Papers by Gideon Shelach-Lavi
Archaeological Research in Asia, 2024
On the Mongolian plateau, the period between the collapse of the Kitan Empire (c. 1125 CE) and th... more On the Mongolian plateau, the period between the collapse of the Kitan Empire (c. 1125 CE) and the rise of the Mongol empire (1206 CE) is still poorly understood. Although events leading up to the rise of Chinggis Khan's initial Mongol state are recorded in a number of historical sources, these accounts often look backwards over decades or even centuries from the perspective of a mature empire already made. Archaeology provides one path towards a better understanding of the circumstances, people, and polities contemporaneous with the collapse of the Kitan Empire and emergence of the Jurchen Jin and Mongol states. The eastern reaches of the Mongolian plateau is a region that can speak to these events based on the material record of archaeology. The Mongol-Israeli-American Archaeological Project has surveyed and excavated along Kitan frontier ‘long-walls’ in the northeast of Mongolia since 2018. One of our fortuitous discoveries was a well-furnished burial interred within the enclosure wall of a Kitan era frontier fortress. Analysis of this grave reveals that it likely postdates the use of the fortress and provides important information about local communities, their networks, and organization during the 12th century CE.
Asian Perspecitves, 2024
A new generation of scholars has called into question the homogeneous nature of Western Zhou cult... more A new generation of scholars has called into question the homogeneous nature of Western Zhou culture and the sweeping imposition of this culture over a large region that covers much of present-day China. Our study contributes to this debate by focusing on a coherent group of bronze vessels dated to the end of theWestern Zhou and beginning of
the Spring and Autumn periods. He (盉) vessels with drum-shaped bodies, bird-like lids, and human-like legs are among the most unique and artistically innovative artifacts of this period. While these unique artifacts have been found in and near the center of the Western Zhou polity, they are not associated with the rituals of the royal house, but rather with those of other aristocratic lineages. We argue that the artistic style of the vessels was part of the culture developed around the royal Zhou house and in areas close to it, although it is not strictly representative of the royal culture of the Western Zhou, being instead associated with minor lineages. A multi-dimensional analysis of this group of vessels, addressing their geographical distribution, location within their archaeological context, and social associations, combined with an analysis of their decorative scheme and the inscriptions cast inside them, enables us to better understand the sociocultural landscape of this period. Our study suggests that diversity existed not only in remote border areas or among the lower strata of society, but also within the cultural core of the Western Zhou polity and among the highest echelons of the aristocracy. Such processes of diversification are associated with the development of local and regional identities and with the growth of the political independence of aristocratic lineages during the final years of the transition from the Western Zhou to the Spring and Autumn periods.
Journal of Field Archaeology, 2023
This paper explores, for the first time, a 405 km long wall system located in eastern Mongolia: t... more This paper explores, for the first time, a 405 km long wall system located in eastern Mongolia: the “Mongolian Arc” consists of an earthen wall, a trench, and 34 structures. It is part of a much larger system of walls built between the 11th and 13th centuries A.D. The Mongolian Arc, despite its magnitude, has been largely overlooked in existing academic discourse. Our team collected remote sensing data of different types and conducted an archaeological field survey of the entire Mongolian Arc. The different datasets obtained in the lab and the field were analyzed using a geographic information system (GIS). These results were integrated with excerpts from relevant primary sources to provide a preliminary interpretation of the design and potential functions of the Mongolian Arc. Key areas of exploration include the idiosyncratic gaps along the wall, the spatial organization of the wall and structures, and their interrelationship with the adjacent landscape.
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2024
The production of pottery in East Asia can be traced back to approximately 20,000 years ago. Hunt... more The production of pottery in East Asia can be traced back to approximately 20,000 years ago. Hunter-gatherer communities utilised pottery for many years before transitioning to agriculture in regions such as China, Japan, and the Russian Far East. While there has been much debate surrounding pottery production in hunter-gatherer societies, little attention has been given to the role of ceramic vessels in the shift to sedentism and agriculture. This research explores the technological aspects of pottery production in both hunter-gatherer societies and societies in the midst of transitioning to agriculture. The study focuses on ceramic assemblages from two sites in the Fuxin Area of Liaoning province, China. The earlier site represents a small semi-sedentary society that relied solely on hunting and gathering, while the later site, around 400 years later, is a village that also incorporates the use of millet. Using petrography, X-ray diffractometry, X-ray florescence, and thermo-gravimetric analyses, the study identifies differences in ceramic production between the two sites, including the use of selective clay and temper types and improved firing techniques at the later site. These technological changes are believed to be due to specific changes in the preferences of sedentary groups, possibly related to food processing during the onset of agriculture. The findings shed light on the relationship between social, economic, and technological variation in prehistoric societies.
