Analysis of the potteries from ancient Liangzhu city-site

The excavation of ancient Liangzhu city-site (5000 B.P.) gave a new perspective on the study of Liangzhu culture and provided important evidence for the origin of Chinese civilization. In this work, the compositions and structures of pottery samples from Liangzhu city-site were analyzed by EDXRF, XRD, EPMA and Raman spectroscopy methods. Tremolite particles were proved to be an admixture for pottery for the first time. Most of the jades of Liangzhu culture were tremolite jades, so there might exist a connection between pottery production and jade making in Liangzhu times. The carburization craft made “black skin pottery” look black. High phosphorus content in pottery body implied that plant ash might have been added into body materials. In addition, the relationship between Liangzhu culture and other cultures was also discussed based on the similarity in pottery making technologies.