on space-bone and air-bone remote sensing imagery, we attempt to search the old channel of Tongji Canal, and supplement historical record. The paper discusses transformation process of Tongji Canal’s traffic function, and resumptively summarizes the reasons of the transformation, which results from synthetic function of physical geographical, political, economic, and social conditions.展开更多
A review was conducted on the environmental evolvement and environmental archaeological research since the 1980s in the Yangtze Delta. Former environmental evolvement and environmental archaeological research results ...A review was conducted on the environmental evolvement and environmental archaeological research since the 1980s in the Yangtze Delta. Former environmental evolvement and environmental archaeological research results can be summed up into 4 aspects： 1） Formation and evolution of the Taihu Lake; 2） Transgression and sea-level changes in the Holocene epoch; 3） Reconstruction of the pre-historical environment; and 4） Impacts of environmental variations on the rise and fall of human civilization （formation of the cultural interruptions）. Based on this review, some limitations in the present research methods and possible outcomes are pointed out in this paper.展开更多
This paper was produced as a part of our ongoing research endeavors in Singida destined to provide a better understanding of early humans’ cultures, and to promote the conservation of cultural and natural heritages o...This paper was produced as a part of our ongoing research endeavors in Singida destined to provide a better understanding of early humans’ cultures, and to promote the conservation of cultural and natural heritages of the region. The overreaching goals of this research are to holistically reconstruct the archaeology of Singida by studying cultural processes over time and space. Equally important is to promote tourism in the Singida eastern axis and, to salvage the heritage assets of the region from total disappearance as evinced by the activities of modern day civilization, broadly, to shed more light about the past life ways, and the subsistence behaviours of our ancestors. Our recent archaeological reconnaissance conducted in January 2016 in Siuyu ward discovered rock paintings and a rock shelter with archeological potential (Ngaghe rock shelter), containing a large scatter of Later Stone Age (LSA) archaeological artifacts that are crucial to the unravelling of the prehistoric human behaviours in Singida. Preliminary results from our research revealed that Singida region is an ideal place for undertaking research on early human bio-cultural evolution from LSA times to the present. Data from this study will be utilized to re-write the history of Singida region, to make sure that it is sustained for future generations. Despite their rarity, uniqueness, scientific and aesthetic values, these heritage assets are neither protected by village nor regional by-laws. Before deliberate conservation measures are put in place, it is very important to have good records of the areas that are attractive to tourism, and their current state of preservation. These sites were undocumented by the previous researchers, and in certain circumstances are unknown even to the local people of the Siuyu ward. Although the archaeology of Singida east is much “terra incognita”, this article is timely, for promoting archaeo-tourism and raising public awareness on the archaeology of Singida. Additionally, this work provides a stimulus to the authorities to take action by introducing effective conservation measures for the sustainability of these priceless non-renewable resources.展开更多
Track fading is a basic phenomenon in track science and has been the source of informa- tion in geosciences. This article summarizes the knowledge of track fading and gives some examples of successful applications of ...Track fading is a basic phenomenon in track science and has been the source of informa- tion in geosciences. This article summarizes the knowledge of track fading and gives some examples of successful applications of track fading in archaeology, tectonics and geothermal chronology in China. The applications of track fading are classified into 5 modes： （1） mode of complete fading （annealing）; （2） mode of partial fading; （3） use of the dependence of track fading on time and temperature; （4） use of the differences of track fading between coexisting minerals; and （5） use of fading-reduced track length. Track fading mechanisms hints that scientists in geothermal chronology should adopt microprobes for quantitative elemental analysis to determine the detailed chemical compositions of each mineral grain or at least of the grains from each position of geological structures in order that one becomes well aware of the relation between the track fading behavior and chemical compositions of the mineral used.展开更多
