ABSTRACT
The early state societies of the Indus Valley and China challenge us to understand the sources of authority underlying state formation. The influence of the Chinese Empire across Asia provides an opportunity to consider the relationship between the core areas of state development and their peripheries. According to Chinese historical texts, the Three Dynasties—Xia, Shang, and Zhou— are emerged in northern China during the period between 2000 b.c. and 500 b.c. During the Zhou Dynasty, there was increasing conflict among polities that resulted in the building of large fortifications around many cities. The prevalence of massive keyhole-shaped tombs marks the Kofun period and the onset of state formation in Japan. The spectacular preservation of burials in the desert of the Tarim Basin has brought public attention to the archaeology of central Asia. An archaeological research survey in the area surrounding Angkor Borei has begun to document the broader settlement system connected to this large city of approximately 300 hectares.
