A Study on the Development of Food Vessels from Prehistoric Times to the Qin and Han Dynasties in the Shandong Region

Shandong Province, one of the cradles of Chinese civilization, developed an agricultural culture that established the life concept of "food as the paramount necessity." From the prehistoric Stone Age to the Qin and Han dynasties, the regions cultural evolution was vividly embodied in its food vessels. These artifacts, used across social classes, reveal shifts in economy, technology, and ritual systems. In the prehistoric era, vessels were simple and made from accessible materials, reflecting basic subsistence needs. By the pre-Qin period, with the rise of ritual principles and social hierarchy, food vessels gained symbolic meaning and incorporated metal materials. During the Qin and Han dynasties, national unification and cultural integration standardized and diversified vessel forms, while external exchanges in the Eastern Han further enriched designs. This study traces the evolution of food vessels in Shandong from prehistory to the Qin and Han dynasties by combining archaeological, historical, and modern literature. It finds that the transformation of vessel forms are not only indicators of technological progress but also material representations of socio-economic development and cultural changes. The research conclusions are somewhat limited; the studied timeframe spans from "prehistoric times to the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern dynasties." Key changes in food vessel morphology across various historical stages could be highlighted.