Comparative Archaeology Database, University of Pittsburgh
URL: http://www.cadb.pitt.edu
Email: cadb@pitt.edu

Upper Daling Region Settlement Dataset
Christian E. Peterson, Lu Xueming, Robert D. Drennan, and Zhu Da


Ceramic Data from Stratigraphic Tests

The data files CERAMEXC.TXT and CERAMEXC.XLS contain complete data on the ceramics recovered from each excavation unit in the stratigraphic tests, including counts of sherds of all periods. Additional variables recorded for Hongshan and Xiaoheyan sherds include decoration, surface finish, ware (color), paste, and vessel form.

CERAMEXC.TXT is a comma-delimited ASCII text file, which should be easy to import into spreadsheet, database, and statistical programs for manipulation and analysis. CERAMEXC.XLS contains the same data in the form of an Excel spreadsheet which is easier to browse, and can also be imported into many programs. Each line represents one excavation unit. There are 263 lines, each with 74 variables separated by commas. The variables are, in the following order:

1 Test ID. A two-letter designation that identifies each of the 1 by 2 m stratigraphic tests. The first letter is always X or Y.
2 Excavation unit. A two-digit number referring to the individual excavation unit within a stratigraphic text. Generally corresponds to a level approximately 10 cm deep, although where stratigraphy indicated, these were subdivided in various ways. The exact form of each excavation unit is shown on the profiles in the Magnetometry and Stratigraphic Testing section of this dataset. In each test, Unit 01 was always a surface collection made before beginning to excavate. Numbers increase downwards in each test.
3 Key. The Test ID and the Excavation unit number combined into a single string.
4 Stratum. The number corresponding to the cultural stratum identified in the excavation profile after excavation was completed. These stratum numbers appear in the profiles in the Magnetometry and Stratigraphic Testing section of this dataset. These are the meaningful analytic units into which excavation units were combined following excavation. In some cases there is a one-to-one correspondence between an excavation unit and the cultural stratum to which it is assigned. In most instances, multiple excavation units are combined into a single meaningful cultural stratum. Strata are numbered from top (most recent) to bottom (oldest). Stratum numbers in different tests do not correspond, except for Tests XD and XL, which are adjacent. A blank in this column means that the excavation unit was not assigned to any cultural stratum. Excavation Unit 01 (the surface collection prior to excavation) always became Stratum 0.
5 Total number of sherds.
6 Number of Early Neolithic sherds (pre-Hongshan, cf. Xinglongwa, Zhaobaogou).
7 Number of Hongshan sherds.
8 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds.
9 Number of Lower Xiajiadian sherds.
10 Number of Upper Xiajiadian sherds.
11 Number of Zhanguo-Han sherds from vessels.
12 Number of Zhanguo-Han sherds from roof tiles.
13 Number of Liao sherds from vessels.
14 Number of Liao sherds from roof tiles.
15 Number of Recent (post-Liao but pre-20th-century) sherds.
16 Number of Modern (20th-century sherds).
17 Number of unclassified Sherds.

Hongshan Decoration

18 Number of Hongshan sherds with incised horizontal Z motif.
19 Number of Hongshan sherds with incised vertical Z motif.
20 Number of Hongshan sherds with other incised motifs.
21 Number of Hongshan painted sherds..
22 Number of Hongshan sherds with appliqué band.
23 Number of Hongshan sherds with fingernail impressions.
24 Number of Hongshan sherds without decoration.

Hongshan Surface Finish

25 Number of Hongshan sherds with slipped surfaces.
26 Number of Hongshan sherds with burnished surfaces.
27 Number of Hongshan sherds with mat impressions.

Hongshan Ware

28 Number of sherds of Hongshan orange ware.
29 Number of sherds of Hongshan brown ware.
30 Number of sherds of Hongshan gray ware.
31 Number of sherds of Hongshan black ware.
32 Number of sherds of Hongshan yellow-brown ware.
33 Number of sherds of Hongshan other ware.

Hongshan Paste

34 Number of Hongshan coarse-paste sherds.
35 Number of Hongshan fine-paste sherds.

Hongshan Vessel Forms

36 Number of sherds of Hongshan guan vessels.
37 Number of sherds of Hongshan bo vessels.
38 Number of sherds of Hongshan hu vessels.
39 Number of sherds of Hongshan weng vessels.
40 Number of sherds of Hongshan xiekouqi vessels.
41 Number of sherds of Hongshan pen vessels.
42 Number of sherds of Hongshan bei vessels.
43 Number of sherds of Hongshan tongxingqi vessels.
44 Number of sherds of Hongshan other vessels.
45 Number of sherds of Hongshan indeterminate vessels.

Xiaoheyan Decoration

46 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with incised xianwen motif.
47 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with incised X xianwen motif.
48 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with other incised motifs.
49 Number of Xiaoheyan painted sherds.
50 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with appliqué band.
51 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with twisted appliqué band.
52 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with fingernail impressions.
53 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds without decoration.

Xiaoheyan Surface Finish

54 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with slipped surfaces.
55 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with burnished surfaces.
56 Number of Xiaoheyan sherds with mat impressions.

Xiaoheyan Ware

57 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan orange ware.
58 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan brown ware.
59 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan gray ware.
60 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan black ware.
61 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan yellow-brown ware.
62 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan other ware.

Xiaoheyan Paste

63 Number of Xiaoheyan coarse-paste sherds.
64 Number of Xiaoheyan fine-paste sherds.

Xiaoheyan Vessel Forms

65 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan guan vessels.
66 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan bo vessels.
67 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan hu vessels.
68 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan weng vessels.
69 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan pen vessels.
70 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan bei vessels.
71 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan dou vessels.
72 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan zun vessels.
73 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan other vessels.
74 Number of sherds of Xiaoheyan indeterminate vessels.

The first line of the ASCII text file, for example, looks like this:

XA,1,XA01,XA-0,5,0,3,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,3,0,0,0,2,1,0,0,0,0,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

This means that the data belong to stratigraphic test XA, unit 1. Together these two variables combine to make key XA01. The stratum is XA-0. The total number of sherds is 5, which includes 3 Hongshan sherds and 2 Liao vessel sherds. All 3 of the Hongshan sherds are undecorated, 2 are orange ware and 1 is brown ware. All 3 Hongshan sherds are coarse and have indeterminate forms.

The last, or 263rd line of the ASCII text file is:

YA,4,YA04,YA-3,9,0,9,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,9,0,0,0,9,0,0,0,0,0,0,9,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,9,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

This means that the data belong to stratigraphic test YA, unit 4. Together these two variables combine to make key YA04. The stratum is YA-3. The total number of sherds is 9, all of which are Hongshan sherds. All are undecorated, orange ware, have fine paste, and are of indeterminate form.

Click here to download the file CERAMEXC.TXT (37 KB) or the file CERAMEXC.XLS (139 KB).

Return to the Table of Contents