Offa’s Dyke Journal, 2023
This article reports on the ‘Walls, Borders, and Frontier Zones in the Ancient and Contemporary W... more This article reports on the ‘Walls, Borders, and Frontier Zones in the Ancient and Contemporary World’ workshop and its implications of transdisciplinary research for building comparative insights into the uses, meanings and experiences of border and wall constructions in the past and present.
Nature Sustainability , 2022
Early human impacts on the environment can illuminate current sustainability challenges. A new pa... more Early human impacts on the environment can illuminate current sustainability challenges. A new paper argues that 5,500 years ago in North China a positive feedback cycle between two domesticated species sparked ongoing intensification of agriculture production and intervention in nature.
Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 2022
The transition to agriculture and sedentary life are two processes that have shaped the history o... more The transition to agriculture and sedentary life are two processes that have shaped the history of humankind and
catalyzed not only subsistence strategies and dietary habits, but also meaningful transformations of social relations
and cultural formations. However, while questions about where and when the earliest domesticated
plants and animals emerged have received much attention, anthropologically-oriented research on early
sedentary communities is much less developed. In this paper we analyze the abundant archaeological data
excavated at one early Neolithic site – the Chahai site – in Northeast China. The rich data published in the Chahai
site report enables us to address such issues as economic adaptation, internal community organization, the
economic activities and sharing strategies of household members, and mechanisms of community integration.
This analysis suggests that during the formative phases of sedentism and cultivation, households in Northeast
China were relatively independent production and consumption units. Differences in the activities conducted at
the household level suggest incipient processes of specialization, but no evidence of socio-economic stratification
or centralized leadership was identified. At the community level, non-economic activity, such as group rituals
and communal feasting, suggests the development of collective leadership that organized small-scale public
construction and rituals serving as integrative mechanisms.
The Palgrave Macmillan Animal Ethics Series, 2019
Current Anthropology, 2022
The Shimao (石峁) site, located in northeastern Shaanxi Province, is the focus of some of the most ... more The Shimao (石峁) site, located in northeastern Shaanxi Province, is the focus of some of the most exciting work being done in Chinese archaeology today. Since 2012, the site has been included several times in the list of the most important discoveries of Chinese archaeology and was even selected by the first Shanghai Archaeology Forum as one of the top 10 archaeological discoveries in the world. Because of its unique nature and the exemplary work being done by its excavators, Shimao could have formed the basis of a new focus on systematic fieldwork and rigorous model building. Instead, the excavation of Shimao has been subsumed in traditional narratives that have supported linear views of history and thrown focus especially on its relationship to the emergence of dynastic China in the Central Plains. We will argue here, rather, that another approach would be to see the Shimao center as the core of a regional trajectory that is parallel, but not necessarily tied, to the developments in the Central Plains.
Land
The Medieval Wall System of China and Mongolia is one of the longest wall systems in the world, b... more The Medieval Wall System of China and Mongolia is one of the longest wall systems in the world, but its specific chronology, function, and purpose remain ambiguous. Constructed at various points throughout the 10th to 13th centuries CE, this network of walls, forts, and enclosures covers an estimated 4000 km and spans a wide range of ecozones, from the deserts of western China to the steppes of northern Mongolia and the Khingan mountain range. In this article we used historical atlases, topographic maps, and an array of different kinds of data derived from satellite remote sensing, to produce one of the first accurate maps of the Medieval Wall System. Through this large-scale mapping program, we are now able to evaluate previous work that estimates the length of the wall system and different areas of construction. By measuring the structures associated with the wall and the length of the wall itself, we identified at least three different areas of construction along the Medieval Wal...
