Research on the relationship between site function and environment at the site of Zhongba, Chongqing City, China

The Zhongba site has been demonstrated to be a location of salt production based on multi-disciplinary research including salt archaeology, environmental archaeology, zooarchaeology, paleobotany, and other natural science examinations. The continuity of salt production from the Han Dynasty to the present day as understood primarily from ancient texts can now be traced back to even earlier times. Based on the characteristics of cultural layer deposits, features, and artifacts, Zhongba can be clearly distinguished from known settlements, and from bronze, iron, pottery and porcelain workshops. According to various natural science examinations, the major impurities in local salt brine are also found in floor features, brine troughs, and rounded bottom pots at the site even though NaCl itself was not preserved. These traces were left over from the salt production process rather than being naturally deposited. Zhongba and its constituent features and artifacts share many common characters with other salt production sites around the world. Consequently, the Zhongba site can be confidently identified as a salt production site where activity continued for several thousand years. The formation of the site cannot be separated from salt production, and it is also highly related to its natural environment.