The aim of this paper is to create and present a new archaeological predictive model via GIS,incorporating what archaeologists consider the most important criterion absent of similar past models,that of critical think...The aim of this paper is to create and present a new archaeological predictive model via GIS,incorporating what archaeologists consider the most important criterion absent of similar past models,that of critical thinking.The new model suggested in this paper is named habitation Model Trend Calculation(MTC)and is not only integrates the archaeological questions with a critical view,but it can be easily adjusted,according to the conditions or the questions concerning the archaeological community.Furthermore,it uses new topographical and geomorphological indexes such as Topographical Index(TPI),Hillslope and Landform Classification that give a new sense of the topographical and geomorphological characteristics of the examined area;therefore this model is a more powerful tool compared to older models that did not use new topographical and geomorphological indexes.The success of the created model is checked as a case study in the region of Messenia,Greece during the Mycenaean era.The region of Messenia is considered as one of the most important Mycenaean regions of Greece due to the great number and the importance of Mycenaean sites identified.For the present paper,140 habitation sites were divided into four hierarchical categories(centers,large villages,villages,and farms)based on the extent and the plurality of the tholos tombs that exist in the broader region and according to the hierarchical categorization used by the archaeologists who have studied the area.The new predictive model presented in this work can assist in solving a series of criticisms that have been expressed in the previous studies regarding such models.Additionally,in the case of Mycenaean Messenia,the model shows excellent results in relation to the habitats of the time.展开更多
A copper cannon belong to Western Hsia Dynasty(A.D.1032～1227)had been unearthed incity Wuwei in Province Gansu.This cannon is confirmed as an oldest metallic tubular firearm inthis world so far.In history Wuwei had b...A copper cannon belong to Western Hsia Dynasty(A.D.1032～1227)had been unearthed incity Wuwei in Province Gansu.This cannon is confirmed as an oldest metallic tubular firearm inthis world so far.In history Wuwei had been an area under Western Hsia government’s jurisdiction.展开更多
This excellent volume fills a much needed gap in making available to western scholarsmany of the important developments in paleoanthropology in the People’s Republic of China.Discoveries in other parts of the world s...This excellent volume fills a much needed gap in making available to western scholarsmany of the important developments in paleoanthropology in the People’s Republic of China.Discoveries in other parts of the world such as Europe and particularly Africa have often over-shadowed the valuable contributions stemming from work in China since the end of the CulturalRevolution.The editors of this volume must be congratulated for their efforts and particularlyfor providing in Chapter 1,a review chapter,an extensive and very useful bibliography.展开更多
Phytoliths are extensively utilized as an archaeobotanical indicator in paleovegetation reconstruction and environmental archaeology. Over the past two decades, numerous phytolith morphotypes, particularly those exhib...Phytoliths are extensively utilized as an archaeobotanical indicator in paleovegetation reconstruction and environmental archaeology. Over the past two decades, numerous phytolith morphotypes, particularly those exhibiting diagnostic morphological features and over representative of source plants at the genus and species levels, were discovered and reported. These advancements have significantly contributed to phytolith-based vegetation reconstruction on different timescales, enhanced our understanding of prehistoric plant utilization, and elucidated cultivation and domestication processes of key crops in ancient agriculture. However, there are still inconsistencies and misunderstandings regarding the morphological characteristics of diagnostic phytoliths in various plant groups. This review highlighted the standardization in the classification and description of phytolith morphotypes, and summarized the advancements in phytolith morphology research over the past two decades. Morphological illustrations of diagnostic phytoliths from various plant groups, particularly key crops and their relatives from dryland and rice agriculture in East Asia, were presented as references for phytolith identification and application. Finally, this review proposes future directions for phytolith morphological studies, emphasizing the comprehensive consideration of anatomical structure and morphometric parameters, as well as the need for extensive research on modern plant phytoliths and control experiments on phytolith growth.展开更多
Archaeological research in various countries and regions has yielded a wealth of experience and theoretical insights,particularly in the study of individual settlements and sites.In some countries,academic institution...Archaeological research in various countries and regions has yielded a wealth of experience and theoretical insights,particularly in the study of individual settlements and sites.In some countries,academic institutions and scholars have engaged in systematic regional surveys and comparative research,paving the way for original work that bridges the study of single settlements with broader community and societal inquiries,as well as connecting individual architectural remains with urban,rural and larger regional social formations.展开更多
基金the National Social Science Fund of China-sponsored key project Collation and Research of Materials from the Sanxingdui Sacrificial Pit(Grant No.:22AKG006).
