Radiocarbon dating and the prehistoric archaeology of China

The paper discusses radiocarbon chronology in China, and the contributions of the technique. Examples are given from the late Palaeolithic, and from the Neolithic, where the dating of various early cultures is described, starting with the Peiligang, Dadiwan and Cishan, which antedate the Yangshao phase. Anomalous radiocarbon dates are discussed from the limestone region of south China. It is concluded that these are caused by dead carbon incorporated by living organisms, and should not be interpreted as suggesting a very early Neolithic. Radiocarbon dates cannot easily be linked with legends, for example of the Xia dynasty: better archaeological evidence is needed for verifying such traditions.

Английский

World Archaeology. – 1991. – Vol. 23, № 2. – P. 193–200.