J. G. Andersson in the field work, as a geologist at Yang Village in Mianchi County, Henan Province, China in 1918
(Photograph provided by Mr HOU Junjie)
Johan Gunnar Andersson (安特生1874-1960) was a Swedish geologist, paleontologist and later also archaeologist, closely associated with the beginnings of modern Chinese archaeology in the 1920s.
In 1914 he was invited to China as Mining Adviser to the Chinese government. His affiliation was with the National Geological Survey of China which was organized and led by the Chinese scholar DING Wenjiang (V.K. Ting) and his colleague WENG Wenhao. During this time, Andersson helped train China’s first generation of geologists, made numerous discoveries of iron ore, as well as discoveries in geology and paleontology.
Andersson early on became very interested in the geological history of the landscape and in the fossil finds. Being shown surface collection of cultural material from areas along the Yellow River, he went to the village of Yangshao in 1921 where, together with colleagues (LIU Changshan, YUAN Fuli, CHEN Deguang and BAI Wanyu), he, in the side of a valley, discovered a layer of cultural material different to other archaeological remains and well-sealed in the deep stratigraphy. Working in collaboration with Chinese colleagues, such as YUAN Fuli, it was soon discovered that the remains must be dating to the Neolithic Age and that similar sites were found widely within central China.
The remains were named the Yangshao Culture after the village where they were first excavated. This was a highly important breakthrough, since this kind of ‘prehistory’ – in terms of age, parallels, and characteristics - had not previously been known about and also because it led to a series of scientific archaeological excavations.
Subsequently, in 1923-24, Andersson conducted archaeological excavations in the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai, again in collaboration with Chinese colleagues, and published numerous books and scientific papers on Chinese archaeology, many in the Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, which he founded and launched in 1929.
Andersson’s publications related to China
Andersson J. G. (1910). Survey report: “The Iron-Ore Resources of the World” 《世界铁矿资源》.
Andersson J. G. (n.d.). Survey report: “The Coal Resources in the World”《世界煤矿资源》.
Andersson J. G. (1910). Omfång: 176 s.: ill., kartor. Medarbetare: Andersson, Johan Gunnar, 1874-1934, Internationale Agrogeologenkonferenz, 2: Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1914 or 1915?). Investigation report: Iron Ore and Iron Industry in China 《中国的铁矿和铁矿工业》.
Andersson J. G. (1914 or 1915?). Investigation report: Malan Platform in North China《华北马兰台地》.
Andersson G. (1919). “Professor J.G. Anderssons forskningar i Kina”, Ymer (Svenska sällskapet för antropologi och geografi), 39, pp.157-73.
Andersson J. G. (November 1919). Dragon-hunting in China, Shanghai, Reprinted from: Far Eastern Review.
Andersson J. G. (1919). Preliminary description of a bone deposit at Chow-kou-tian in Fang-shan-hsien, Chili Province, Geografiska Annaler, pp.265-68.
Andersson J. G. (1919) Redogörelse för arbetena för Kina-fonden under 1919, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1920). Redogörelse för arbetena för Kina-fonden under 1920 samt ett memorandum, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (July 1920). “Stone Implements of Neolithic type in China”《新石器时代式中国石斧》, China Medical Journal, Issue 7, Shanghai.
Andersson J. G. (1920). Allmän plan för naturvetenskapliga insamlingar i Kina (中国), Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1921). Redogörelse för arbetena för Kina-Fonden under 1921, Stockholm, [Unpublished report to the Kina-Fond, Stockholm].
Andersson J. G. (1921). The National Geological Survey of China, Reprinted from Natural History (New York), Vol XXI, No.1, pp 4-12.
Andersson J. G. (1921). The National Geological Survey of China, Geografiska Annaler Bd, IV.
Andersson J. G. (11th December 1922). Current Palaeontological Research in China, Bulletin of the AmericanMuseum of Natural History (New York), Vol XLVI, Art XIII, pp 727-737.
Andersson G.; Halle T. G.; Lönnberg E. & Wiman C. (1922). Professor J. G. Anderssons vetenskapliga arbeten i Kina. En översiktlig redogörelse. Särtryck ur Ymer. Stockholm, Centraltryckeriet, pp.129-63.
Andersson J. G. (1923). Några drag av Kinas forngeografi, Ymer 43, 3: pp.289-300.
Andersson J. G. (1923). An Early Chinese Culture《中华远古之文化》, Bulletin of the Geological Survey of China [Peking] 5, pp.1-68.
Andersson J. G. (1923). The cave-deposit at Sha Kuo T’un in Fengtien, 58, [26], 12 pl.-bl. Palaeontologia Sinica, Series D; 1:1, pp1-57, Joeaz, Arkeologi Kina (中国).
