Transition from Foraging to Farming in Northeast China

This book aims to demonstrate that based on a practicable method of tool complex analysis and using as a framework the model of transition from foraging to farming such as 'the availability model' can be tested with common archaeological data. Through case studies in northeast China, this book has made a contribution to this aim and has provided a useful method to study prehistoric economy relying on archaeological discoveries. The theoretical approach used here suggests that the economic style chosen by prehistoric societies is retrievable from the archaeological record without direct reference of faunal and floral data. This makes this method particularly useful for regions and periods where no faunal and floral information exist. This study shows the potential significance of the use of common archaeological data without directly using highly technological equipment and a large amount of scientific analysis. This makes this method particularly valuable for research in most archaeological records in China and elsewhere when there are few modern technologies, methodologies and research conditions available.