Land, 2021
The Medieval Wall System of China and Mongolia is one of the longest wall systems in the world, b... more The Medieval Wall System of China and Mongolia is one of the longest wall systems in the world, but its specific chronology, function, and purpose remain ambiguous. Constructed at various points throughout the 10th to 13th centuries CE, this network of walls, forts, and enclosures covers an estimated 4000 km and spans a wide range of ecozones, from the deserts of western China to the steppes of northern Mongolia and the Khingan mountain range. In this article we used historical atlases, topographic maps, and an array of different kinds of data derived from satellite remote sensing, to produce one of the first accurate maps of the Medieval Wall System. Through this large-scale mapping program, we are now able to evaluate previous work that estimates the length of the wall system and different areas of construction. By measuring the structures associated with the wall and the length of the wall itself, we identified at least three different areas of construction along the Medieval Wall System. Future studies may be able to use similar tools to develop more accurate maps of other wall systems throughout Eurasia to further advance the comparative study of ancient wall systems.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2020
This paper outlines a model for the domestication of Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet) in Nort... more This paper outlines a model for the domestication of Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet) in Northern China. Data from 43 archaeological sites indicate a continuous increase in average grain size between 6000 and 3300 bc. After this date there is a divergence, with grain size continuing to increase in some populations, while others show no further size increase. The initial increase in grain size is attributed to selection during domestication, while later divergence after 3300 bc is interpreted as resulting from post-domestication selection. Measurements of grains from two archaeological populations of P. ruderale, showed grains were longer in length by 3300 bc than the earliest grains of P. miliaceum. This suggests this sub-species includes many feral, weedy and/or introgressed forms of P. miliaceum and therefore is probably not entirely representative of the true wild ancestor. It is argued that changes from shattering to non-shattering are contemporary with increasing grain size and the commencement of cultivation. The window of P. miliaceum domestication is therefore likely to lie between 7000 and 3300 bc. However, it is probable that a lengthy period of millet harvesting and small-scale management preceded its domestication.
Quaternary Research
Issues surrounding the difficult task of correlating archaeological and climatic trajectories are... more Issues surrounding the difficult task of correlating archaeological and climatic trajectories are directly impacting the study of
human-environmental interaction in Ancient China. We have chosen to focus on the 4.2 ka BP event due to the widespread
belief in recent Chinese archaeological publications that it brought about the collapse of Neolithic cultures in multiple regions
of China. Following a literature review concerning the many issues surrounding the reconstruction of the 4.2 ka BP event in
East Asia, we present three short case studies from the Lower Yangzi, the Shaanxi loess plateau, and the Central Plains detailing
a number of problems with Chinese archaeological attempts at using climate change as a causal mechanism for sociopolitical
change. We then focus on a common but highly problematic methodology—the growing use of archaeological
data compiled in the Atlas of Chinese Cultural Relics to correlate with climate proxies in order to generate linear, causal models
explaining sociopolitical collapse. We follow with an example from Northeast China, where work from the past three
decades has provided ample data with which to begin answering these questions in a more productive manner, and end
with a set of suggestions for archaeologists and climate scientists going forward
Humanit Soc Sci Commun 7, 22 , 2020
This paper focuses on a hitherto little-known long (or "Great") wall that stretches along 737 km ... more This paper focuses on a hitherto little-known long (or "Great") wall that stretches along 737 km from northern Inner Mongolia in China, through Siberia into northeastern Mongolia. The wall was constructed during the late medieval period (10th to 13th century CE) but is commonly called the "Wall of Chinggis Khan" (or 'Chingisiin Dalan' in Mongolian). It includes, in addition to the long-wall itself, a ditch feature and numerous associated fortifications. By way of an analysis of this impressive construction we seek to better understand the concept of monumentality and in turn shed light on the wall's structure, function and possible reasons for its erection. We pose the interesting question of whether any construction that is very large and labor intensive should be defined as a "monument", and if so, what that definition of monumentality actually entails and whether such a concept is useful as a tool for research. Our discussion is relevant to the theme of this collection of papers in that it addresses the concept of the 'extraordinary' as conceived by archeologists. Following our analysis and discussion, we conclude that although size and expenditure of energy are important attributes of many monuments, monumentality (i.e., expression of the extraordinary) is not a binary "either-or" concept. Rather than ask whether the "Wall of Chinggis Khan" was or was not a monument per se, our analysis reveals aspects in which it was indeed monumental and extraordinary, and others in which it was not extraordinary, but rather an ordinary utilitarian artifact.
Antiquity, 2020
Shelach-Lavi G, Ido Wachtel, Dan Golan, Otgonjargal Batzorig, Amartuvshin Chunag, Ronnie Ellenblu... more Shelach-Lavi G, Ido Wachtel, Dan Golan, Otgonjargal Batzorig, Amartuvshin Chunag, Ronnie Ellenblum, and William Honeychurch, 2020. Long-Wall construction in the Mongolian steppe during the Medieval Period (11th to the 13th centuries CE), Antiquity. 94(375): 724-741. doi:10.15184/aqy.2020.51
Entropy, 2020
The emergence of agriculture and the evolution of sedentary societies are among the most importan... more The emergence of agriculture and the evolution of sedentary societies are among the most important processes in human history. However, although archeologists and social scientists have long been studying these processes, our understanding of them is still limited. This article focuses on the Fuxin area in present-day Liaoning province in Northeast China. A systematic archeological survey we conducted in Fuxin in recent years located sites from five successive stages of the evolution of agricultural sedentary society. We used the principles of Maximal Entropy to study changes in settlement patterns during a long-term local trajectory, from the incipient steps toward a sedentary agricultural way of life to the emergence of complex societies. Based on the detailed data collected in the field, we developed a geo-statistical model based on Maximal Entropy (MaxEnt) that characterizes the locational choices of societies during different periods. This combination of high-resolution information on the location and density of archeological remains, along with a maximal entropy-based statistical model, enabled us to chart the long-term trajectory of the interactions between human societies and their natural environment and to better understand the different stages of the transition to developed sedentary agricultural society.
