The Research Of Painted Symbols In Liuwan Site, Qinghai

Symbols, whether be painted on or carved in ceramics found in prehistoric sites, are always the important studying subjects of archaeologist and paleographers. Many of the scholars believe these symbols are the possible origin of Chinese characters. There were different kinds of symbols painted on the lower and bottom parts of painted potteries in Liuwan site, Qinghai province. Some scholars insist that these symbols are the origin of Chinese characters as other findings before, while others think that they are just the marks for helping ancient people to remember things. This thesis classified Liuwan site's symbols into five different types by the method of archaeological typology, and made some contrast and statistics among ceramics, custom of burying, the distribution of tombs, and other information relating to symbols. According to all the study above, we can come to a conclusion that those symbols are marks painted by ceramic makers, painters and kiln workers to make sure which progress were they in when the level of painted pottery making had developed into labor division and co-operation.