Worked human bones and the rise of urban society in the neolithic Liangzhu culture, East Asia

A significant discovery from the Liangzhu culture, one of East Asia's earliest urban societies (5000–4550 cal BP), reveals that worked human bones—previously thought to symbolize ancestor worship—were instead likely used for practical purposes. The high proportion of unfinished items suggests bones were not rare or ritually significant materials. This challenges conventional interpretations and indicates a shift in social practices tied to urbanization, population growth, and increasing complexity. The study, based on canal and moat deposits at Liangzhu City, proposes that the emergence of such practices may reflect changing interpersonal relationships and cultural views of 'others' and the dead, providing new insights into the rise of urban society in Neolithic China.

Sawada, J., Uzawa, K., Yoneda, M., Hagihara, Y., Itahashi, Y., Gakuhari, T., Kubota, S., Liu, B., Wang, N., Chen, M., Wang, Y., Song, S., Kikuchi, H., Maruyama, M., Okazaki, K., Takamuku, H., Saeki, F., Nara, T., & Nakamura, S. (2025). Worked human bones and the rise of urban society in the neolithic Liangzhu culture, East Asia. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15673-7