PlosONE, 2019
The reasons and processes that led hunter-gatherers to transition into a sedentary and agricultur... more The reasons and processes that led hunter-gatherers to transition into a sedentary and agricultural way of life are a fundamental unresolved question of human history. Here we present results of excavations of two single-occupation early Neolithic sites (dated to 7.9 and 7.4 ka) and two high-resolution archaeological surveys in northeast China, which capture the earliest stages of sedentism and millet cultivation in the second oldest center of domestica-tion in the Old World. The transition to sedentism coincided with a significant transition to wetter conditions in north China, at 8.1-7.9 ka. We suggest that these wetter conditions were an empirical precondition that facilitated the complex transitional process to sedentism and eventually millet domestication in north China. Interestingly, sedentism and plant domestication followed different trajectories. The sedentary way of life and cultural norms evolved rapidly, within a few hundred years, we find complex sedentary villages inhabiting the landscape. However, the process of plant domestication, progressed slowly over several millennia. Our earliest evidence for the beginning of the domestication process appear in the context of an already complex sedentary village (late Xinglongwa culture), a half millennia after the onset of cultivation, and even in this phase domesticated plants and animals were rare, suggesting that the transition to domesticated (sensu stricto) plants in affluent areas might have not played a substantial role in the transition to sedentary societies.
Journal of Interdisciplinary History , 2019
In F. Allard, F. Sun Yan, and K. Linduff (eds.). Memory and Agency in Ancient China: Shaping the Life History of Objects. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 28-49., 2019
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Papers by Gideon Shelach-Lavi
the Spring and Autumn periods. He (盉) vessels with drum-shaped bodies, bird-like lids, and human-like legs are among the most unique and artistically innovative artifacts of this period. While these unique artifacts have been found in and near the center of the Western Zhou polity, they are not associated with the rituals of the royal house, but rather with those of other aristocratic lineages. We argue that the artistic style of the vessels was part of the culture developed around the royal Zhou house and in areas close to it, although it is not strictly representative of the royal culture of the Western Zhou, being instead associated with minor lineages. A multi-dimensional analysis of this group of vessels, addressing their geographical distribution, location within their archaeological context, and social associations, combined with an analysis of their decorative scheme and the inscriptions cast inside them, enables us to better understand the sociocultural landscape of this period. Our study suggests that diversity existed not only in remote border areas or among the lower strata of society, but also within the cultural core of the Western Zhou polity and among the highest echelons of the aristocracy. Such processes of diversification are associated with the development of local and regional identities and with the growth of the political independence of aristocratic lineages during the final years of the transition from the Western Zhou to the Spring and Autumn periods.
catalyzed not only subsistence strategies and dietary habits, but also meaningful transformations of social relations
and cultural formations. However, while questions about where and when the earliest domesticated
plants and animals emerged have received much attention, anthropologically-oriented research on early
sedentary communities is much less developed. In this paper we analyze the abundant archaeological data
excavated at one early Neolithic site – the Chahai site – in Northeast China. The rich data published in the Chahai
site report enables us to address such issues as economic adaptation, internal community organization, the
economic activities and sharing strategies of household members, and mechanisms of community integration.
This analysis suggests that during the formative phases of sedentism and cultivation, households in Northeast
China were relatively independent production and consumption units. Differences in the activities conducted at
the household level suggest incipient processes of specialization, but no evidence of socio-economic stratification
or centralized leadership was identified. At the community level, non-economic activity, such as group rituals
and communal feasting, suggests the development of collective leadership that organized small-scale public
construction and rituals serving as integrative mechanisms.
