Cooking Technology and Regional Identity during the Shang Dynasty

This project explores regional differences during the Shang dynasty (1600-1045BCE) in China by investigating cooking practices and cooking technology. Since cuisine is intimately connected to local culture, researching different approaches to cooking in the archaeological record can help us understand how different regions developed their own culinary traditions and identities even under the same political rulership. I explore this using three sites during the Shang dynasty â two from Northern China, Zhengzhou and Yinxu, and one in the south, Panlongcheng. Panlongcheng was a military outpost in the south for Zhengzhou, which means its settlers were Shang migrants that became exposed to different resources, soils and groups that likely impacted their cooking and cooking technology. This research will not only help develop our understanding of differing Shang dynasty populations, but also our understanding of the complex processes involved in the development of regional identity and local cultures in the ancient past.

Faculty Supervisor:

Zhichun Jing

Student:

Jasmine Sacharuk

Partner:

Discipline:

Anthropology

Sector:

University:

Program:

Globalink