Geoarchaeological aids in the investigation of early Shang civilization on the floodplain of the lower Yellow River, China

This study deals with the stratigraphic and geomorphic contexts of prehistoric and early historic settlements in the Shangqiu area, an archaeologically important region for investigating the origins of Shang civilization. Geoarchaeological investigation has provided significant insights into the early cultural history of the area by elucidating the impact of landscape evolution on the spatial and temporal pattern of archaeological sites. Various geoarchaeological strategies can be employed to evaluate, interpret and predict prehistoric and early historic sites in the Shangqiu area. This study demonstrates the potential of geoarchaeological study to be dynamically integrated into archaeological investigations by focusing on stratigraphic and landscape contexts as fundamental dimensions of the archaeological record.