A P Underhill
Biographic Data
| ID | 11334 |
|---|---|
| NAME | A P Underhill |
| GIVEN NAMES | A P |
| FAMILY NAME | Underhill |
| SIGNATURE | UNDERHILL A P |
| AFFILIATIONS | Yale University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1132-752X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 31 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 271 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 31 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1987 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 10 |
Beyond the 'Luxury Food' Paradigm: Reassessing the social significance of rice in Late Neolithic (4500-4000 cal BP) Southeastern Shandong, China
Variation in acquisition strategies for white pottery vessels during the Longshan period in the Haidai area of China: Clues from compositional and geological data
Shijiahe and its Implications for Understanding the Development of Urbanism in Late Neolithic China
The late Neolithic site of Shijiahe in the middle Yangtze River Valley of China is important for understanding variation in the development of urbanism in China. Here, a core sector developed that was centred on the walled Shijiahe locus, c. 180 ha in size, and surrounded by a moat. Our paper is the first English publication synthesizing decades of scholarship about Shijiahe and explaining its significance for the development of urbanism. The ava…
Urbanization in the eastern seaboard (Haidai) area of northern China: Perspectives from the late Neolithic site of Liangchengzhen
Late Neolithic white wares from southeastern Shandong, China: The tricks to produce a white looking pot with not much kaolin. Results from petrography, XRD and SEM-EDS analyses
Social and environmental factors influencing dietary choices among Dawenkou culture sites, Late Neolithic China
Archaeological cultures are commonly defined by typologies established from ceramic assemblages at sites dated to a relatively restricted timeframe and located in specific geographic regions. It is often assumed that cultural traditions, social organizations, and other aspects of lifeways were similar throughout the established cultural areas. However, variations in pottery assemblages, burial practices, house construction techniques, and subsist…
More direct evidence for early dispersal of bread wheat to the eastern Chinese coast ca. 2460-2210 BC
Mortuary ritual and social identities during the late Dawenkou period in China
A preliminary assessment of the organization of ceramic production at Liangchengzhen, Rizhao, Shandong: Perspectives from petrography
Urbanization and new social contexts for consumption of food and drink in northern China
Emerging approaches to the development of urbanization in early China
Radiocarbon dating and stable carbon isotopic analyses of Neolithic and Bronze Age staple crops in the lower Yellow River area and their paleodietary implications
The stable carbon isotope ratio of archaeological human skeletons has been increasingly used to reconstruct paleodiet, which in turn may provide deep insight into the origin and spread of agriculture. However, little is known about the spatial and temporal variability of some staple crops in many areas of the world. Here, we present radiocarbon ages and stable carbon isotope data of charred millet and rice grains from 14 Neolithic and Bronze Age …
What is Special about Specialization?
This essay argues that several key issues regarding craft specialization deserve to be further investigated. These include how specialization develops, variation in strategies to achieve intensification of production, causal factors for technological innovation versus technological conservatism, and how specialization changes in relation to the development of urbanism. Recent studies moving us forward in productive directions with respect to meth…
Goals for Archaeological Research in Asia
Introduction: Investigating the Development and Nature of Complex Societies in Ancient China
One goal of A Companion to Chinese Archaeology is to reveal the diverse methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding prehistoric and early historic era societies that characterize current research efforts in Chinese archaeology. The second major goal is to provide English readers with new data about ancient China that are significant for understanding regional variation in social, economic, and political organization over time. The …
Dietary adaptation during the Longshan period in China: Stable isotope analyses at Liangchengzhen (southeastern Shandong)
Hunting with Talc
Collaborative excavations by the Shandong University and Field Museum at the Longshan Period site of Liangchengzhen in eastern Shandong Province, China have uncovered over 200 projectile points constructed from several prevalent material types of varying hardness. The majority of the points were finished by grinding. The smaller percentage were finished by pressure flaking. Raw materials utilized in projectile point manufacture included chlorite …
Changes in regional settlement patterns and the development of complex societies in southeastern Shandong, China
[Current Research on Archaeology in Mainland East Asia] Settlement Pattern Survey in the Rizhao Area: A preliminary effort to consider Han and Pre-Han demography
Editors' Corner
