This book integrates field archaeology with multidisciplinary research on the Erlitou site. Beyond its significant archaeological discoveries, Erlitou represents the site subjected to the most extensive analysis by the various scientific and technological sub-disciplines within Chinese archaeology community to date. The papers collected  here reflect the latest outcomes of collaborative research in various disciplines, including chronology, natural environment reconstruction, human osteology, subsistence strategies and craft production.

Dr. Xu Hong is a Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and a Professor and Doctoral Advisor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He directed the Erlitou archaeological team from 1999 to 2019. His research mainly focuses on early cities, early countries and early civilizations in China. He is the author of numerous works, including "The Archaeology of Enclosure Settlements in Pre-Qin Period (7000BC-221BC)," "The Earliest China," "What Makes China China," "Dynamic Interpretation of Early Cities in Ancient China," "Emergence and Communication of Bronze in Early China". He also served as editor-in-chief of the archaeological report "Erlitou (1999–2006)."

Dr. Yuan Jing is a Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, specializing in zooarchaeology, environmental archaeology, and archaeological science. His publications include “Zooarchaeology of China”  “Introduction to Archaeological Sciences in China”,  “Essays on Archaeological Science in China”, and “The Archaeology of Zodiac Animals: Discovering China from Twelve Animals”. He also served as editor-in-chief of the archaeological report  “Shell Midden Sites in the Jiaodong Peninsula: Studies in Environmental Archaeology”.