human-environmental interaction in Ancient China. We have chosen to focus on the 4.2 ka BP event due to the widespread
belief in recent Chinese archaeological publications that it brought about the collapse of Neolithic cultures in multiple regions
of China. Following a literature review concerning the many issues surrounding the reconstruction of the 4.2 ka BP event in
East Asia, we present three short case studies from the Lower Yangzi, the Shaanxi loess plateau, and the Central Plains detailing
a number of problems with Chinese archaeological attempts at using climate change as a causal mechanism for sociopolitical
change. We then focus on a common but highly problematic methodology—the growing use of archaeological
data compiled in the Atlas of Chinese Cultural Relics to correlate with climate proxies in order to generate linear, causal models
explaining sociopolitical collapse. We follow with an example from Northeast China, where work from the past three
decades has provided ample data with which to begin answering these questions in a more productive manner, and end
with a set of suggestions for archaeologists and climate scientists going forward
the Spring and Autumn periods. He (盉) vessels with drum-shaped bodies, bird-like lids, and human-like legs are among the most unique and artistically innovative artifacts of this period. While these unique artifacts have been found in and near the center of the Western Zhou polity, they are not associated with the rituals of the royal house, but rather with those of other aristocratic lineages. We argue that the artistic style of the vessels was part of the culture developed around the royal Zhou house and in areas close to it, although it is not strictly representative of the royal culture of the Western Zhou, being instead associated with minor lineages. A multi-dimensional analysis of this group of vessels, addressing their geographical distribution, location within their archaeological context, and social associations, combined with an analysis of their decorative scheme and the inscriptions cast inside them, enables us to better understand the sociocultural landscape of this period. Our study suggests that diversity existed not only in remote border areas or among the lower strata of society, but also within the cultural core of the Western Zhou polity and among the highest echelons of the aristocracy. Such processes of diversification are associated with the development of local and regional identities and with the growth of the political independence of aristocratic lineages during the final years of the transition from the Western Zhou to the Spring and Autumn periods.
catalyzed not only subsistence strategies and dietary habits, but also meaningful transformations of social relations
and cultural formations. However, while questions about where and when the earliest domesticated
plants and animals emerged have received much attention, anthropologically-oriented research on early
sedentary communities is much less developed. In this paper we analyze the abundant archaeological data
excavated at one early Neolithic site – the Chahai site – in Northeast China. The rich data published in the Chahai
site report enables us to address such issues as economic adaptation, internal community organization, the
economic activities and sharing strategies of household members, and mechanisms of community integration.
This analysis suggests that during the formative phases of sedentism and cultivation, households in Northeast
China were relatively independent production and consumption units. Differences in the activities conducted at
the household level suggest incipient processes of specialization, but no evidence of socio-economic stratification
or centralized leadership was identified. At the community level, non-economic activity, such as group rituals
and communal feasting, suggests the development of collective leadership that organized small-scale public
construction and rituals serving as integrative mechanisms.
human-environmental interaction in Ancient China. We have chosen to focus on the 4.2 ka BP event due to the widespread
belief in recent Chinese archaeological publications that it brought about the collapse of Neolithic cultures in multiple regions
of China. Following a literature review concerning the many issues surrounding the reconstruction of the 4.2 ka BP event in
East Asia, we present three short case studies from the Lower Yangzi, the Shaanxi loess plateau, and the Central Plains detailing
a number of problems with Chinese archaeological attempts at using climate change as a causal mechanism for sociopolitical
change. We then focus on a common but highly problematic methodology—the growing use of archaeological
data compiled in the Atlas of Chinese Cultural Relics to correlate with climate proxies in order to generate linear, causal models
explaining sociopolitical collapse. We follow with an example from Northeast China, where work from the past three
decades has provided ample data with which to begin answering these questions in a more productive manner, and end
with a set of suggestions for archaeologists and climate scientists going forward
Ranging from prehistory to the present day, the authors address a wealth of topics including the domestication of animals, dietary practices and sacrifice, hunting, the use of animals in war, and the representation of animals in literature and art. Providing a unique perspective on human interaction with the environment, this volume is cross-disciplinary in its reach, offering enriching insights to the fields of animal ethics, Asian studies, world history and more.
