Archaeology is a science that seeks for reconstruction of prehistory, supplements and corrects historical documents, and explores process and laws of human history and culture, through examination of material remains. Process of archaeological examina...
Archaeology is a science that seeks for reconstruction of prehistory, supplements and corrects historical documents, and explores process and laws of human history and culture, through examination of material remains. Process of archaeological examination in general starts from material remains(實物), followed by technology-function(事物) and humans(人物). It is archaeologists’ task to develop ways to reach understanding of humans from material remains through technology-function. I suggest that in order to accomplish this, we refer to anthropological methods and theories. This paper attempts to explain how to interpret the differences in shapes of artifacts by adopting anthropological method and theory, looking at decorations on handles of Jade-axes from Liangjhu culture. Examination of jade goods from Liangze culture suggests that because various production locales which have different norms of and strict controls over production and consumption competed, cultural elements diffused from one group to others were usually modified by recipients. From this example, it can be suggested that interpretation of archaeological culture process by adopting anthropological methods and theories aims at looking at humans through material remains.