The Archaeological Study of the Coastal Region of South China and Ryukyu Islands in the Second Millennium B. C.

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This study focused on the comparison of the dynamics of regional cultures and the aspects of the inter-regional relationships. South China consists of the lower basins of Chang Jiang and Southeast China. The second millennium B. C. is especially focused on. State formation in the ancient China occurred in this period and this event greatly affected its neighbors. The coastal regions of South China were under the formation process of their own distinct cultures.Interactions both through short-distance and long-distance formed the complex network system along the offshore route of Southeast China in the second millennium B. C. The interaction between several regions on this period was comprised of several kinds of movement like technology, goods, people and so on. The issue aroused from the vigorous interaction along the coastal region of Southeast China is whether this network encompassed the Ryukyu Islands or not. Among the many elements composing the regional culture, this study rather analyzed the transition of indigenous elements in each region than pursued the distribution of exotic elements."Discontinuity" is the characteristic of cultural elements in the lower basin of the Chang Jiang, making explicit contrast to the 'continuity" of those in Southeast China in the second millennium B. C. It is noteworthy that regional cultures of the Ryukyu Islands also transformed in the same period. The relationship between the changes in interaction and those of culture continues to be an important issue for the study of the dynamics of regional cultures.