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<p>The Miaoliang Site, a key settlement in northern Shaanxi, China, spans the transition from the late Yangshao period (ca.3000–2500 BC) into the Longshan era (ca.2500–2000 BC) offering critical materials for investigating the development of social complexity in northern China. This study combines thin-section petrography and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis to systematically examine 47 representative pottery sherds along with relevant geological samples, revealing the underlying technological strategies of pottery production during this transitional era. The results indicate that potters primarily used locally available calcareous loess, which underwent systematic refining and function-oriented paste preparation. Intentionally tempering with grog or crushed rock was observed specifically in cooking vessels and large storage containers. Provenance analysis of temper further reveals a complex resource-use pattern: grog usage reflects a localized technological identity and a conscious choice to repurpose materials within the community, while the procurement of certain rock fragments extended beyond the "7-km threshold", suggesting organized long-distance raw material networks. The widespread use of mixed-temper recipes likely points to a centralized system for raw material processing and distribution within the settlement, rather than purely household-based production. Notably, despite profound cultural shifts between the Yangshao and Longshan periods, core pottery-making technologies—including paste preparation and forming techniques—displayed significant stability and continuity. This finding offers important empirical evidence for understanding how prehistoric societies maintained technological traditions in craft production and sustained cultural resilience during periods of intensive regional interaction and integration.</p>

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Technological continuity amidst cultural transformation: pottery production at the late Neolithic Miaoliang Site, Northern China

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月2日

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  • Nani Liu,
  • Huiru Lian,
  • Nan Di,
  • Jing Shao,
  • Kunlong Chen

摘要

The Miaoliang Site, a key settlement in northern Shaanxi, China, spans the transition from the late Yangshao period (ca.3000–2500 BC) into the Longshan era (ca.2500–2000 BC) offering critical materials for investigating the development of social complexity in northern China. This study combines thin-section petrography and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis to systematically examine 47 representative pottery sherds along with relevant geological samples, revealing the underlying technological strategies of pottery production during this transitional era. The results indicate that potters primarily used locally available calcareous loess, which underwent systematic refining and function-oriented paste preparation. Intentionally tempering with grog or crushed rock was observed specifically in cooking vessels and large storage containers. Provenance analysis of temper further reveals a complex resource-use pattern: grog usage reflects a localized technological identity and a conscious choice to repurpose materials within the community, while the procurement of certain rock fragments extended beyond the "7-km threshold", suggesting organized long-distance raw material networks. The widespread use of mixed-temper recipes likely points to a centralized system for raw material processing and distribution within the settlement, rather than purely household-based production. Notably, despite profound cultural shifts between the Yangshao and Longshan periods, core pottery-making technologies—including paste preparation and forming techniques—displayed significant stability and continuity. This finding offers important empirical evidence for understanding how prehistoric societies maintained technological traditions in craft production and sustained cultural resilience during periods of intensive regional interaction and integration.