Ecological Wisdom Study of the Han Dynasty Settlement Site in Sanyangzhuang Based on Landscape Archaeology
This study systematically investigates settlement sites that record living patterns of ancient humans, aiming to reveal the interactive mechanisms of human–environment relationships. The core issues of landscape archeology research are the surface spatial structure, human spatial cognition, and social practice activities. This article takes the Han Dynasty settlement site in Sanyangzhuang, Neihuang County, Anyang City, Henan Province, as a typical case. It comprehensively uses ArcGIS 10.8 spatial analysis and remote sensing image interpretation techniques to construct spatial distribution models of elevation, slope, and aspect in the study area, and analyzes the process of the Yellow River’s ancient course changes. A regional historical geographic information system was constructed by integrating multiple data sources, including archeological excavation reports, excavated artifacts, and historical documents. At the same time, the sequences of temperature and dry–wet index changes in the study area during the Qin and Han dynasties were quantitatively reconstructed, and a climate evolution map for this period was created based on ancient climate proxy indicators. Drawing on three dimensions of settlement morphology, architectural spatial organization, and agricultural technology systems, this paper provides a deep analysis of the site’s spatial cognitive logic and the ecological wisdom it embodies. The results show the following: (1) The Sanyangzhuang Han Dynasty settlement site reflects the efficient utilization strategy and environmental adaptation mechanism of ancient settlements for land resources, presenting typical scattered characteristics. Its formation mechanism is closely related to the evolution of social systems in the Western Han Dynasty. (2) In terms of site selection, settlements consider practicality and ceremony, which can not only meet basic living needs, but also divide internal functional zones based on the meaning implied by the orientation of the constellations. (3) The widespread use of iron farming tools has promoted the innovation of cultivation techniques, and the implementation of the substitution method has formed an ecological regulation system to cope with seasonal climate change while ensuring agricultural yield. The above results comprehensively reflect three types of ecological wisdom: “ecological adaptation wisdom of integrating homestead and farmland”, “spatial cognitive wisdom of analogy, heaven, law, and earth”, and “agricultural technology wisdom adapted to the times”. This study not only deepens our understanding of the cultural value of the Han Dynasty settlement site in Sanyangzhuang, but also provides a new theoretical perspective, an important paradigm reference, and a methodological reference for the study of ancient settlement ecological wisdom.
Authors
- Hangzhe Liu
- Yabing Cao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2338-6350)
- Xiang Wu
- MD Abdul Mueed Choudhury (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0773-6021)
- He Jiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6452-9366)
- Ernesto Marcheggiani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6879-9942)
- Guohang Tian
Institutions
- Marche Polytechnic University (IT)
- Henan University of Technology (CN)
- Henan Provincial Institute of Land and Resources Sciences (CN)
- Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology (CN)
- Henan Agricultural University (CN)
- Bank for International Settlements (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Heritage
- Published
- 2025-11-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8110466
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.11