Editors' Corner Deborah Bekken, Laura Lee Junker, and Anne Underhill We would like to introduce ourselves as the new Editors of Asian Perspectives. Deborah Bekken earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1994. She is a faunal specialist and has worked extensively on Pleistocene assemblages in China. More recently, she has analyzed faunal remains from Neolithic sites (Liangchengzhen) and Shang sites in Shandong Provi…
Chemical Identification and Cultural Implications of a Mixed Fermented Beverage from Late Prehistoric China
Humans around the world have shown a remarkable propensity to ferment available sugar sources into alcoholic beverages. These drinks have contributed significantly to cultural innovation and development, including agricultural and horticultural skills to harness natural resources; technologies to produce the beverages and to make special vessels to serve, drink, and present them ceremonially; and their incorporation into feasting and other activi…
Investigating Variation in Organization of Ceramic Production: An Ethnoarchaeological Study in Guizhou, China
Craft Production and Social Change in Northern China
Regional survey and the development of complex societies in southeastern Shandong, China
This article shows that full-coverage regional survey is an effective tool for understanding change over time in regional settlement patterns in north China. Five seasons of survey in the Rizhao area of southeastern Shandong demonstrate a nucleated pattern of settlement around the Longshan site of Liangchengzhen and a clear settlement hierarchy, with distinctly different patterns for later periods
An Analysis of Mortuary Ritual at the Dawenkou Site, Shandong, China
For over twenty years, scholars have regarded the cemetery at the Dawenkou site in Shandong as providing important evidence for social ranking and other aspects of social organization during the Neolithic period. Most studies have focused on reconstructing status levels within specific time periods. Recent studies of burials in different areas of the world have shown the utility of examining change over time in mortuary ritual from the perspectiv…
Current issues in Chinese Neolithic archaeology
Chemical Identification and Cultural Implications of a Mixed Fermented Beverage from Late Prehistoric China
Humans around the world have shown a remarkable propensity to ferment available sugar sources into alcoholic beverages. These drinks have contributed significantly to cultural innovation and development, including agricultural and horticultural skills to harness natural resources; technologies to produce the beverages and to make special vessels to serve, drink, and present them ceremonially; and their incorporation into feasting and other activi…
Dietary adaptation during the Longshan period in China: Stable isotope analyses at Liangchengzhen (southeastern Shandong)
Pottery production in chiefdoms: The longshan period in northern China
This paper discusses methods in which mode of ceramic production in chiefdoms may be investigated on the basis of ceramic variability (diversity and standardization), direct evidence for production, and ceramic technology. It proposes that the Longshan Period of northern China was characterized by a 'complex household industry' mode of ceramic production. The available data from Chinese archaeological publications suggest that mode of production …
An Analysis of Mortuary Ritual at the Dawenkou Site, Shandong, China
For over twenty years, scholars have regarded the cemetery at the Dawenkou site in Shandong as providing important evidence for social ranking and other aspects of social organization during the Neolithic period. Most studies have focused on reconstructing status levels within specific time periods. Recent studies of burials in different areas of the world have shown the utility of examining change over time in mortuary ritual from the perspectiv…
Investigating Variation in Organization of Ceramic Production: An Ethnoarchaeological Study in Guizhou, China
The Chinese Neolithic: Recent Trends in Research
Early food production, featuring at least two and probably three separate suites of plants, occurred in at least six different regions in China. Gradually, the earliest stages of village life and plant-animal domestication are becoming clearer, and Chinese archeologists are attempting to reconstruct the societal context of these developments. Late Neolithic sites, shedding light on the indigenous evolution to state-level societies, are now being …
More direct evidence for early dispersal of bread wheat to the eastern Chinese coast ca. 2460-2210 BC
Systematic, Regional Survey in SE Shandong Province, China
This paper presents results from two seasons of full coverage, systematic, regional survey in SE Shandong province, China. It describes how systematic, regional survey provides valuable information on change in settlement patterns during the late prehistoric and early historical periods in northern China. Full coverage survey enabled us to discover scores of new sites in the area. Our collaborative survey, the first of its kind in the Yellow Rive…
Regional survey and the development of complex societies in southeastern Shandong, China