文摘A review of previous archaeological studies on the Xia,Shang,and Zhou dynasties reveals that the classification of artifacts has largely relied on researchers’subjective judgments.This phenomenon is limited by both objective conditions and the researchers’subjective understanding.By analyzing bronzes excavated from a Warring States tomb at Majia town,Xindu district,Chengdu,located in southwestern China’s Sichuan province,this study attempts to develop a more objective methodological framework through three steps:(a)identifying representative examples with well-preserved artifacts and primary contexts;(b)establishing classification criteria based on artifact forms,quantities,spatial arrangements,and anomalies;and(c)testing these criteria against a broader range of archaeological materials.
基金the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
文摘AI applications have already-irreversibly-entered the fields of Humanities,Classics,and archaeological research,but are rarely taught in class.This paper attempts to encourage teachers and students of Classical Archaeology,Classics,Art History,and related fields,to practically explore,evaluate,and critically discuss pattern recognition(here focusing on Greek vase-painting),without requiring previously acquired coding skills.For this task,I will outline the potential of the open access program“Orange Data Mining”for academic teaching,based on a seminar taught by myself at Heidelberg University in the winter semester of 2024/25.I will introduce four different pattern recognition exercises(“Image Grid,”“Image Clustering,”“Image Classification,”and“Prediction”)that are easily accessible for classicists(please,try this at home!)and report the results and experiences which came out of our seminar.Furthermore,I will evaluate how the“hands-on”use of Orange Data Mining in class enables students to access the current debate on the chances and limitations of AI for research in ancient studies.
文摘The present paper explores the innovative use of video game creation,as a pedagogical tool,for teaching archaeology through an interdisciplinary course at the University of Cologne.The course entitled“That belongs in a museum!”is rooted in the concept of“archaeogaming,”as defined by Andrew Reinhard.Students from Archaeology,Digital Humanities and Digital and Computational Archaeology are brought together to collaboratively design video games that convey archaeological knowledge and challenge popular stereotypes.Through practical experience with game engines and storytelling techniques,students go on to create playable games which address themes such as cultural heritage,decolonisation,and public engagement with the past.The main discussion points for this paper will centre on three student projects,which were selected to best illustrate the creative potential and educational value of this approach.This paper contends that the creation of games has the potential to nurture digital literacy and collaborative skills,whilst simultaneously stimulating further critical reflections on archaeological practices and its variable representations in different media.While acknowledging potential challenges in infrastructure and expertise,this study demonstrates that archaeogaming can enrich university curricula by merging academic content with interactive media.This project,therefore,can be regarded as a case study in how digital tools and interdisciplinary cooperation can enhance both archaeological education and scientific communication(s)in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
文摘This paper explores the archaeology of whaling in Arctic prehistory,focusing on the emergence and development of whaling as a central component of cultural ecology among prehistoric Inuit and related societies.Drawing on archaeological evidence from key sites across Alaska,the Chukchi Peninsula,and the Bering Strait region,the study examines how whaling technologies and practices evolved alongside climatic fluctuations,ecological shifts,and social transformations.Integrating ethnographic insights and paleoclimatic data,the study argues that Inuit engagement with whales was not only a subsistence strategy but a long-term,historically contingent relationship that shaped and was shaped by broader cultural systems.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(41072140)Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Priority Research Program(XDA05130402,XDA05130603)~~
文摘[Objective] The aim was to research and identify starch grain microfossil found in archaeological sites in China, and to find appropriate procedures for the starch grain analysis experiment.[Method] Wheat starch grain size distribution was analyzed, and some simulated experiments were carried out, like mortar grinding, ultrasonic treatment, hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide immersion, drying treatment, and so on. [Result] The mean size of wheat starch grains had increased in the growth process. Mortar grinding would make wheat starch grains larger than untreated sample. Long time of ultrasonic treatment can also make the starch grain size larger. 10% HCl and 6% H2O2 would have little effects on morphological feature of wheat starch grains. Low temperature heating did not cause starch grains to be gelatinized. [Conclusion] These experiment results can improve the accuracy of starch grain microfossil identification in the archaeological site. Starch grain analysis may be a utility and effective analytical tool in studying the origin of agriculture and the dispersal of crops in China.
