Prehistoric Societies on the Northern Frontiers of China by Shelach Gideon

Author:Shelach, Gideon.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-134-94488-0
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)

Figure 4.12 Profile of the four K-means clusters of graves from the Dahuazhongzhuang cemetery.

Table 4.3 Clustering of graves from the Dahuazhongzhuang cemetery.

The analysis of graves from the Xiaobaiyang cemetery, presented in Table 4.4, suggests a strong correlation between most dimensions of the work expenditure in the burial process. Factor 1, which accounts for 27.6% of the variability in this sample, shows a positive correlation between the size of the grave, the coffin built inside it and most of the grave offerings. In other words, larger graves containing more elaborate structures (stone and wooden coffins) also contain larger amounts of artifacts, of a more expensive nature. Such correlations, which support our analysis of grave clusterings, suggest clear sumptuary rules which defined the socio-political and economic status of the individual according to the investment in his or her grave. Pottery and small bronze ornaments, which are the only variables not correlated under Factor 1, are correlated together in Factor 3 (accounting for 13.2% of the variability). These artifacts may represent poor or low status persons or they may suggest a different type of identity.

Several exceptionally large and rich graves, which have been found in the Chifeng region, such as the grave from Xiaoheishigou and grave 101 from Nanshangen, were not included in this analysis. Grave 101 from Nanshangen, for example, is 7.6 sq m in size—more than three times larger than the largest grave at Xiaobaiyang. It contains 486 bronzes, among them 83 bronze weapons and 10 bronze vessels (Liaoning 1973). These large, rich graves suggest the existence of a paramount level of socio-political and economic hierarchy, which is so far unknown from other parts of the Northern Zone. Including these graves in the factor analysis, as I have done in a previous study (Shelach 2001), would strengthen the patterns seen in Table 4.4 but not alter them.

Table 4.4 Factor analysis of 45 graves from the Xiaobaiyang cemetery.*

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