nscArchaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of EurasiaАрхеология, этнография и антропология Евразии1563-0110IAET SB RAS10.17746/1563-0110.2023.51.2.038-048nsc-1691Research ArticlePALEOENVIRONMENT. THE STONE AGEПАЛЕОЭКОЛОГИЯ. КАМЕННЫЙ ВЕКThe Concept of Civilization in Modern Studies of the Neolithic in China and JapanKudinovaM. A.

Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090

maria-kudinova@yandex.ruIvanovaD. A.

Ayaks sttl. 10, Russky Island, Vladivostok, 690922

ivanova.dale@dvfu.ruTabarevA. V.

Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090

olmec@yandex.ruInstitute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of SciencesRussian FederationFar Eastern Federal UniversityRussian Federation2023130720235123848Copyright © Kudinova M.A., Ivanova D.A., Tabarev A.V., 20232023Kudinova M.A., Ivanova D.A., Tabarev A.V.Kudinova M.A., Ivanova D.A., Tabarev A.V.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://journal.archaeology.nsc.ru/jour/article/view/1691

This paper presents a brief overview of studies exploring the origin of civilizations in modern archaeology of China and Japan and mostly concerning the Neolithic period. The analysis of publications shows that in Chinese and Japanese archaeology, original scholarly traditions have been developed, with their own methodological foundations and terminology. We outline the key ideas relating to the origin of civilization, elaborated by researches in China (Su Bingqi, Yan Wenming, Li Boqian, Xu Hong, Gao Jiangtao) and Japan (Harunari Hideji, Watanabe Hiroshi, Sasaki Fujio, Yasuda Yoshinori). We show that most Chinese scholars consider the formation of state a sine qua non of transition to the civilization stage. However, the problem of identifying criteria of civilization and state formation using archaeological data has not been resolved to date. Examples of archaeological markers of civilization proposed by Chinese specialists are listed. In the works by Japanese researchers, no connection between the emergence of the state and civilization has been revealed. Most Chinese archaeologists date the emergence of civilization and of the fi rst state formations to the Late Neolithic (Dawenkou, Hongshan, Liangzhu, Longshan, etc.), ca 3500–2000 BC. There are alternative hypotheses—the Early Bronze Age (Erlitou culture) and the Late Bronze Age (the Spring and Autumn period). In Japanese archaeology, there are two main positions regarding the time when civilization had formed—the Jōmon period (Neolithic) and the subsequent Yayoi period (Bronze Age). Scholarly and external (including political) factors that have infl uenced modern concepts of the origin of civilization require special historiographic research.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.