Yangshao projektet

This was the researchplan we used for our first research trip to China, it was written in 2005.

Researchplan

Our application is based upon that the two of us together have a base in archaeology, Johan Klange has also studied Chinese archaeology and Chinese at the university of Stockholm while Magnus Reuterdahl has studied osteoarchaeology at the university of Stockholm. Based upon our combined knowledge we feel that we can complete each other in a good way.

With this journey and the research that we will make in connection with it, we hope to spread knowledge about the prehistory of China, in particular knowledge about the Yangshao culture, to our departments. We hope to create a base for en enlarged understanding and strengthened interest, among Swedes in general and students in particular, for Chinese archaeology and the Yangshao culture. This should be seen in connection with the reopening of the Museum of far eastern antiquity and its exhibition ”China before China”, witch shows the Yangshao culture. Our contact in China is Doctor Chen Xingcan who works at the archaeological department at CASS. He has, together with Johan Klange, worked with the exhibition, mentioned.

Our aim is to be able to travel to China for a period of one month, during December in 2005. Our plan is to conduct archive studies in Beijing for about two weeks and after that to go on a two week excursion during witch vital practical observations will be done in the area of the Yangshao culture, we hope to visit Yangshao sites in the provinces of Henan and Shaanxi.

During the fall of 2003 the Museum of Far eastern Antiquity in Stockholm, Sweden, arranged a workshop dealing with long distance contacts between Asia and Europe during prehistoric times. To this workshop three Chinese delegates from CASS attended. Johan Klange helped organize this workshop, during witch he also brought the Chinese delegates to visit the department of Archaeology at the University of Stockholm. The department is divided into four parts, one of these is the Osteoarchaeological research laboratory (OFL). Where Dr Jan Stora and MA-student Magnus Reuterdahl arranged a tour. The delegates from CASS were Mr Liu Qingzhu, Dr Chen Xingcan and Dr Juan Jing.

The visits at the different parts of the department of Archaeology at the University of Stockholm both the Chinese delegates and the representatives of the Archaeological department expressed a desire for further exchange of knowledge and experiences. For example the visit to OFL showed that within both humanosteology and zooarchaeology there are several areas where in future research project could be developed. There are differences both methodically and theoretically between our research traditions witch could open for interesting debates and new ways of studying our materials.

During our visit in China Magnus Reuterdahl would be interested to visit the Osteological departments, both regarding human and zoological research, at CASS. He hopes to see how osteology works in China both at the research level and at student levels to compare the Chinese education with the Swedish.

Before our travel we will continue our research about Chinese archaeology, ecology, zoology and palaeontology. Via references from literature we have found that ostrich eggs have been found at archaeological sites from the Neolithic era in India, Siberia and China. This shows us the phenomenon is widely spread and not just local.

The results from our research that we will make before and after our visit to China will be the basis for different kinds of articles, e g both popular and scientific. We will hold seminars about the Yangshao culture at the Department of Archaeology in Stockholm.

Magnus Reuterdahl                                                          Johan Klange