Yangshao culture
| Geographical range | Middle reaches of Yellow River | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Neolithic | ||||||
| Dates | c. 5000 – c. 3000 BC | ||||||
| Major sites | Shuanghuaishu, Banpo, Jiangzhai | ||||||
| Preceded by | Peiligang culture, Baijia culture, Dadiwan culture, Cishan culture | ||||||
| Followed by | Majiayao (3300–2000 BC) Longshan culture (3000-1900 BC) Shimao culture (2300-1800 BE) | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Chinese | 仰韶文化 | ||||||
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The Yangshao culture (Chinese: 仰韶文化; pinyin: Yǎngsháo wénhuà) was a Neolithic culture that existed extensively along the middle reaches of the Yellow River in China from around 5000 BC to 3000 BC. The Yangshao culture saw social and technological development in the region, with advancements in agriculture, architecture, and crafts.
The culture is named after the Yangshao site, the first excavated site of this culture, which was discovered in 1921 in the town of Yangshao in western Henan by the Swedish geologist Johan Gunnar Andersson (1874–1960). The culture flourished mainly in Henan, as well as the neighboring provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi.
Recent research indicates a common origin and spread of the Sino-Tibetan languages with the Cishan, Yangshao and/or Majiayao cultures.