{"product_id":"ancient-china-art-and-archaeology","title":"Ancient China, art and archaeology","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"Ancient China: Art and Archaeology\" is a landmark survey text by renowned British art historian and archaeologist Jessica Rawson, first published in 1980. Drawing heavily from the vast collections of the British Museum, the book chronicles the development of early Chinese civilization from prehistoric and Neolithic times through the Han dynasty.\u003cbr\u003eRather than treating ancient artifacts as mere decorative items, Rawson argues that these physical objects serve as vital, tangible records for understanding the religious beliefs, social hierarchies, and political structures of early China.\u003cbr\u003eRawson pioneered an approach that looks at physical objects—rather than surviving texts—to decode the true nature of China's past.\u003cbr\u003e• The Role of Ritual Items: The text details how materials like jade and cast bronze were highly restricted, elite items used primarily for ancestor worship and communicating with spirits, rather than as casual ornaments or jewelry.\u003cbr\u003e• Evolution of Craft: It tracks the technological progression of early Chinese craft, from the painstaking grinding of Neolithic jades to the highly complex piece-mould casting techniques used to create Shang and Zhou dynasty ritual bronzes.\u003cbr\u003eNon-Fiction:  History:  Rawson\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Published for the Trustees of the British Museum by British Museum Publications","offers":[{"title":"Very Good \/ 000120001","offer_id":68164836524183,"sku":"9780714114156-VG-000120001","price":10.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0741\/9002\/8951\/files\/6442383482442.jpg?v=1793088005","url":"https:\/\/thriftreads.co.nz\/products\/ancient-china-art-and-archaeology","provider":"Thrift Reads","version":"1.0","type":"link"}