Predynastic Zhou

The Predynastic Zhou, Preconquest Zhou or Proto-Zhou (Chinese: 先周) refers to the state of Zhou that existed in the Guanzhong region of modern Shaanxi province during the Shang dynasty of ancient China, before its conquest of Shang in 1046/45 BC which led to the establishment of the Zhou dynasty. It was ruled by the Ji 姬 clan.

History

According to Sima Qian, it was established by Gugong Danfu when he relocated his clan from their home of Bin to a new settlement along the Wei River. His two elder sons Taibo and Zhongyong were said to have abandoned the territory and fled south to establish Wu on the lower Yangtze. His youngest son Jili then inherited Zhou and expanded it with numerous campaigns against the Rong "barbarians" around Shang. His power threatened King Wen Ding and he was tricked into an ambush at a place called Saiku (塞库). Jili's son King Wen was likewise imprisoned by King Zhou of Shang at Youli before being ransomed by other nobles. In some accounts, Wen was forced to consume his eldest son as meat cakes or a soup at the king's bequest. His second son then avenged his grandfather and brother at the Battle of Muye, defeating King Zhou and ending the Shang.

Prehistoric Egypt

The prehistory of Egypt spans the period from earliest human settlement to the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt in c. 3100 BC, starting with the first Pharaoh Narmer (also known as Menes).

The Predynastic period is traditionally equivalent to the Neolithic period, beginning c. 6000 BC and including the Protodynastic Period (Naqada III).

The dates of the Predynastic period were first defined before widespread archaeological excavation of Egypt took place, and recent finds indicating very gradual Predynastic development have led to controversy over when exactly the Predynastic period ended. Thus, the term "Protodynastic period", sometimes called the "Zero Dynasty", has been used by scholars to name the part of the period which might be characterized as Predynastic by some and Early Dynastic by others.

The Predynastic period is generally divided into cultural periods, each named after the place where a certain type of Egyptian settlement was first discovered. However, the same gradual development that characterizes the Protodynastic period is present throughout the entire Predynastic period, and individual "cultures" must not be interpreted as separate entities but as largely subjective divisions used to facilitate study of the entire period.