CONTENT
1. Animals and Human Society in Asia: An Overview and Premises
PART I: HUNTING AND DOMESTICATION
2. When Elephants Roamed Asia: The Significance of Proboscideans in Diet, Culture and Cosmology in Paleolithic Asia (by Ran Barkai)
3. Hunting to Herding to Trading to Warfare: A Chronology of Animal Exploitation in the Negev (by Steven A. Rosen)
4. Domestication of the Donkey (Equus asinus) in the Southern Levant: Archaeozoology, Iconography and Economy (by Ianir Milevski and Liora Kolska Horwitz)
PART II: ANIMALS AS FOOD
5. Spilling Blood: Conflict and Culture over Animal Slaughter in Mongol Eurasia (by Timothy May)
6. China’s Dairy Century: Making, Drinking and Dreaming of Milk (by Thomas David DuBois)
7. Tuna as Economic Resource and Symbolic Capital in Japan’s “Imperialism of the Sea” (by Nadin Heé)
PART III: ANIMALS AT WAR
8. Elephants in Mongol History: From Military Obstacles to Symbols of Buddhist Power (by William G. Clarence-Smith)
9. The Mamluk's Best Friend: The Mounts of the Military Elite of Egypt and Eurasian Steppe in the Late Middle-Ages (by Reuven Amitai and Gila Kahila Bar-Gal)
10. A Million Horses: Raising Government Horses in Early Ming China (by Noa Grass)
PART IV: ANIMALS IN CULTURE AND RELIGION
11. From Lion to Tiger: The Changing Buddhist Images of Apex Predators in Trans-Asian Contexts (by Xing Zhang and Huaiyu Chen)
12. The Chinese Cult of the Horse King, Divine Protector of Equines (by Meir Shahar)
13. Animal Signs: Theriomorphic Intercession between Heaven and Imperial Mongolian History (by Brian Baumann)
Contributors
Bibliography
Index
ENDORSEMENT (BACK COVER)
"Animal studies is a vibrant field that renews humanities by breaking many barriers. This intense and beautiful volume exemplifies such breaking and renewing, as it connects Far-eastern and Near-eastern areas and the steppe world in between, and develops an engaged dialogue between archeology, history, religion, visual studies, economics, law, and more."
―Vincent Goossaert, Professor of Daoism and Chinese religions, EPHE, PSL, Paris
"An ambitious volume, as broad, diverse, and interconnected as Asia. A significant interdisciplinary contribution to the history of human-animal relations."
―Aaron Skabelund, Associate Professor of History, Brigham Young University, USA,
author of Empire of Dogs: Canines, Japan, and the Making of the Modern Imperial World
AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/Animals-Human-Society-Asia-Perspectives/dp/3030243621/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=animals+and+human+society+in+asia&link_code=qs&qid=1564222263&s=gateway&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-1
Page Numbers: 412
Publication Date: 2019
Publication Name: London: Palgrave Macmillan
Relics initiated the archaeological project “The Rise of Agriculture and Sedentary Way of Life in
Northeast China.” In 2015, after two seasons of regional survey in the Fuxin area, we conducted
excavations at the site of Tachiyingzi. The aim of the excavations was to better our understanding
of the social and economic life of societies that existed in the Fuxin area during the early stages of
the Neolithic period. In this paper we report the results of the excavations at the Tachiyingzisite. All
together we excavated 51 square meters at eight different localities of this site. The most extensive
excavations were carried out at area I where a well preserved house structure of the Xinglongwa
period was exposed. The excavations of the Tachiyingzisite uncovered a large number of artifacts –
including ceramic vessels, different types of stone tools and ornaments – as well as plant remains. We
used various recovery techniques, such as flotation and residue analysis, to recover data relevant to
our understanding of the economy of this site. This data is highly relevant to our understanding of the
process of transition from mobile hunter-gatherer to sedentary agricultural societies in Northeast China.
this mission, the Council established a scholarship program for international PhD students to study in Israel for the duration of up to one year as part of their doctoral studies – a “PhD Sandwich Program.” Through the program, outstanding international PhD candidates will have the opportunity to further their doctoral research through a unique academic experience in Israel, while collaborating with leading scholars and scientists. The current call for applications is open for candidates who plan to arrive in Israel beginning in Fall 2021.
Humanities, and 3 in Social Sciences.
Gideon Shelach-Lavi (HUJI)
Friday, April 23, 2021 1430 Israeli time (summer!)
Asian Archaeology is an academic peer-reviewed journal published by Springer. We published papers that address any aspects of the archaeological research in Asia. Our geographic definition of Asia is broad, including all regions of Asia: West to East and South to North. To view previously published papers you are invited to visit the Journal website: https://www.springer.com/journal/41826
The Mandel-Scholion Interdisciplinary Research Center in the Humanities
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, department of Asian studies, is calling for applications in modern and current China (20th-21st centuries, area of specialization open; open rank). The position is open to all candidates who have attained a Ph.D. degree or to advanced graduate students who expect to be granted their Ph.D. no later than July 1, 2018.
Job requirements:
Candidates should be specialists in modern and current China (20th-21st centuries). Area of specialization is open, with some preference for candidates whose expertise includes politics, economy, or foreign relations of modern and current China. Responsibilities include the teaching of required and elective courses in the candidate's field(s) of specialization (at B.A. and M.A. degree levels), as well as introductory courses in current Chinese affairs, and supervision of MA and PhD students in these fields. Successful candidates are expected to conduct independent and original research at the highest academic level, demonstrate academic leadership, compete for Israeli and international research grants, and should display an ability to work cooperatively with colleagues in the Faculty of Humanities and the university at large. Where pertinent and in accordance with inter-departmental needs, a joint departmental appointment or teaching sharing arrangement may be considered, combining with one of several departments and cognate areas of study in the Humanities.
