Burial Patterns Research Articles

Distribution and Preservation of Total Organic Carbon and Total Inorganic Carbon in Pipahai Lake over the Past Century

Carbon burial patterns in lakes and their dynamic changes significantly impact terrestrial carbon sink fluxes and global carbon budgets. In this study, multi-indicator analysis of sediment core samples (P1, P2, and P3) from Pipahai Lake was conducted. Integrating the chronological sequences of 210Pb and 137Cs, we identified the historical changes and spatial characteristics of total organic carbon (TOC) and inorganic carbon (TIC) burial in Pipahai Lake since 1884. The results show that the TOC content was higher than that of the TIC. They exhibited an increasing trend with decreasing depth. Linear regression results indicated that the variation of TOC is less directly affected by precipitation (R = 0.39) and temperature (R = 0.58), while temperature may have a greater impact on TOC. From 1884 to 1995, nutrients were not the primary factor influencing changes in TOC. The synchronous variation in TIC and TOC contents reflects a higher contribution of external inputs to carbon burial in the Pipahai Lake basin. After 1996, nutrients may have begun to affect variations in TOC. The TOC primarily originates from distal aeolian transport or autochthonous sources, though human activity has played a role in its evolution. The TIC content is controlled by the TOC content and autochthonous sources. This study will contribute to the understanding of the carbon cycling dynamics and their influencing mechanisms in a high-altitude lake ecosystem.

삼국~통일신라시대 瓦棺墓에 대한 新고찰

Humanity chose ‘a tomb’ as the time after life, that is, a space to face death. In other words, a tomb is a space where people spend longer than life, and among them, a tomb made of tile used as a building material can be called a Tile Coffin Tombs. Until now, tiled coffin tombs have not received much attention in academia, but recent research cases are increasing. Accordingly, after conducting a survey on the current status, the size and longitudinal ratio of the tomb, the location and direction of the major axis, type classification and year, and burial products and burial patterns were examined. Through this, it was confirmed that there are not a few differences betweenthe tiled tombs of Baekje and Silla cultures. In addition, we looked at the case of China, where Tile Coffin Tombs was first created, and the social image of the Wei, jin, Northern and Southern dynasties in which Tile Coffin Tombs appeared in Baekje. As a result, it was confirmed that Baekje, which had a close relationship with the Chinese Southern Dynasties, continued to exchange technologies in various fields of society and received Buddhism and temples, half-down draft kiln, and new roof tile production techniques. In the process, it was confirmed that the tiled coffin tomb that was introduced into Baekje was later transmitted to Silla, and that through re-localization, the tiled coffin tomb of the two cultures came to be established in different forms. The nature of burial in tile-coffin tombs, which were originally mainly used as infant graves in China, must also be understood in conjunction with these changes and need to be interpreted from a broad perspective.

Exploring Burial and Dietary Patterns at the Copper Age Necropolis of Selvicciola (Viterbo, Italy): New Perspectives from 14C and Stable Isotope Data

The Selvicciola necropolis is a large burial site dated to the Copper Age, located on the mid-Tyrrhenian side of Central Italy, in the Fiora river valley. Despite post-depositional disturbances, 32 prehistoric tombs were found, generally in a good state of preservation, with a total number of 119 individuals identified. In the present study, radiocarbon and stable isotope measurements on bone collagen are combined with skeletal data for 71 of these individuals. We aim to investigate possible changes in food practices and burial patterns throughout time. In detail, the results allowed us to define a timeframe for the use of the cemetery of at least 2000 years, with the two most ancient individuals found in tomb 17 and dated to around 3950 cal BC, assigning this a necropolis chronological investigation of the so-called Rinaldone culture. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis confirmed a predominantly agropastoral subsistence strategy for this prehistoric community. Although the plant intake consisted mainly of C3 species, we further discuss the fact that the stable isotope data suggest an increase in the consumption of C4 plants over time. The integration of radiocarbon and isotopic data with the skeletal evidence and material culture provides an interesting insight into the funerary world of this community, highlighting the importance of Selvicciola for the understanding of life in the Mediterranean at the transition between the fourth and the third millennia BC.