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40571162), the Natural Science Foun-dation of Anhui Province (No.050450401), Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Provincal Education Department (No.2004kj65zd), Postdoctoral Foundation of University of Science and Technology of China
文摘In China, most directions of river flowing are from west to east. During historic period, since the water traffic played an important role, it was very important to form a cross-horizontal net of water carriage route. Canals should be dug so as to make up the lack of north-south river. Tongji Grand Canal, dug in the first year of Daye (605 A.D.) in the Sui Dynasty, was the important component of north-south system of Grand Canals in China. It promoted economic and social development of the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties (605 A.D.-1279 A.D.). As Tongji Canal (i.e. Tongji Grand Canal) flowed across the Huaibei Plain, which is aggraded by abundant mud and sand deposit resulted from the Huanghe (Yellow) River flooding, many traces (such as old channel) and human culture heritages were buried under mud-sand. Tongji Canal was silted up, and disappeared in the Jin Dynasty (1115 A.D.-1234 A.D.). From then on, there were many different stories about the flowing route of the canal in historical literature. Based on space-bone and air-bone remote sensing imagery, we attempt to search the old channel of Tongji Canal, and supplement historical record. The paper discusses transformation process of Tongji Canal’s traffic function, and resumptively summarizes the reasons of the transformation, which results from synthetic function of physical geographical, political, economic, and social conditions.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China（No.4040.1006）.
文摘A review was conducted on the environmental evolvement and environmental archaeological research since the 1980s in the Yangtze Delta. Former environmental evolvement and environmental archaeological research results can be summed up into 4 aspects： 1） Formation and evolution of the Taihu Lake; 2） Transgression and sea-level changes in the Holocene epoch; 3） Reconstruction of the pre-historical environment; and 4） Impacts of environmental variations on the rise and fall of human civilization （formation of the cultural interruptions）. Based on this review, some limitations in the present research methods and possible outcomes are pointed out in this paper.
文摘This paper was produced as a part of our ongoing research endeavors in Singida destined to provide a better understanding of early humans’ cultures, and to promote the conservation of cultural and natural heritages of the region. The overreaching goals of this research are to holistically reconstruct the archaeology of Singida by studying cultural processes over time and space. Equally important is to promote tourism in the Singida eastern axis and, to salvage the heritage assets of the region from total disappearance as evinced by the activities of modern day civilization, broadly, to shed more light about the past life ways, and the subsistence behaviours of our ancestors. Our recent archaeological reconnaissance conducted in January 2016 in Siuyu ward discovered rock paintings and a rock shelter with archeological potential (Ngaghe rock shelter), containing a large scatter of Later Stone Age (LSA) archaeological artifacts that are crucial to the unravelling of the prehistoric human behaviours in Singida. Preliminary results from our research revealed that Singida region is an ideal place for undertaking research on early human bio-cultural evolution from LSA times to the present. Data from this study will be utilized to re-write the history of Singida region, to make sure that it is sustained for future generations. Despite their rarity, uniqueness, scientific and aesthetic values, these heritage assets are neither protected by village nor regional by-laws. Before deliberate conservation measures are put in place, it is very important to have good records of the areas that are attractive to tourism, and their current state of preservation. These sites were undocumented by the previous researchers, and in certain circumstances are unknown even to the local people of the Siuyu ward. Although the archaeology of Singida east is much “terra incognita”, this article is timely, for promoting archaeo-tourism and raising public awareness on the archaeology of Singida. Additionally, this work provides a stimulus to the authorities to take action by introducing effective conservation measures for the sustainability of these priceless non-renewable resources.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41172088 and 40872141)
文摘Track fading is a basic phenomenon in track science and has been the source of informa- tion in geosciences. This article summarizes the knowledge of track fading and gives some examples of successful applications of track fading in archaeology, tectonics and geothermal chronology in China. The applications of track fading are classified into 5 modes： （1） mode of complete fading （annealing）; （2） mode of partial fading; （3） use of the dependence of track fading on time and temperature; （4） use of the differences of track fading between coexisting minerals; and （5） use of fading-reduced track length. Track fading mechanisms hints that scientists in geothermal chronology should adopt microprobes for quantitative elemental analysis to determine the detailed chemical compositions of each mineral grain or at least of the grains from each position of geological structures in order that one becomes well aware of the relation between the track fading behavior and chemical compositions of the mineral used.
