Amazing stuff!
"Recent excavations at the Shimao site in Shaanxi, China, have revealed one of the earliest and, so far, largest bone needle workshops ever discovered. The research ... provides valuable insights into craft specialization and early state formation in China during the transition from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age (ca. 2nd millennium BCE). ...
The site, situated at the contact zone between the Loess Plateau agropastoralists and the Mongolian Plateau herder/hunter–gatherers, was excavated between 2016 and 2018, revealing stonewalling, ceremonial structures and a massive stone terrace mound. ...
During the workshop's excavation, more than 18,759 pieces of finished and semi-finished bone were recovered, among them more than 16,137 bone needles. The majority of the bone artifacts had been made using caprine (sheep/goat) bones, specifically metapodia, due to their long, straight nature. These bones were sourced from the remains of ritual sacrifice as well as from general consumption.
According to Dr. Li Min, "I think the massive presence of sheep bones (estimated at 400,000 animals) were produced by the ritual activities and feasting activities (as well as daily consumption) that took place at Shimao as a pilgrimage center." ...
Interestingly, needle production was rather unstandardized, and needles came in a variety of sizes, shapes, and widths. This diverse range of needles meant they were suited for use at different stages of textile production and could be used on different textiles, be they silk or leather. ..."
From the highlights and abstract:
"Highlights
• Prehistoric economy at Shimao.
• Archaeology of craft specialization.
• The chaîne opératoire of bone needle production.
• Transition from Late Neolithic to Bronze Age economy in East Asia.
Abstract
The emergence of Shimao, a proto-urban center at the contact zone between agropastoral communities of the Loess Plateau and herders/hunter-gatherers of Monogolian Plateau, offers critical insights into the economic activities during the transition to the Bronze Age in continental East Asia. Unprecedented in scale in prehistoric China, the bone needle workshop at the central mound was a prelude to the specialized, industrial-scale bone production workshops seen in the Bronze Age cities of Zhengzhou, Anyang, and Zhouyuan during the second and early first millennium BCE. The bone needle production at Huangchengtai probably supplied a sophisticated craft industry for the production of garments using animal hides and textiles."
Image of Shimao Site.
Fig. 2. Map of the Shimao site
Fig. 5. The chaîne opératoire of bone needle production at Shimao
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