Acta Anthropologica Sinica >

2022 , Vol. 41 >Issue 05: 826 - 836

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2022.0005

Research Articles

A suspected case of the Yue penalty in the Western Zhou period

  • Nan LI ,
  • Chengwei LI ,
  • Jianing HE
Expand
  • 1. National Centre for Archaeology, Beijing 100013
    2. School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, Beijing 100871
    3. Center for the Study of Chinese Archaeology, Peking University, Beijing 100871
    4. Division of Medical and Biological Metrology, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029

Received date: 2021-01-11

  Revised date: 2021-07-22

  Online published: 2022-10-13

Fold

Abstract

Yue penalty, in other words, foot amputation, is one of the five corporal punishments in the judicial system during the pre-Qin period. Previous studies mainly focused on historical documents and bronze vessels related to the Yue penalty, lacking paleopathological observation and diagnosis of human remains. In this paper, we conducted a multidisciplinary analysis of the tomb M24, which was excavated from the Qijia East cemetery at the Zhouyuan site. The tomb owner is a female aged 30-35, whose right foot is lost due to the punitive amputation. Her right distal areas of tibia and fibula are fractured and fusion together. Therefore, the right lower leg is 5 cm shorter. According to the written records and archaeological finds, the speculated tools used for the Yue penalty are bronze knives, saws, drills as well as stones. The mortality of the Yue penalty at that time is extremely high. Survivors have to walk with a stick and to serve as a gatekeeper. Their lives are miserable because of low social status, poor nutrition, and discrimination from others. This is the first well-studied foot amputation case in ancient China, providing valuable materials to look into the penalty system, medical conditions, and social customs in the Western Zhou dynasty.

Key words： Yue penalty; Western Zhou period; Zhouyuan Site; Bioarchaeology

Cite this article

Nan LI , Chengwei LI , Jianing HE . A suspected case of the Yue penalty in the Western Zhou period[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2022 , 41(05) : 826 -836 . DOI: 10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2022.0005

