An Excursus to East Asia: Prehistoric Wetland Settlements of Zhejiang Province, China

AbstractAccording to the archaeological discoveries, Zhejiang Province yields the most typical and well-preserved prehistoric wetland settlements in China. In this region, the development of prehistoric cultures is closely related to the natural environment and climate changes. The earliest settlements of the Shangshanculture appeared at about 10,000–8500 BP, probably accompanied by rice cultivation. Whereas rice cultivation was subsequently established, the followingKuahuqiao and Hemuducultures show strong maritime characteristics. In the Liangzhu period, the huge Liangzhu City and the peripheral water management system were built, which must be understood as symbols of complex society and early state. At the end of the Liangzhuculture, floodssubmerged most of the land, leaving behind thick sediment deposits. Only after 2000 years, in the Warring States Period (475–221 BC), this land became habitable again. With the establishment of a prehistoric chronology in Zhejiang province, a lot of multidisciplinary research has been carried out, and natural science and advanced technologies are increasingly applied. The current archaeological research in Zhejiang Province includes the origins of rice cultivation and the emergence of civilisation, geological formation processes and climate change, the spread of maritime cultures and further topics.