二里冈文化时期青铜器的礼器特质--以盘龙城材料为例

The Characteristics of the Bronzes as Ritual Vessels in the Erligang Culture Period:A Case Study of Panlongcheng

古代中国青铜器多是用作礼器并在西周中晚期形成了成熟的器用制度,成为早期国家社会阶层的物化标识。不过,器用制度有一个走向成熟的过程。二里头文化时期,青铜器开始有了规模化生产,贵重的青铜器作为礼器的特质开始显现。二里冈文化晚期,青铜器器物的数量和类别大大增加,说明青铜器的生产有了很大的发展。此时青铜器中觚、爵、斝为形式的组合形成,并以不同套数的组合标识等级高低;同时,青铜器还以体量的大小标识等级的高低;装饰也成为礼器重要程度的标志。总的看来,二里冈文化时期青铜器以组合方式、数量与体量、装饰等形式,来表达礼器的特质。这样的形式,也基本就是西周中晚期器用制度成熟期的方式。这说明二里冈文化晚期,青铜礼器的外在表达形式基本成形,青铜器作为社会最重要礼器的地位已经形成。

Chinese ancient bronzes were mostly used as ritual vessels and the mature bronze-based rituals had come into being after a long process in the mid-to-late Western Zhou dynasty,which became the materialization symbol of the social class of the early nation.During the period of Erlitou Culture,both the scale production of bronzes and the characteristics of precious bronzes as ritual vessels began to emerge.In the late period of Erligang Culture,the number and types of bronzes increased significantly,indicating that the bronze production had got a great development.In this period,gu,jue and jia appeared in the combination form,and different numbers of combination sets represented different ranks.At the same time,the size and weight of the bronzes indicated the grades and the decoration had become a symbol of the importance of ritual vessels.In general,the bronzes in the Erligang Culture period expressed the characteristics of ritual vessels in the forms of combination mode,quantity,size,decoration,etc.These forms are basically similar to those in the maturation stage of the bronze-based rituals in the mid-to-late Western Zhou dynasty.It shows that the external expression mode of bronze ritual vessels in the late Erligang Culture period was basically formed and the bronzes had become the most important ritual vessels in the society.