Beyond stylistic typology: Archaeometric reconstruction of diverse pottery traditions and intercommunity interactions at the Lajia site (2300–1900 BCE), Northwest China

The Northwest China during the late third to early second millennium BCE served as a cultural crossroads in the rise of the Bronze Age in ancient China. During this time, many settlements in Northwest China exhibited a diverse range of pottery styles, suggesting possible interactions between different communities. Recent excavations at the Lajia site in the He-Huang Region provide new evidence for examining the technological and stylistic connections between the pottery assemblages of different styles. Integrated macroscopic examination, petrographic analysis, and chemical composition analysis reveal that while pottery vessels of various styles at Lajia predominantly used high-calcium clays, there were significant technological differences in raw material processing, forming, surface treatment, and firing techniques. All Qijia-style pottery, along with some Eastern-style pottery, appear to have been locally produced, while Machang-style pottery was likely produced in areas with similar geological conditions and exchanged over short distances. A small number of Eastern-style and Xichengyi-style pottery vessels were likely introduced through long-distance exchange. Despite their limited quantities, these non-local products provide compelling evidence for long-distance exchange networks extending to the Tao River Basin, the Hexi Corridor and further regions during the late third to early second millennium BCE. This study suggests that the Eastern He-Huang Region during the late Neolithic to the early Bronze Age functioned as a cultural hub, where material traditions and technological knowledge from eastern and western spheres converged.