The language of instruction at the Hebrew University is Hebrew, but candidates who do not possess a mastery of Hebrew will be given time to reach proficiency in Hebrew during the initial years of their appointment.
Qualified candidates will be invited for a job talk and interview.
For more information, please contact Prof. Nissim Otmazgin [email protected]
More information on the department of Asian Studies can be found at http://en.asia.huji.ac.il
The conference will take place from February 27 to March 2nd, 2017, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Workshops in Haifa, Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem will take place on February 26.
Deadline: March 6, 2017
See http://www.eacenter.huji.ac.il/
Asian Sphere Program. The conference will take place from
26 February to 2 March 2017, at the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Israel.
DEADLINE: March 31, 2020
https://eacenter.huji.ac.il/news/asian-sphere-trans-cultural-flows-program
The conference will take place on May 23-24, 2018 @ Beit Maiersdorf, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus campus.
We welcome you to take part in the largest event of this kind – with over 200 participants from all over the world, and 49 panels covering multiple fields – from China’s beauty industry to Jews in Central Asia, from Esoteric Buddhism to North Korean foreign policy from migration in Southeast Asia to the legacy of the Mongol Empire, from Japanese warrior culture to post-colonial India, contemporary China and much more… See http://asi18-huji.co.il/en/
year 2018-2019. The post-docs are open to scholars in the humanities and social sciences
specializing in East Asia, especially China, Japan, Korea and Mongolia.
Fellowships are granted for one academic year or one term The starting date of the visit should not be later than four years after receipt of the Doctoral Degree; the fellow must hold a valid Doctoral Degree no later than October 2018.
The fellowship consists of a monthly stipend (tax free) of $1,800, paid in Israeli NIS
and linked to the representative rate of exchange. Fellows are entitled to one airline ticket (economy class, up to 1500$) for a direct flight from their hometown to Israel and back.
The fellows are expected to teach one semesterial course at the Hebrew University (for additional payment, according to the Hebrew University regulations). The ability to teach a course in Hebrew is welcome, but is not a prerequisite for attaining the fellowship.
The fellows will also actively participate in the life and activities of the Louis Frieberg Center for East Asian Studies and will present their research at the seminar of the Department of Asian Studies, and possibly at other relevant forums. Any work outside the Hebrew University would be allowed only after specific approval by the Frieberg Center.
Applicants should submit one hard copy and an electronic copy- in one file- of their
application to the address below, no later than March 22, 2018. The application must include:
1. CV
2. Research plan (up to 5 pages)
3. A sample of applicant's publications (if relevant)
4. Two letters of recommendation
The applicant should indicate the names and positions of the recommenders, but the letters of recommendation should be sent by the recommenders directly to the email address below.
Please send materials to:
The Louis Frieberg Center for East Asian Studies
Rm 6300, The Faculty of Humanities
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Mt. Scopus Jerusalem 91905
ISRAEL
email: [email protected]
The 14th Conference of Asian Studies in Israel (ASI18) May 23-24 2018
Deadline: November 6, 2017
We are delighted to announce that the 14th Biennial Conference of Asian Studies in Israel (ASI18) will take place at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mt. Scopus Campus, on Wed-Thu, May 23-24, 2018.
We invite proposals on Asian-related topics (Central, South, East and South-East Asia). Priority will be given to thematic panels, but individual paper submissions are also welcome. The deadline for submitting proposals for either organized panels or individual papers is November 15, 2017.
The proposal should include the title of the panel or the individual paper together with a short abstract (150-200 words), as well as a short CV (1 page max) of the presenter/s. With the exception of roundtables, panel proposals should also include the title and abstract of each paper. Please indicate in your proposal what equipment, if any, will be required for your panel or lecture.
See the dataset at: http://www.cadb.pitt.edu/shelach/index.html
Ranging from prehistory to the present day, the authors address a wealth of topics including the domestication of animals, dietary practices and sacrifice, hunting, the use of animals in war, and the representation of animals in literature and art. Providing a unique perspective on human interaction with the environment, this volume is cross-disciplinary in its reach, offering enriching insights to the fields of animal ethics, Asian studies, world history and more.