Family History in the Iberian Peninsula during Chalcolithic and Bronze Age: An Interpretation through the Genetic Analysis of Plural Burials

Throughout history, it has been observed that human populations have buried the deceased members of their communities following different patterns. During the Copper Age and the Bronze Age—periods on which this study focuses—in the northern sub-plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, we identified different patterns of multiple or collective burial. This work analyzes a total of 58 individuals buried in different multiple or collective graves, to investigate whether the practice of these burials implies a family or biological link between individuals buried together. With this aim, STR markers of nuclear DNA were analyzed, as well as the hypervariable regions I and II of mitochondrial DNA, establishing both close kinship relationships and relationships through maternal lineage. We observed different burial patterns, detecting certain maternal lines preserved in some common burials maintained over time. Close family relationships were observed to a lesser extent, with some occasional exceptions. The results of the analysis formed the basis for a discussion on the concepts of family and community.

Ancient genomes reveal the origin and kinship burial patterns of human remains during the 11th to 13th centuries in northern China

AbstractThe analysis of familial relationships among individuals co‐buried in a shared tomb is crucial for understanding burial practices and the underlying social organization of ancient human society. However, archaeological interpretation of these relationships has traditionally relied on conjecture and circumstantial evidence. The development of next‐generation sequencing technologies makes it possible to obtain genomic data from ancient individuals and thus can further estimate the genetic relatedness among these individuals in an accurate manner. In this study, we obtained the genomes of four individuals excavated from a single tomb in northern China. We found that three out of the four individuals were from a nuclear family, including the parents and their son, while the remaining female individual was genetically unrelated to the others. Our study not only shows that the burial custom was organized based on both biological relatedness and social kinship ties but also suggests the presence of likely female exogamy in ancient China. Finally, we find the genetic profile of these individuals carried a majority ancestry from the sedentary agriculturalists from the Central Plains of China and subtle ancestry that derived a gene pool associated with nomadic pastoralism, implying a long‐standing genetic continuity among ancient populations in northern China, but with genetic and cultural connections with nomadic groups during the 11th to 13th centuries.

Sediment Mineralogy and Geochemistry and Their Implications for the Accumulation of Organic Matter in Gashydrate Bearing Zone of Shenhu, South China Sea

The Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content plays a crucial role in gas hydrate exploration because a higher TOC content signifies a greater potential for buried gas hydrates. The regulatory mechanisms governing organic matter in sediment are intricate and influenced by various predominant factors unique to different regions. Notably, the Shenhu area in the South China Sea stands as a pioneering region for methane hydrate research. Despite its significance, limited research has focused on the burial patterns of TOC, resulting in an insufficient dataset to draw definitive conclusions. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of the burial patterns and controlling factors of TOC within this area remains elusive. This study examines the pore-water characteristics, mineral composition, geochemistry, and sedimentary factors of four distinct sites within the Shenhu region of the South China Sea. The current depths of the Sulfate-Methane Interface (SMI) for sites CL54, CL56, CL57, and CL60 are identified as 28.6, 8.5, 31.9, and 8.1 m below the seafloor (mbsf), respectively. It’s noteworthy that these SMI depths align with locations known to harbor underlying gas hydrates. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses reveal that the primary sediment sources within this region encompass microbial shells (such as foraminifera and diatoms), clay, and terrestrial detritus. In addition, marine productivity exhibits a reverse correlation with TOC content, and both TOC content and Ce/Ce* ratios exhibit synchronous fluctuations with sedimentation rate. Drawing from the sedimentation rate, TOC content, as well as indicators of redox conditions (MoEF, Ce/Ce*, Mo/U) and productivity proxies (Ba/Al, P/Al) within the sampled sites, it becomes apparent that high sedimentation rate coupled with ‘anaerobic’ conditions foster favorable conditions for TOC accumulation. This comprehensive investigation not only provides valuable datasets but also offers insights into the intricate processes governing TOC accumulation.