This article shows that full-coverage regional survey is an effective tool for understanding change over time in regional settlement patterns in north China. Five seasons of survey in the Rizhao area of southeastern Shandong demonstrate a nucleated pattern of settlement around the Longshan site of Liangchengzhen and a clear settlement hierarchy, with distinctly different patterns for later periods
Urbanization and new social contexts for consumption of food and drink in northern China
Radiocarbon dating and stable carbon isotopic analyses of Neolithic and Bronze Age staple crops in the lower Yellow River area and their paleodietary implications
The stable carbon isotope ratio of archaeological human skeletons has been increasingly used to reconstruct paleodiet, which in turn may provide deep insight into the origin and spread of agriculture. However, little is known about the spatial and temporal variability of some staple crops in many areas of the world. Here, we present radiocarbon ages and stable carbon isotope data of charred millet and rice grains from 14 Neolithic and Bronze Age …
A preliminary assessment of the organization of ceramic production at Liangchengzhen, Rizhao, Shandong: Perspectives from petrography
Social and environmental factors influencing dietary choices among Dawenkou culture sites, Late Neolithic China
Archaeological cultures are commonly defined by typologies established from ceramic assemblages at sites dated to a relatively restricted timeframe and located in specific geographic regions. It is often assumed that cultural traditions, social organizations, and other aspects of lifeways were similar throughout the established cultural areas. However, variations in pottery assemblages, burial practices, house construction techniques, and subsist…
Mortuary ritual and social identities during the late Dawenkou period in China
Beyond the 'Luxury Food' Paradigm: Reassessing the social significance of rice in Late Neolithic (4500-4000 cal BP) Southeastern Shandong, China
Urbanization in the eastern seaboard (Haidai) area of northern China: Perspectives from the late Neolithic site of Liangchengzhen
Emerging approaches to the development of urbanization in early China
Hunting with Talc
Collaborative excavations by the Shandong University and Field Museum at the Longshan Period site of Liangchengzhen in eastern Shandong Province, China have uncovered over 200 projectile points constructed from several prevalent material types of varying hardness. The majority of the points were finished by grinding. The smaller percentage were finished by pressure flaking. Raw materials utilized in projectile point manufacture included chlorite …
Late Neolithic white wares from southeastern Shandong, China: The tricks to produce a white looking pot with not much kaolin. Results from petrography, XRD and SEM-EDS analyses
Editors' Corner
Editors' Corner Deborah Bekken, Laura Lee Junker, and Anne Underhill We would like to introduce ourselves as the new Editors of Asian Perspectives. Deborah Bekken earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1994. She is a faunal specialist and has worked extensively on Pleistocene assemblages in China. More recently, she has analyzed faunal remains from Neolithic sites (Liangchengzhen) and Shang sites in Shandong Provi…
The Chinese Neolithic: Recent Trends in Research
Early food production, featuring at least two and probably three separate suites of plants, occurred in at least six different regions in China. Gradually, the earliest stages of village life and plant-animal domestication are becoming clearer, and Chinese archeologists are attempting to reconstruct the societal context of these developments. Late Neolithic sites, shedding light on the indigenous evolution to state-level societies, are now being …
Social ranking in the Kingdom of Old Silla, Korea: Analysis of burials
Pottery production in chiefdoms: The longshan period in northern China
This paper discusses methods in which mode of ceramic production in chiefdoms may be investigated on the basis of ceramic variability (diversity and standardization), direct evidence for production, and ceramic technology. It proposes that the Longshan Period of northern China was characterized by a 'complex household industry' mode of ceramic production. The available data from Chinese archaeological publications suggest that mode of production …
Cradles of Civilization: China: Ancient Culture, Modern Land . Robert E. Murowchick
Current issues in Chinese Neolithic archaeology
Systematic, Regional Survey in SE Shandong Province, China
This paper presents results from two seasons of full coverage, systematic, regional survey in SE Shandong province, China. It describes how systematic, regional survey provides valuable information on change in settlement patterns during the late prehistoric and early historical periods in northern China. Full coverage survey enabled us to discover scores of new sites in the area. Our collaborative survey, the first of its kind in the Yellow Rive…
An Analysis of Mortuary Ritual at the Dawenkou Site, Shandong, China
For over twenty years, scholars have regarded the cemetery at the Dawenkou site in Shandong as providing important evidence for social ranking and other aspects of social organization during the Neolithic period. Most studies have focused on reconstructing status levels within specific time periods. Recent studies of burials in different areas of the world have shown the utility of examining change over time in mortuary ritual from the perspectiv…
