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Building on written texts: anthropological and archaeometric approaches to post-Qin archaeology in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 May 2025

Francesca Monteith ,
Zhijun Tang ,
Liang Chen ,
Liya Tang ,
Jiaqi Liu ,
Kangte He  and
Chun Yu
Francesca Monteith
Affiliation:
School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, Xi’an, P.R. China Key Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Research and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, P.R. China
Zhijun Tang
Affiliation:
School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, Xi’an, P.R. China Key Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Research and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, P.R. China
Liang Chen
Affiliation:
School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, Xi’an, P.R. China China-Central Asia Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Human and Environment Research Xi’an, P.R. China
Liya Tang
Affiliation:
School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, Xi’an, P.R. China Key Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Research and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, P.R. China
Jiaqi Liu
Affiliation:
School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, Xi’an, P.R. China Key Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Research and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, P.R. China
Kangte He
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, UK
Chun Yu*
Affiliation:
School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, Xi’an, P.R. China Key Laboratory of Cultural Heritage Research and Conservation, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, P.R. China
*
Author for correspondence: Chun Yu ✉ 9768612@qq.com
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Abstract

Despite a notable increase during recent decades in the application of anthropological approaches and archaeometric analyses in Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeology in China, studies relating to the post-Qin period of Chinese history (after 221 BC) continue to focus on social centres and elite tombs, and to rely on historical texts to validate archaeological discoveries. This article examines the extent to which archaeometric analyses might be applied more beneficially in post-Qin contexts and explores current barriers to the wider undertaking of these methods within Chinese archaeology.

Keywords

ChinahistoriographyChinese archaeologyarchaeometrymethodology

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Type
Debate
Information
Antiquity , Volume 99 , Issue 406 , August 2025 , pp. 1021 - 1029
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Antiquity Publications Ltd

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