References

[1] [清]孙诒让. 周礼正义[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 1987, 2835-2836
[2] [清]孙诒让. 周礼正义[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 1987, 2880
[3] [清]王先慎. 韩非子集解[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 2003, 95
[4] 杨伯峻. 春秋左传注[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 2009, 1236
[5] 胡厚宣. 殷代的刖刑[J]. 考古, 1973(2): 108-117
[6] 陈安利. 考古资料所反映的商周刖刑[J]. 文博, 1985(6): 17-21
[7] 周原考古队. 1999年度周原遗址I A1区及IV A1区发掘简报[A]. 见:北京大学震旦古代文明研究中心,北京大学中国考古学研究中心.古代文明(2) [Z]. 北京: 文物出版社, 2003: 491-538
[8] 邵象清. 人体测量手册[M]. 上海: 上海辞书出版社, 1985, 39-56
[9] Buikstra JE. Biocultural dimensions of archaeological study:A regional perspective[A]. In: Blakely RL (Eds.). Biocultural Adaptation in Prehistoric America[M]. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1977, 67-84
[10] Larsen CS. Bioarchaeology: Interpreting Behavior from the Human Skeleton[M]. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015
[11] 胥少汀, 葛宝丰, 徐印坎. 实用骨科学(第4版)[M]. 北京: 人民军医出版社, 2012, 1046-1047
[12] 张英泽. 临床创伤骨科流行病学(第1版)[M]. 北京: 人民卫生出版社, 2009, 224-227
[13] Marsh JL, Slongo TF, Agel J, et al. Fracture and Dislocation Classification Compendium - 2007: Orthopaedic Trauma Association Classification, Database and Outcomes Committee[J]. Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma, 2007, 21(S10): 1-133
[14] 张英泽. 临床创伤骨科流行病学(第1版)[M]. 北京: 人民卫生出版社, 2009, 252
[15] Roberts C, Manchester K. The Archaeology of Disease[M]. New York: Cornell University Press, 2015, 123
[16] 陈世贤. 法医骨学[M]. 北京: 群众出版社, 1980, 106-109
[17] Goodman AH, Thomas RB, Swedlund AC, et al. Biocultural perspectives on stress in prehistoric, historical, and contemporary population research[J]. American journal of physical anthropology, 1988, 31(S9): 169-202
[18] Walker PL, Bathurst RR, Richman R, et al. The causes of porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia: A reappraisal of the iron-deficiency-anemia hypothesis[J]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2009, 139(2): 109-125
[19] Stuart Macadam P. Porotic hyperostosis: A new perspective[J]. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 1992, 87(1): 39-47
[20] Goodman AH, Rose JC. Dental enamel hypoplasias as indicators of nutritional status[A]. In: Kelley MA, Larsen CS (Eds.). Advances in Dental Anthropology[C]. New York: Wiley-Liss, 1991, 279-293
[21] 李楠. 周原西周人口研究[D]. 北京: 北京大学, 2020, 18
[22] 马赛. 聚落与社会——商周时期周原遗址的考古学研究[D]. 北京: 北京大学, 2009, 88-93
[23] 种建荣. 周原遗址姚家墓地结构分析[J]. 华夏考古, 2018(5): 83-90
[24] 雷兴山, 种建荣. 周原遗址商周时期聚落新识[A]. 见:湖北省博物馆(编).大宗维翰——周原青铜器特展[Z]. 北京: 文物出版社, 2014, 18-26
[25] 袁浩, 于光华. 骨伤科手术学(第2版)[M]. 北京: 人民卫生出版社, 2000, 137-138
[26] 王亦璁. 骨与关节损伤(第4版)[M]. 北京: 人民卫生出版社, 2007, 457-458
[27] Leidig-Bruckener G, Ziegler R. Diabetes mellitus a risk for osteoporosis?[J]. Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes, 2001, 109(S2): S493-514
[28] Kiss C, Szilagyi M, Paksy A, et al. Risk factors for diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis: A case-control study[J]. Rheumatology, 2002, 41(1): 27-30
[29] 卡内尔, 贝蒂. 坎贝尔骨科手术学(第12版)[M]. 北京: 人民军医出版社, 2013, 552
[30] Andersen JG, Manchester K. The rhinomaxillary syndrome in leprosy: A clinical, radiological and palaeopathological study[J]. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 1992(2): 121-129
[31] 罗伯茨, 曼彻斯特. 疾病考古学[M]. 济南: 山东画报出版社, 2010, 210-217
[32] Ortner DJ. Identification of Pathological Conditions in Human Skeletal Remians[M]. San Diego: Academic Press, 2003, 524-525
[33] 张洲. 周原环境与文化[M]. 西安: 三秦出版社, 2007, 32-34
[34] [ 清张志聪. 黄帝内经灵枢集注[M]. 北京: 中医古籍出版社, 2012, 547
[35] 马萧林. 近十年中国骨器研究综述[J]. 中原文物, 2018(2): 51-56
[36] 马季凡. 商代中期的人祭制度研究——以郑州小双桥商代遗址的人祭遗存为例[J]. 中原文物, 2004(3): 37-44
[37] 河北省文物研究所. 藁城台西商代遗址[M]. 北京: 文物出版社, 1985, 104
[38] 中国社会科学院考古研究所. 殷墟的发现与研究[M]. 北京: 方志出版社, 2007, 104-113
[39] 刘绪. 谈一个与早期文明相关的问题[J]. 中国历史文物, 2009(4): 4-6
[40] [清]孙希旦. 礼记集解[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 1989, 81-82
[41] 陕西周原考古队. 陕西岐山贺家村西周墓发掘简报[A]. 见:文物编辑委员会(编).文物资料丛刊(8)[Z]. 北京: 文物出版社, 1983: 77-94
[42] 徐昭峰. 刖刑相关问题探析[J]. 中国国家博物馆馆刊, 2012(1): 60-66
[43] Mavroforou A, Malizos K, Karachalios T, et al. Punitive limb amputation[J]. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 2014, 472(10): 3102-3106
[44] 徐元诰. 国语集解[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 2002, 152
[45] 陕西周原考古队. 扶风云塘西周骨器制造作坊遗址试掘简报[J]. 文物, 1980(4): 27-38
[46] 陈靓, 丁岩, 熊建雪, 等. 陕西宜川县虫坪塬遗址墓葬出土人骨研究[J]. 考古与文物, 2018(2):118-128
[47] [清]王先慎. 韩非子集解[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 2003, 249
[48] [清]孙希旦. 礼记集解[M]. 北京: 中华书局, 1989, 325
[49] Moodie RL. Amputation of the finger by Neolithic and modern primitive races, and other voluntary mutilations indicating some knowledge of surgery[J]. Surgical Clinic of Chicago, 1920(4): 1299-1306
[50] Brothwell DR, Møller-Christensen V. A Possible Case of Amputation, Dated to c. 2000 B. C[J]. Man, 1963, 63: 192-194
[51] Verano JW, Anderson LS, Régulo F. Foot amputation by the Moche of ancient Peru: osteological evidence and archaeological context[J]. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2000(10): 177-188
[52] Weaver DS, Perry GH, Macchiarelli R, et al. A surgical amputation in 2nd century Rome[J]. The Lancet, 2000, 356(9230): 686
[53] Zäuner SP, Wahl J, Boyadziev Y, et al. A 6000-Year-Old Hand Amputation from Bulgaria—The Oldest Case from South-East Europe?[J]. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2013, 23(5): 618-625
[54] 傅先荣. 从三峡地区出土的古尸看我国古代的刖刑[J]. 湖北三峡学院学报(人文社会科学版), 1999(6): 42-44
Options
Outlines

/

〈 〉