考古学如何重建上古史

How Archaeology Reconstructs Ancient History

中国考古学的古史重建主要采取“二重证据法”,用考古材料印证文献记载。考古学文化是用来分辨古代族群和政体的关键概念。就当代历史学和考古学的范式而言,这种将两类证据简单对应的做法已经难以胜任这项任务。考古学文化是整理材料的一种方法,而古史重建需要一套与之有别的方法。这是在社会科学理论指导下的多学科探索,以重建上古时期社会复杂化的过程。这种古史重建不再是编年史学的补充或延伸,而是像年鉴学派所倡导的那种整体史。秘鲁维鲁河谷聚落形态的国家探源,以及埃及统一的考古学探索两项经典案例,为我们提供可借鉴的他山之石。

Reconstruction of ancient history in Chinese archeology has mainly adopted the“Dual Evidence Method”,in which archaeological data have been used to match historical documents.Archaeological Culture has been the key concept employed to identify ancient ethnic groups and polities.In terms of contemporary paradigms shift both in history and archaeology,simply corresponding two types of evidence is no longer adequate for the task.Archaeological Culture has been a method to organize archaeological data,while historical synthesis requires different approaches.It is an interdisciplinary exploration which needs theory and methods to understand the process of social complexity of the past.This historical reconstruction is no longer a supplement or extension of historiography,but rather a holistic history advocated by the Annalist school.The article presents two classic case studies of state formation:settlement pattern analysis in the VirúValley,Peru,and the unification of Egypt.They could provide us with a new perspective to learn from.