 | |||||||
| Geographical range | EasternChina | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Neolithic China | ||||||
| Dates | c. 3800 – c. 3300 BCE | ||||||
| Preceded by | Majiabang culture | ||||||
| Followed by | Liangzhu culture | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 崧澤文化 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 崧泽文化 | ||||||
| |||||||
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TheSongze Culture was aNeolithic culture that existed between 3800 and 3300 BCE in theLake Tai area nearShanghai.[1][2]
Three radiocarbon dates were taken from Songze culture layers at Jiangli nearLake Tai. Two of the dates were obtained from charred rice grains, returning dates of 3360–3090 BCE and 3540–3370 BCE. The third date was taken fromknotgrass and produced a date of 3660–3620 BCE.[3] Although it is accepted to be the successor of theMajiabang culture, others have suggested that Songze was a successor phase to theHemudu culture.[4]
In 1957, archaeologists discovered a site north of Songze Village near Zhaoxiang TownChinese:赵巷镇 in Shanghai'sQingpu District.[5] Excavations have been conducted throughout 1961, 1974–1976, 1987, 1994–1995, and 2004. These revealed three cultural layers: the most recent hadpottery from theSpring and Autumn period; the middle layer was a cemetery with 148 graves and numerous artefacts; the oldest layer belonged to a village of theMajiabang culture.[5]
92 graves have been excavated from a Songze cemetery at Nanhebang.[6]
The Pishan cemetery contained 61 burials.[6]
Dongshan Village is located near Jingang Town 18 km west ofZhangjiagang. It was discovered in 1989 and has undergone excavations by theSuzhou Museum (1989–1990), followed by two largerescue excavations led by theNanjing Museum in 2008–2009.[7] The site is divided into three areas: area 1 was a small cemetery of 27 burials, all of which had different quantities ofgrave goods, which has been used to suggest the existence of astratified society; area 2 was a residential comprising five buildings in the centre of the site; area 3 was another burial ground in the site's west, with 10 tombs.[7]
