Liu Li, Chen Xingcan. State Formation in Early China

Bristol Classical Press, 2003. — 148 p. — (Debates in Archaeology).This important new study makes use of an interdisciplinary approach to challenge traditional theories of state formation in China and promote debate on early Chinese history. Analysing data from archaeology, geology, cultural geography, ethnohistory and ancient texts, the authors show how the procurement of key external resources - especially metal and salt - drove the dynamics of state formation in early China in the period 1800-1400 BC.Li Liu is Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Xingcan Chen is Professor at the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China, and Visiting Professor at Harvard University, USA.