Banshan

Site of a Neolithic cemetery in the Tao River valley of China, the type site of the Banshan (or Pan-shan) culture which belongs to the western or Gansu branch of the Yangshao Neolithic. Banshan is best known for its painted pottery first found in a grave in 1923. Pan-shan ware is generally considered to date from between 2500-2000 BC, but it may extend as far back as 3000 BC or be as late as c 1500 BC (the Shang dynasty). Most are unglazed pottery urns or reddish brown with painted designs in black and brown, probably applied with a brush, consisting of geometric patterns or stylized figures of people, fish, or birds. The wares probably shaped on a slow or hand-turned wheel. The handles are set low on the body of the urns, and the lower part of the body is left undecorated - much like Greek Proto-Geometric funerary ware. It was an important find because of the lack of Neolithic Chinese pottery up to 1923. A late stage of Banshan is named after the site of Machang.

[Pan-shan], Site of a Neolithic cemetery in the Tao River valley south of Lanzhou in Gansu province, China. It is the type site of the Banshan culture, which belongs to the western or Gansu branch of the Yang-shao Neolithic. Banshan is best known for its pottery urns with painted designs in black and brown, which are well represented in Western museums. Banshan and Majiayao pottery designs have a common starting point in simple running spirals, but in Majiayao these are elaborated to a degree of complexity never seen in Banshan wares. Banshan designs have loose parallels in spiral designs from other parts of the world (most of them well beyond the reach of diffusionist explanations) while Majiayao is isolated and highly distinctive. A few radiocarbon dates for Banshan in the 3rd millennium bc have been taken as evidence that it derives from the earlier Majiayao culture, though the relationship between the two need not be so direct. A late stage of Banshan is named after the site of Machang.

Site of a Neolithic cemetery in the Tao River valley of China, the type site of the Banshan (or Pan-shan) culture which belongs to the western or Gansu branch of the Yangshao Neolithic. Banshan is best known for its painted pottery first found in a grave in 1923. Panshan ware is generally considered to date between 2500 and 2000 bc , but it may extend as far back as 3000 bc or be as late as c. 1500 bc (the Shang dynasty). Most are unglazed pottery urns or reddish brown with painted designs in black and brown, probably applied with a brush, consisting of geometric patterns or stylized figures of people, fish, or birds. The wares were probably shaped on a slow or hand-turned wheel. The handles are set low on the body of the urns, and the lower part of the body is left undecorated - much like Greek Protogeometric funerary ware. It was an important find because of the lack of Neolithic Chinese pottery up to 1923. A late stage of Banshan is named after the site of Machang. [Pan-shan]