Population expansion and intensification from a Malthus-Boserup perspective: A multiproxy approach in Central Western Argentina

In Central Western Argentina (CWA), the incorporation of cultigens by hunter-gatherer populations has been much discussed. This paper explores the relationship between population dynamics, subsistence change, and burial patterns driven by the process of land use intensification and increasing reliance on maize. We hypothesize that territorial behavior emerged in the context of population growth and competition for resources with a high probability of failure, as expected in an arid environment. To evaluate this hypothesis, we explore four lines of inquiry in southern Mendoza (CWA): 1) the frequency of radiocarbon dates to estimate population dynamics; 2) the Juvenile Index as a fertility rate proxy; 3) the stable isotopes on human bone (δ13Cco, δ15N, δ13Cca) to reconstruct diet; and 4) burial patterns as an estimate of territorial control. Our results partially support our hypothesis: During an early stage, when maize started to appear in the diet, the population was increasing, and cemeteries emerged along with some signs of violence. The hypothesis is not supported in a second period, when maize consumption and population were highest, but large cemeteries disappeared. In light of this evidence, the effect of maize on human societies was not uniform and irrevocable, and the adoption of maize by human foragers contributed to a new and diverse set of human-environment relationships.

Kumlbúa þáttr, an Eschatological Event: The Traumatic Ontology of Being in Time in Medieval Iceland

<i>Kumlbúa þáttr</i>, an Eschatological Event: The Traumatic Ontology of Being in Time in Medieval Iceland

Historic and Prehistoric Epidemics: An Overview of Sources Available for the Study of Ancient Pathogens.

Since life on earth developed, parasitic microbes have thrived. Increases in host numbers, or the conquest of a new species, provide an opportunity for such a pathogen to enjoy, before host defense systems kick in, a similar upsurge in reproduction. Outbreaks, caused by "endemic" pathogens, and epidemics, caused by "novel" pathogens, have thus been creating chaos and destruction since prehistorical times. To study such (pre)historic epidemics, recent advances in the ancient DNA field, applied to both archeological and historical remains, have helped tremendously to elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of pathogens. These studies have offered new and unexpected insights into the evolution of, for instance, smallpox virus, hepatitis B virus, and the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis. Furthermore, burial patterns and historical publications can help in tracking down ancient pathogens. Another source of information is our genome, where selective sweeps in immune-related genes relate to past pathogen attacks, while multiple viruses have left their genomes behind for us to study. This review will discuss the sources available to investigate (pre)historic diseases, as molecular knowledge of historic and prehistoric pathogens may help us understand the past and the present, and prepare us for future epidemics.

Health effects of European colonization: An investigation of skeletal remains from 19th to early 20th century migrant settlers in South Australia.

The British colony of South Australia, established in 1836, offered a fresh start to migrants hoping for a better life. A cohort of settlers buried in a section of St Mary’s Anglican Church Cemetery (1847–1927) allocated for government funded burials was investigated to determine their health, with a focus on skeletal manifestations associated with metabolic deficiencies. Findings of St Mary’s sample were compared with those published for contemporary skeletal samples from two British cemeteries, St Martin’s, Birmingham, and St Peter’s, Wolverhampton, to explore similarities and differences. To investigate the changing economic background of the St Mary’s cohort, which may have influenced the location of their burial within the cemetery, the number and demographic profile of government funded burials and those in privately funded leased plots were compared. The study sample consisted of the skeletal remains of 65 individuals (20 adults, 45 subadults) from St Mary’s Cemetery ‘free ground’ section. The bones and teeth of individuals in this cohort showed evidence of pathological manifestations, including areas of abnormal porosity in bone cortices in 9 adults and 12 subadults and flaring of metaphyses (one subadult) and costochondral junctions of the ribs (one subadult). Porous lesions of orbital roof bones (Types 3 to 4) were seen on three subadults. Macroscopic examination of teeth identified enamel hypoplastic defects and micro-CT scans showed areas of interglobular dentine. Comparison of St Mary’s findings with the British samples revealed that prevalences of manifestations associated with vitamin C deficiency were higher at St Mary’s and manifestations associated with vitamin D deficiency were lower respectively. The location of burial pattern at St Mary’s Cemetery, from the mid-1840s to1860s, showed differences in the economic status of migrants. This pattern changed from the 1870s, which reflected improvements in the local economy and the economic recovery of the colony.