Craft Production and Social Change in Northern China
Regional survey and the development of complex societies in southeastern Shandong, China
This article shows that full-coverage regional survey is an effective tool for understanding change over time in regional settlement patterns in north China. Five seasons of survey in the Rizhao area of southeastern Shandong demonstrate a nucleated pattern of settlement around the Longshan site of Liangchengzhen and a clear settlement hierarchy, with distinctly different patterns for later periods
Investigating Variation in Organization of Ceramic Production: An Ethnoarchaeological Study in Guizhou, China
Chemical Identification and Cultural Implications of a Mixed Fermented Beverage from Late Prehistoric China
Humans around the world have shown a remarkable propensity to ferment available sugar sources into alcoholic beverages. These drinks have contributed significantly to cultural innovation and development, including agricultural and horticultural skills to harness natural resources; technologies to produce the beverages and to make special vessels to serve, drink, and present them ceremonially; and their incorporation into feasting and other activi…
Changes in regional settlement patterns and the development of complex societies in southeastern Shandong, China
[Current Research on Archaeology in Mainland East Asia] Settlement Pattern Survey in the Rizhao Area: A preliminary effort to consider Han and Pre-Han demography
Editors' Corner
Editors' Corner Deborah Bekken, Laura Lee Junker, and Anne Underhill We would like to introduce ourselves as the new Editors of Asian Perspectives. Deborah Bekken earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1994. She is a faunal specialist and has worked extensively on Pleistocene assemblages in China. More recently, she has analyzed faunal remains from Neolithic sites (Liangchengzhen) and Shang sites in Shandong Provi…
Hunting with Talc
Collaborative excavations by the Shandong University and Field Museum at the Longshan Period site of Liangchengzhen in eastern Shandong Province, China have uncovered over 200 projectile points constructed from several prevalent material types of varying hardness. The majority of the points were finished by grinding. The smaller percentage were finished by pressure flaking. Raw materials utilized in projectile point manufacture included chlorite …
Dietary adaptation during the Longshan period in China: Stable isotope analyses at Liangchengzhen (southeastern Shandong)
Introduction: Investigating the Development and Nature of Complex Societies in Ancient China
One goal of A Companion to Chinese Archaeology is to reveal the diverse methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding prehistoric and early historic era societies that characterize current research efforts in Chinese archaeology. The second major goal is to provide English readers with new data about ancient China that are significant for understanding regional variation in social, economic, and political organization over time. The …
What is Special about Specialization?
This essay argues that several key issues regarding craft specialization deserve to be further investigated. These include how specialization develops, variation in strategies to achieve intensification of production, causal factors for technological innovation versus technological conservatism, and how specialization changes in relation to the development of urbanism. Recent studies moving us forward in productive directions with respect to meth…
Goals for Archaeological Research in Asia
Urbanization and new social contexts for consumption of food and drink in northern China
Emerging approaches to the development of urbanization in early China
Radiocarbon dating and stable carbon isotopic analyses of Neolithic and Bronze Age staple crops in the lower Yellow River area and their paleodietary implications
The stable carbon isotope ratio of archaeological human skeletons has been increasingly used to reconstruct paleodiet, which in turn may provide deep insight into the origin and spread of agriculture. However, little is known about the spatial and temporal variability of some staple crops in many areas of the world. Here, we present radiocarbon ages and stable carbon isotope data of charred millet and rice grains from 14 Neolithic and Bronze Age …
A preliminary assessment of the organization of ceramic production at Liangchengzhen, Rizhao, Shandong: Perspectives from petrography
Mortuary ritual and social identities during the late Dawenkou period in China
Late Neolithic white wares from southeastern Shandong, China: The tricks to produce a white looking pot with not much kaolin. Results from petrography, XRD and SEM-EDS analyses
Archaeology (29 works) · Geography (27 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (24 works) · China (24 works) · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies (16 works) · History (12 works) · Chinese history and philosophy (11 works) · Sociology (9 works) · Political science (8 works) · Period (music (7 works)