Shandong University's School of History and Culture and the Institute of Cultural Heritage hold a forum on handicraft archaeology from July 8 to 11. [Photo/sdu.edu.cn]

Shandong University's School of History and Culture and the Institute of Cultural Heritage held a forum on handicraft archaeology from July 8 to 11.

This forum focuses on jade and stone handicrafts from prehistory to Shang (c.16th century-11th century B.C.) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 B.C.) dynasties, and will play a positive role in promoting the development and prosperity of China's handicraft archaeology and the archaeology major as a whole, according to Xing Zhanjun, president assistant of SDU.

Fang Hui, director of the School of History and Culture, introduced SDU's archeology program at the forum.

The forum included four academic reports.

Sixteen scholars from Chinese, Japanese and South Korean universities and research institutes made reports during the forums on July 9.

Professor Bai Yunxiang from SDU's School of History and Culture reviewed the evolution of the stone and jade handicraft industry in China from prehistory to Qin (221-206 B.C.) and Han (206 B.C. to 220 A.D.) dynasties.

Scholars from universities and research institutes such as Kumamoto University, the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Korea University discussed the production and circulation of jade used in Kyushu, Japan and in the northeastern region of China during the Jomon period (13,000 B.C. to 400 B.C.), and research on stone tool making in South Korea during the Bronze Age.

In addition, scholars from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (IA CASS), Peking University, Niigata University, Zhejiang University, Fudan University, SDU, National Taiwan University, and Hong Kong Baptist University provided research findings on the archaeology of jade artifacts from prehistory to the Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties, covering types of jade tools, the sources of raw materials, the production technology, tool functions and usage, production processes, and the relationship between the jade industry and the complexity of society and the evolution of civilization.

On July 10, 19 scholars from universities and research institutes such as the IA CASS, Liangzhu Museum, Wuhan University, and Jinan University gave presentations on jade handicrafts from prehistory to Han dynasty.

Scholars discussed the sources of jade materials, the analysis of the craftsmanship and functions of a certain type of artifacts unearthed at a single site, a comprehensive study of a certain type of jade artifact, the investigation and excavation of stone tool production workshops, research on the jade artifact handicraft industry from an economic perspective, and issues such as the role of jade in social development and civilized evolution.

The forum attendees also visited the museum on SDU's Qingdao Campus, and the Joint International Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archeology of SDU.

The forum was held both online and offline, attracting over 60 domestic and overseas experts, scholars, and students.