文摘The aim of this paper is to create and present a new archaeological predictive model via GIS,incorporating what archaeologists consider the most important criterion absent of similar past models,that of critical thinking.The new model suggested in this paper is named habitation Model Trend Calculation(MTC)and is not only integrates the archaeological questions with a critical view,but it can be easily adjusted,according to the conditions or the questions concerning the archaeological community.Furthermore,it uses new topographical and geomorphological indexes such as Topographical Index(TPI),Hillslope and Landform Classification that give a new sense of the topographical and geomorphological characteristics of the examined area;therefore this model is a more powerful tool compared to older models that did not use new topographical and geomorphological indexes.The success of the created model is checked as a case study in the region of Messenia,Greece during the Mycenaean era.The region of Messenia is considered as one of the most important Mycenaean regions of Greece due to the great number and the importance of Mycenaean sites identified.For the present paper,140 habitation sites were divided into four hierarchical categories(centers,large villages,villages,and farms)based on the extent and the plurality of the tholos tombs that exist in the broader region and according to the hierarchical categorization used by the archaeologists who have studied the area.The new predictive model presented in this work can assist in solving a series of criticisms that have been expressed in the previous studies regarding such models.Additionally,in the case of Mycenaean Messenia,the model shows excellent results in relation to the habitats of the time.
文摘A copper cannon belong to Western Hsia Dynasty(A.D.1032～1227)had been unearthed incity Wuwei in Province Gansu.This cannon is confirmed as an oldest metallic tubular firearm inthis world so far.In history Wuwei had been an area under Western Hsia government’s jurisdiction.
文摘This excellent volume fills a much needed gap in making available to western scholarsmany of the important developments in paleoanthropology in the People’s Republic of China.Discoveries in other parts of the world such as Europe and particularly Africa have often over-shadowed the valuable contributions stemming from work in China since the end of the CulturalRevolution.The editors of this volume must be congratulated for their efforts and particularlyfor providing in Chapter 1,a review chapter,an extensive and very useful bibliography.
文摘Phytoliths are extensively utilized as an archaeobotanical indicator in paleovegetation reconstruction and environmental archaeology. Over the past two decades, numerous phytolith morphotypes, particularly those exhibiting diagnostic morphological features and over representative of source plants at the genus and species levels, were discovered and reported. These advancements have significantly contributed to phytolith-based vegetation reconstruction on different timescales, enhanced our understanding of prehistoric plant utilization, and elucidated cultivation and domestication processes of key crops in ancient agriculture. However, there are still inconsistencies and misunderstandings regarding the morphological characteristics of diagnostic phytoliths in various plant groups. This review highlighted the standardization in the classification and description of phytolith morphotypes, and summarized the advancements in phytolith morphology research over the past two decades. Morphological illustrations of diagnostic phytoliths from various plant groups, particularly key crops and their relatives from dryland and rice agriculture in East Asia, were presented as references for phytolith identification and application. Finally, this review proposes future directions for phytolith morphological studies, emphasizing the comprehensive consideration of anatomical structure and morphometric parameters, as well as the need for extensive research on modern plant phytoliths and control experiments on phytolith growth.
文摘Archaeological research in various countries and regions has yielded a wealth of experience and theoretical insights,particularly in the study of individual settlements and sites.In some countries,academic institutions and scholars have engaged in systematic regional surveys and comparative research,paving the way for original work that bridges the study of single settlements with broader community and societal inquiries,as well as connecting individual architectural remains with urban,rural and larger regional social formations.
