Page 44 - Lungshan Pottery Lunshanoid Research 1977 Paper
P. 44

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                    It  is obvious that        his hierachy       was   built   with    "function"

                    and   shape, such      as  the   presence     or absence of       the   utilized

                    edge and     its varying      position, as       the   prime    criteria.

                    Consequently, his         classification with functional,               or   "use"

                    criteria     was  more strongly        connected     to human     activity

                    than that     of  Dr.   Li's work.        Prof.   Sung did     not   take

                    the  next    step   of many current        archaeologists,        namely

                    grouping     the  artifacts      into tool     kits   or   activity     sets.


                            The   artifaotural       classifications        which    we  have

                    discussed     so  far   are   based    on  a  few   criteria     such   as

                   vessel     shape, position of         cutting edges, or         size.     These

                    are  "dimensions"       in Dunnell*s terminology            (1971*71)»

                    It  i s not   very satisfactory to          use   this Jype of       classifi-

                    cation    for larger units        such    as  cultural phases of         culture-

                   types.      The   classification        of  the   Lungshanoid      cultures

                    for  instance,      is not    the   same sort     of  thing    as  the class-

                   fication      of  stone implements        of pottery      vessels.     It   should

                   be   more complex since         various     aspects    are   involved,in       the

                   concept     of culture.        During    the   last   two   or  three    decades,

                   these problems have very            rarely been discussed.             Quite

                   often,     the  newly excavated         sites have been        classified

                   into    already    established      local    Lungshanoid       cultures.
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