CONTENT
1. Animals and Human Society in Asia: An Overview and Premises
PART I: HUNTING AND DOMESTICATION
2. When Elephants Roamed Asia: The Significance of Proboscideans in Diet, Culture and Cosmology in Paleolithic Asia (by Ran Barkai)
3. Hunting to Herding to Trading to Warfare: A Chronology of Animal Exploitation in the Negev (by Steven A. Rosen)
4. Domestication of the Donkey (Equus asinus) in the Southern Levant: Archaeozoology, Iconography and Economy (by Ianir Milevski and Liora Kolska Horwitz)
PART II: ANIMALS AS FOOD
5. Spilling Blood: Conflict and Culture over Animal Slaughter in Mongol Eurasia (by Timothy May)
6. China’s Dairy Century: Making, Drinking and Dreaming of Milk (by Thomas David DuBois)
7. Tuna as Economic Resource and Symbolic Capital in Japan’s “Imperialism of the Sea” (by Nadin Heé)
PART III: ANIMALS AT WAR
8. Elephants in Mongol History: From Military Obstacles to Symbols of Buddhist Power (by William G. Clarence-Smith)
9. The Mamluk's Best Friend: The Mounts of the Military Elite of Egypt and Eurasian Steppe in the Late Middle-Ages (by Reuven Amitai and Gila Kahila Bar-Gal)
10. A Million Horses: Raising Government Horses in Early Ming China (by Noa Grass)
PART IV: ANIMALS IN CULTURE AND RELIGION
11. From Lion to Tiger: The Changing Buddhist Images of Apex Predators in Trans-Asian Contexts (by Xing Zhang and Huaiyu Chen)
12. The Chinese Cult of the Horse King, Divine Protector of Equines (by Meir Shahar)
13. Animal Signs: Theriomorphic Intercession between Heaven and Imperial Mongolian History (by Brian Baumann)
Contributors
Bibliography
Index
ENDORSEMENT (BACK COVER)
"Animal studies is a vibrant field that renews humanities by breaking many barriers. This intense and beautiful volume exemplifies such breaking and renewing, as it connects Far-eastern and Near-eastern areas and the steppe world in between, and develops an engaged dialogue between archeology, history, religion, visual studies, economics, law, and more."
―Vincent Goossaert, Professor of Daoism and Chinese religions, EPHE, PSL, Paris
"An ambitious volume, as broad, diverse, and interconnected as Asia. A significant interdisciplinary contribution to the history of human-animal relations."
―Aaron Skabelund, Associate Professor of History, Brigham Young University, USA,
author of Empire of Dogs: Canines, Japan, and the Making of the Modern Imperial World
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-24363-0#toc
AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/Animals-Human-Society-Asia-Perspectives/dp/3030243621/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=animals+and+human+society+in+asia&link_code=qs&qid=1564222263&s=gateway&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-1
The Asian Sphere Program takes a fresh look at the continent of Asia as a concept and as a reality. It aims at exploring and analyzing the numerous interconnections that have tied its people, cities, and nations. Our fifth conference is devoted to the complex relations between West Asia, also known as the Middle East, and other parts of the continent in the past and present. We are interested in particular in the political, military, economic and cultural aspects of the relations, their determinants, undercurrents, and trajectories, as well as in other external players in the region.
The position is open to all candidates who have attained a Ph.D. degree, and to advanced doctoral students who expect to be granted their Ph.D. no later than June 30, 2023.
Job requirements:
Responsibilities include the teaching of required and elective courses in the candidate’s field(s) of specialization (at the B.A. and M.A. degree levels). Successful candidates are expected to conduct independent and original research at the highest academic level, organize conferences, demonstrate academic leadership, compete for Israeli and international research grants, and should display an ability to work cooperatively with colleagues in the Faculty of Humanities and the university at large. Where pertinent and in accordance with inter-departmental needs, a joint departmental appointment or teaching sharing arrangement may be considered.
The Hebrew University’s primary language of instruction is Hebrew. However, the possibility of teaching one or more advanced courses in English may be entertained. Candidates whose Hebrew proficiency is such that they would not be comfortable teaching in Hebrew will be encouraged to sufficiently master the language during the initial years following their appointment.
Qualified candidates will be invited for a campus visit, which will include a job talk, an interview and meetings with department members.
For further details, please contact the Head of the Department, Prof. Yigal Bronner: [email protected]
Additional information can also be found on the departmental website: https://en.asia.huji.ac.il/?fbclid=IwAR1LOBCJ_9ZnL7j2rGDfTBell3uxHlezhg86lwJlsyxbBJdr9FpKNuAYVvc
The application deadline is February 11, 2022.
For further information about the fellowship requirements and the application process, please see attached call.
For questions and further information please contact [email protected]