Effect of Diagenetic Evolution and Hydrocarbon Charging on the Reservoir-Forming Process of the Jurassic Tight Sandstone in the Southern Junggar Basin, NW China

Deeply buried sandstones in the Jurassic, Toutunhe Formation, are a crucial exploration target in the Junggar Basin, NW China, whereas, reservoir-forming process of sandstones in the Toutunhe Formation remain unknown. Focused on the tight sandstone of the Toutunhe Formation, the impacts of diagenesis and hydrocarbon charging on sandstone reservoir-forming process were clarified based on the comprehensive analysis of sedimentary characteristics, petrography, petrophysical characteristics, and fluid inclusion analysis. Three diagenetic facies developed in the Toutunhe sandstone reservoirs, including carbonate cemented facies (CCF), matrix-caused tightly compacted facies (MTCF), and weakly diagenetic reformed facies (WDF). Except the WDF, the CCF and the MTCF entered the tight state in 18 Ma and 9 Ma, respectively. There was only one hydrocarbon emplacing event in sandstone reservoir of the Toutunhe Formation, charging in 13 Ma to 8 Ma. Meanwhile, the source rock started to expel hydrocarbons and buoyancy drove the hydrocarbon via the Aika fault belt to migrate into sandstone reservoirs in the Toutunhe Formation. During the end of the Neogene, the paleo-oil reservoir in the Toutunhe Formation was destructed and hydrocarbons migrated to the sandstone reservoirs in the Ziniquanzi Formation; some paleo-oil reservoirs survived in the WDF. The burial pattern and change of reservoir wettability were major controlling factors of the sandstone reservoir-forming process. The buried pattern of the Toutunhe Formation in the western section of the southern Junggar Basin was “slow and shallow burial at early stage and rapid and deep burial at late stage”. Hence, pore capillary pressure was extremely low due to limited diagenetic reformation (average pore capillary pressures were 0.26 MPa). At the same time, high content of chlorite coating increased the lipophilicity of reservoirs. Therefore, hydrocarbons preferably charged into the WDF with low matrix content (average 4.09%), high content of detrital quartz (average 28.75%), high content of chlorite films (average 2.2%), and lower pore capillary pressures (average 0.03 MPa). The above conditions were favorable for oil and gas enrichment.

Spatial variation of organic carbon sequestration in large lakes and implications for carbon stock quantification

Lakes are recognized as critical zones for carbon transformation and storage, and lacustrine sediments sequestrate considerable amounts of organic carbon (OC). Understanding sedimentation processes and OC burial patterns is crucial to clarifying lakes’ role in global carbon cycling. However, OC sedimentation may be quite spatially heterogeneous within an aquatic system, owing to the differences in OC production and sources, hydrodynamic conditions and underwater topography. The uncertainties in estimating OC sequestration in the world’s large lakes remain poorly constrained. This study takes the test case of two large lakes (50 and 249 km2) with different water depth and trophic status, using a multi-core paleolimnological technique, to identify the spatial variation in OC accumulation and its main influencing factors over the past century. Results of multi-core comparisons revealed similar temporal trends in major organic and nutrient parameters, suggesting coherent processes of whole-lake sedimentary environment changes for each lake. The OC preserved in sediments was primarily of autochthonous origin. However, OC standing stocks varied ∼3-fold spatially, and average OC accumulation rates ranged between 9.5–27.4 g m−2 yr−1 (post–1963 in oligo-mesotrophic deep-lake Lugu) and between 17.4–43.5 g m−2 yr−1 (post–1980 in eutrophic shallow-lake Erhai), respectively. These variations were primarily attributable to the spatial differences in aquatic primary production and terrestrial detritus supply relating to anthropogenic land-use change and phosphorus loading, rather than intra-lake sediment focusing-related transport and redistribution. The single central-core approach from Lugu Lake would overestimate whole-lake OC stock by 32% or underestimate the value by 48%, indicating spatial variability is an important source of uncertainty for OC stock quantification in similar large and/or morphometrically complex waterbodies. Therefore, spatial heterogeneity of OC accumulation in inland waters requires considerable research with well-placed multi-cores to provide a deeper understanding of carbon sequestration patterns and mechanisms.

