Neolithic culture (1900–1350 BC) of the central plains of northern China.
It was the first state-level society in China, and its remains are taken to be correlates of the Xia dynasty. Remains of palatial buildings, royal tombs, and paved roads have been uncovered, leading to hypotheses that the site represents a Xia capital. The society employed advanced bronze technology. The relationship between Erlitou bronzes and those produced earlier at Qijia in Gansu remains unclear
The Erlitou Culture is a part of the Lung-shan assembly, and is seen by archaeologists as the most likely to represent Xia due to the remarkable amount of social complexity evident at the sites.
Erlitou, itself, a transition (based on ceramic styles) from Erlitou Lungshan to the earliest phase of Shang, Erligang, is present.
If Erlitou is the center of the influential polity mentioned in the Shi Ji, then it should have had substantial influence on the sites surrounding it as well as an impact on societies outside its immediate area.
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