China’s deep history and interconnected physical geography provide unique opportunities for insights into humans and societies in the past and future. Recent archaeological and paleoenvironmental research has provided important and abundant data linking environmental and cultural changes in ancient China. Nevertheless, the relationships between humans and the environment are complex and multidimensional, rather than a simple correlation and causation depiction. This still remains as much a theoretical task as a methodological one. By bringing together the recent work on a wide range of topics and approaches, including climate change, subsistence activity, landscape, and various forms of technological practices, this session expects to provide a more nuanced understanding of human-environment dynamics in ancient China.

Yahui He, a current member of the Archaeological Science Lab, and Dr. Jiajing Wang, an alumna, organized a panel session at the 87th Society of American Archaeology Annual Meeting on the topic of human and environment interactions in Ancient China. Members of the ASL Dr. Matthew Chastain, Yahui He, Jingbo Li, Yuyang Wang, alumni Dr. Jiajing Wang, and Ran Chen presented in this session. Dr. Kacey Grauer, alumni Dr. Andrew Womack, and Dr. Maureece Levin presented in other sessions.