A study on The Iron Plate Burial Patterns of the Wooden Chamber Tomb with Stone Mound of Silla dynasty

A study on The Iron Plate Burial Patterns of the Wooden Chamber Tomb with Stone Mound of Silla dynasty

Ancient genomes reveal structural shifts after the arrival of Steppe-related ancestry in the Italian Peninsula

Across Europe, the genetics of the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition is increasingly characterized in terms of an influx of Steppe-related ancestry. The effect of this major shift on the genetic structure of populations in the Italian Peninsula remains underexplored. Here, genome-wide shotgun data for 22 individuals from commingled cave and single burials in Northeastern and Central Italy dated between 3200 and 1500 BCE provide the first genomic characterization of Bronze Age individuals (n= 8; 0.001-1.2× coverage) from the central Italian Peninsula, filling a gap in the literature between 1950 and 1500 BCE. Our study confirms a diversity of ancestry components during the Chalcolithic and the arrival of Steppe-related ancestry in the central Italian Peninsula as early as 1600 BCE, with this ancestry component increasing through time. We detect close patrilineal kinship in the burial patterns of Chalcolithic commingled cave burials and a shift away from this in the Bronze Age (2200-900 BCE) along with lowered runs of homozygosity, which may reflect larger changes in population structure. Finally, we find no evidence that the arrival of Steppe-related ancestry in Central Italy directly led to changes in frequency of 115 phenotypes present in the dataset, rather that the post-Roman Imperial period had a stronger influence, particularly on the frequency of variants associated with protection against Hansen's disease (leprosy). Our study provides a closer look at local dynamics of demography and phenotypic shifts as they occurred as part of a broader phenomenon of widespread admixture during the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age transition.

Global Ocean Sediment Composition and Burial Flux in the Deep Sea

AbstractQuantitative knowledge about the burial of sedimentary components at the seafloor has wide‐ranging implications in ocean science, from global climate to continental weathering. The use of 230Th‐normalized fluxes reduces uncertainties that many prior studies faced by accounting for the effects of sediment redistribution by bottom currents and minimizing the impact of age model uncertainty. Here we employ a recently compiled global data set of 230Th‐normalized fluxes with an updated database of seafloor surface sediment composition to derive atlases of the deep‐sea burial flux of calcium carbonate, biogenic opal, total organic carbon (TOC), nonbiogenic material, iron, mercury, and excess barium (Baxs). The spatial patterns of major component burial are mainly consistent with prior work, but the new quantitative estimates allow evaluations of deep‐sea budgets. Our integrated deep‐sea burial fluxes are 136 Tg C/yr CaCO3, 153 Tg Si/yr opal, 20Tg C/yr TOC, 220 Mg Hg/yr, and 2.6 Tg Baxs/yr. This opal flux is roughly a factor of 2 increase over previous estimates, with important implications for the global Si cycle. Sedimentary Fe fluxes reflect a mixture of sources including lithogenic material, hydrothermal inputs and authigenic phases. The fluxes of some commonly used paleo‐productivity proxies (TOC, biogenic opal, and Baxs) are not well‐correlated geographically with satellite‐based productivity estimates. Our new compilation of sedimentary fluxes provides detailed regional and global information, which will help refine the understanding of sediment preservation.

Female with Ankylosing Spondylitis from the 7th–6th century BCE Lori Berd burial (Armenia)

A female skeleton from the Lori Berd archaeological cemetery, located near the city of Stepanavan (Lori Province of Armenia) is described. Palaeopathological analysis revealed a variety pathology (ankylosis of the sacroiliac joints, ankylosis of the vertebrae, syndesmophytes, ankylosed of the costovertebral and costotransverse joint fusions, kyphosis, lordosis, fracture of the anterior inferior iliac spine and traumatic lesions). This paper reports a new case of ankylosing spondylitis in a skeleton and a differential diagnosis performed to determine the etiology of the condition. The vertebral bodies remodel and together with the associated syndesmophytes form a continuous, smooth bone surface that is sometimes referred to as “bamboo spine”. In this skeleton changes in the spine, ribs, the sacrum, acetabulum, head of the femur and greater trochanter, as well as the anterior inferior iliac spine are typical of ankylosing spondylitis in advanced stage. Addtionally, there were signs of a traumatic death with injuries sustained to the scapula and vertebra. Using osteological markers in combination with the reconstruction of the archaeological context, the burial pattern suggests that the pathology the female suffered was likely due to her physical deficiencies.

