史前时期腰坑葬俗试析

The Examination of the Waist Pit Burial Custom in the Prehistoric Age

20世纪初，历史语言研究所在殷墟及其周边地区的考古发掘中发现了一种丧葬习俗：在一些墓葬的底部有一个小坑，坑内大多殉一只犬，少数有人或者器物。这类小坑多见于墓主腰部，被称为腰坑。新中国成立后，这类葬俗在全国多个遗址被发现，时代有史前、商周、秦汉等诸多时期。其中，以殷墟为代表的晚商时期发现最多，

To date, relatively few prehistoric burials with waist pits have been found, most of which were distributed in southwestern Henan, northwestern Hubei and nearby areas, and some cases were also found in the Northwest and South China. The dates of these burials with waist pits were concentrated between 3000-2000 BC. During this period, the waist pit in the bottom of the grave was mostly only one, which was usually in circular plan; in the area along the valleys of the Yangtze and Han Rivers, the tradition of setting urn burials in the waist pits existed. Different from that of the Shang Dynasty, the presence and absence of the waist pit in the grave seemed to have nothing directly to do with the rank and status of the tomb occupant, and their presence might be related to the foundation- laying ceremonies. The direct origin of the burial custom of setting waist pit in the Shang Culture was not clear yet, and the prehistoric cultures in southwestern Henan and peripheral areas might be its early origins and these areas might have played important roles in the forming process of the Shang Culture.