文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：The earliest writing? Sign use in the seventh millennium BC at Jiahu, Henan Province, China

作者：Li, X; Harbottle, G; Zhang, H; Wnag, C

机构：[1]E China Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Sci Hist & Archaeometry, Shanghai 200237, Peoples R China;[2]SUNY Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11790 USA

年份：2003

卷号：77

期号：295

起止页码：31

外文期刊名：ANTIQUITY

收录：WOS:【A&HCI(收录号:WOS:000182136500005)】；

语种：英文

外文关键词：China; neolithic; burials; writing

摘要：Early Neolithic graves at Jiahu, Henan Province, China, include tortoise shells which are incised with signs--some of which anticipate later Chinese characters and may be intended as words. Is this the earliest writing? The authors decide rather that the signs in this very early period performed as symbols connected with ritual practice, but they presage a long period of sign use which led eventually to a writing system.