Quaternary landscape evolution in a tectonically active rift basin (paleo-lake Mweru, south-central Africa)

Located between the Northern Province of Zambia and the southeastern Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lakes Mweru and Mweru Wantipa are part of the southwest extension of the East African Rift System (EARS). Fault analysis reveals that, since the Miocene, movements along the active Mweru-Mweru Wantipa Fault System (MMFS) have been largely responsible for the reorganization of the landscape and the drainage patterns across the western branch of the EARS. To investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of fluvial-lacustrine landscape development, we determined in-situ cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. A total of twenty-six quartzitic bedrock samples were collected from knickpoints across the Mporokoso Plateau (south of Lake Mweru) and the eastern part of the Kundelungu Plateau (north of Lake Mweru). Samples from the Mporokoso Plateau and close to the MMFS provide evidence of temporary burial. By contrast, surfaces located far from the MMFS appear to have remained uncovered since their initial exposure as they show consistent 10Be and 26Al exposure ages ranging up to ~830 ka. Reconciliation of the observed burial patterns with morphotectonic and stratigraphic analysis reveals the existence of an extensive paleo-lake during the Pleistocene. Through hypsometric analyses of the dated knickpoints, the potential maximum water level of the paleo-lake is constrained to ~1200 m asl. High denudation rates (up to ~40 mm ka−1) along the eastern Kundelungu Plateau suggest that footwall uplift, resulting from normal faulting, caused rapid river incision, thereby controlling paleo-lake drainage. The complex exposure histories recorded by 10Be and 26Al may be explained because of lake water-level fluctuations caused by active normal faulting along the MMFS coupled with intense climate variations across southeastern Africa.

Material Culture and Social Practice: Archaeology and History in Understanding Europe’s ‘Celtic Fringe’

In recent years there has been a rapprochement between history and archaeology in Britain and Ireland. Two formerly quite distinct disciplines have learned to appreciate how documents and artefacts together can enrich our understanding of everyday life. Always important to understandings of classical, Dark Age, and medieval society, archaeology has also opened up new horizons for appreciating domestic and industrial buildings, burial patterns, urban morphology, land use and environment, and the consumption of both food and objects in the early modern period. I look at some recent research that has enhanced our knowledge of local, regional, national and transnational identities in a sometimes poorly understood ‘fringe’ area of Europe.

Boncolás nyomai egy XVIII. századi gyermek mumifikálódott testén

In 1994–1995, in the Church of the Whites, the corpses of 265 individuals dressed in funeral clothes, mummified to varying degrees, were unearthed from coffins excavated by the ethnographic museologists of the Ignác Tragor Museum, Vác (Hungary). The individuals were preserved by spontaneous mummification due to the crypt’s unique microclimate and burial pattern.&#x0D; Signs of an autopsy were found on the body of a 10-year old girl, Maria Theresa of Swartz, who died on the 26th January 1784.&#x0D; Two incisions were seen on her body: the longitudinal incision extends from the manubrium sterni to the symphysis, the second one is perpendicular to it, and connects the two hip paddles. The wound edges were later sutured, and the suture was partially retained. Since there was no sign of any other opening in the body, the autopsy was apparently aimed at finding out the cause of death and was limited to the area of the suspected disease. Rapid miliary tuberculosis and extrapulmonary bone tuberculosis must have contributed to the child's death; this was demonstrated by radiological examinations and confirmed by paleomicrobiological examination (residues of Mycobacterium tuberculosis detected in pulmonary and extrapulmonary samples as well). Another hypothesis is that appendicitis might have caused the death of a child with advanced tuberculosis. In the case of appendicitis, the intestinal function may stop. Suspected abdominal complaints may also have been caused by extrapulmonary gastrointestinal tuberculosis.

Settlement Relocation, Urban Construction, and Social Transformation in China’s Central Plain, 2300–1500 b.c

Settlement relocation occurred repeatedly throughout global human history, often resulting in significant sociopolitical and economic changes. Historical records document the use of settlement relocation as a strategy for social engineering in China no later than the late Shang dynasty (1250–1046 b.c.). We employ placemaking theory to examine social changes associated with population movements to Taosi (2300–1900 b.c.) and Erlitou (1750–1520 b.c.) and the processes of urban construction concomitant to the movements at each site. Furthermore, we employ structuration theory to interpret the process of political knowledge building as concerns settlement relocation and social engineering. Based on our assessment of settlement histories, divisions of space, burial patterns, and community formation, we conclude that the use of settlement relocation as political strategy was formulated during the Taosi and Erlitou eras, and that it was intentionally implemented for political reform by Phase II of Erlitou.