AUTHOR=Liu Liang , Liu Fangfang , Zhang Wei , Xu Zhaofeng TITLE=Spatial Distribution and Evolution of Ancient Settlements From the Neolithic to the Bronze Age in Dalian Area, China JOURNAL=Frontiers in Earth Science VOLUME=10 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/earth-science/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.917520 DOI=10.3389/feart.2022.917520 ISSN=2296-6463 ABSTRACT=

The research on the spatial distribution and evolution of ancient settlements from the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age in Dalian area is of great significance for a profound understanding of the prehistoric human-land relationship in Dalian area. The results showed that: ① The number of settlement sites in Dalian area showed an overall upward trend from the Mid-Neolithic to the Bronze Age. Most sites during the three periods studied were to be found 0–50 m above sea level (asl), with a significant increase in the number of sites located >50 m asl during the Bronze Age. In terms of gradient of slope, all settlements were concentrated on coastal plains or in low-altitude, hilly areas on relatively gentle slopes ranging between 0 and 6°. Settlements from each period faced in all directions, and were mainly located in river valleys or low-altitude mountain valleys with low terrains.② The proximity of ancient settlements to river courses during the Mid Holocene evolved, with Mid and Late Neolithic settlements usually distributed in the range beyond 3 km of the river buffer zone; the distribution of Bronze Age sites was relatively uniform, reflecting an increasing demand for water resources; the density of settlements was clustered between the Mid Neolithic and the Bronze Age, Neolithic sites being both the smallest in number and the most concentrated. ③ The spatiotemporal distribution and evolution of settlements in the Dalian area were influenced by the contemporary climate: the Mid Neolithic climate was warm and humid, and settlements were distributed principally on the various islands near present-day Dalian, and especially Guanglu Island; the Late Neolithic climate became increasingly drier and cooler, stimulating cultural advances and a slight increase in the number of ancient settlements, which gradually developed in the areas in and around present-day Dalian; during the cold and dry Bronze Age, the number of settlements across the Dalian region reached their peak, and it is widely distributed in various areas of Dalian. To a certain extent, this reflected a continuous improvement in the ability of the human population to adapt to the natural environment.