Production and Social Meaning of Wheel-Thrown Vessels during the Late Longshan Period in the Wei River Valley (Northern China): A Study of the Kangjia Site

ABSTRACT: Organizational and technological transformations characterized Late Neolithic China within and beyond the Central Plains region. Evidence of the adoption of new ceramics technologies such as the fast wheel provides insight into social dynamics during the Late Longshan period in the Wei River Valley. A case study of the Kangjia site indicates the limited application of the wheel-throwing technique for manufacturing local styles of pottery. This suggests that potters elected to integrate the new technology within pre-existing local production practices. Cultural preferences for a local style, a stable learning framework for transmitting potting knowledge, and modest ceramic needs would have restricted large-scale production of wheel-thrown vessels. A similar technological style of fast wheel production in nearby settlements indicates the presence of a shared community of practice, especially in the eastern Wei River Valley. This network was likely part of a broader system of long-distance regional connections with communities in the Central Plains. Keywords: ceramics, wheel-throwing technique, local production practices, social networks, Late Longshan, Keshengzhuang Culture, Wei River Valley.