Stone knife deposits dating to the Neolithic period appear rarely at Guijiabao site.Although no traces of clear boundaries were found,they contain uniform object assemblages and have a relatively concentrated distribution in the middle of the excavation zone.The assemblages are dominated by half-moon shaped perforated stone knives,accompanied by stone axes and adzes,jade adzes and chisels,and a boar tooth sometimes.These objects are piled in order intentionally,with similar objects(especially the knives)placed in same position.The stones are fine polished and carry marks of use wear.The findings at Guijiabao provide new evidence for object deposits in prehistory and contribute to studies on the functional interpretation.The contexts of these deposits at Guijiabao indicate that they are neither storages nor graves.It is likely that the deposition of stone knives is remains of burial ritual practices carried out between different grave zones.Of these objects,knives are likely tools for harvesting in agriculture,while axes,adzes and chisels are common woodworking tools,revealing the importance of agriculture in daily life.Besides,boar teeth are potential ritual objects that have been widely known in graves and ritual monuments in prehistoric China,representing divinity.The frequent presence of agricultural tools in combination with jades and boar teeth suggests that the deposits are parts of the ceremony in worship of earth and a reflection of the agricultural ritual.The combination of earth worship,graves and agricultural tools as signs of agricultural development at Guijiabao is indicative for the unique beliefs held by the local people,in which the stone knife deposits may have become a medium for communication between the life and death worlds.However,this topic is open to discussion given the limited number of samples at present and context is very important for the interpretation of cultural and ritual significance of object deposits.
Guijiabao siteNeolithicStone knife depositsRitual practice
万方数据
维普