Andersson J. G. (1923). Essays on the cenozoic of northern China, With 3 maps, 9 heliotype plates and 42 text-figures, Memoirs of the Geological Survey of China (Peking), Series A; No. 3, pp. 1-152. (pp 53-77: “On the occurrence of fossil remains of Struthionidae in China”).
Andersson J. G. (1923). Beasts of the Dragon Mines, The China Journal of Science & Arts [Shanghai], Vol I, Nr. 4, 384-89, 4 figs.
Andersson J. G. (1923). A Prehistoric Village in Honan (河南), The China Journal of Science & Arts [Shanghai] 1:5, 508-12.
Andersson J. G. (1924). Arkeologiska fynd i provinsen Kansu (甘肃), Ymer 43, 1: 24-35.
Andersson J. G. (1924). Arkeologiska studier i Kina, Ymer 43, 2:189-247.
Andersson J. G. (1924). Archäologische Studien in China, Von Dr J G Andersson ... Mit einem Nachtrage von Dr Leonard Lanz, Mitteilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien Band LIV, pp.60-82.
Andersson J. G. (1924). Report on the Chang Chiu coal field in Shantung(山东), [Peking] I: Peking, Geological Survey of China, Bulletin of the geological survey of China. Nr 6.
Andersson J. G. (1925). Preliminary Report on Archaeological Research in Kansu (甘肃), Peking; 56, [72] pp., xii plates; Serie: Memoirs of the Geological Survey of China; Series A; 5.
Andersson J. G. (1925). Kinas klimatväxlingar i tertiär och kvartär tid, Ymer 44, 3-4: 313-17.
Andersson J. G. (1926). Draken och de främmande djävlarna, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1927). Der Drache und die fremden Teufel, Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus.
Andersson J. G. (1928). The dragon and the foreign devils《龙和洋鬼子》 (Transl. from the Swedish by Charles Wharton Stork, With illustr), Boston.
Andersson J. G. (1928). Hominid-fyndet vid Peking, Ymer (Stockholm), 48, 1-2: 61-68.
Andersson J. G. (1928). Otto Nordenskjölds forskningsfärder, Ymer 48, 2: 236-42.
Andersson J. G. (1929). The Highway of Europe and Asia, Journal of the Central Asian Society Vol XVI, Part II, pp.191-5.
Andersson J. G. (January 1929). Peking: Den detroniserade kejsarstaden, Jorden Runt, Magasin för Geografi och Resor.
Andersson J. G. (1929). Prähistorische Kulturbeziehungen zwischen Nord China und dem äheren Orient, Berlin: Leipzig: Gruyter; Ostasiatische Zeitschrift, Neue Folge V, Heft 2, pp.49-52.
Andersson J. G. (1929). The Origin and the Aims of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities. Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 1, pp.11-27.
Andersson J. G. (1929). Symbolism in the Prehistoric Painted Ceramics of China, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 1, pp.65-69.
Andersson J. G. (1929). Der Weg über die Steppen, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 1, pp.143-63.
Andersson J. G. (1929). Chou Chao-hsiang: Pottery of the Chou Dynasty (edited by B. Karlgren, with notes by J.G. Andersson), 9p, 7 pl, 20 rubbings, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 1.
Andersson J. G. (1930). Vegaminnet. Högtidstal vid Svenska Sällskapets för antropologi och geografi sammankomst den 24 april 1930..., Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1930). The Tenth Anniversary of the Swedish China Research Committee and the Karlbeck Exhibition, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 2, pp.233-6.
Andersson J. G. (1930). Oscar Björck in memoriam. Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 2, pp.225-7.
Andersson J. G. (1931). Risebergaboken, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (January 1931). The highway of Eurasia, The American-Scandinavian Review Vol XIX, Number I, pp.11-22.
Andersson J. G. (1931). Saxon och Närke.: [Illudtr.] Stockholm [1931] Anmärkning: ur: Risebergaboken, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1932). Arbetsmetoder vid utgrävning av förhistoriska fyndplatser i Kina (中国), In: Arkeologiska studier tillägnade H.K.H. Kronprins Gustaf Adolf, pp. 368-71. Stockholm: Svenska Fornminnesföreningen.
Andersson J. G. (1932). Hunting magic in the animal style, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, pp.221-317.
Andersson J. G. (1932). Kulturen är äldre än människan, Ord och Bild 42, pp.337-53.
Andersson J. G. (1932). Den gula jordens barn: studier över det förhistoriska Kina 《黄土地的儿女：中国史前史研究》, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1934). Children of the Yellow Earth: Studies in Prehistoric China 《黄土地的儿女：中国史前史研究》 [Translation from the Swedish by E.Classen], London.
Andersson J. G. (1932). Den stora färden, Ord och Bild 41.2, pp.61-80 [om Sven Hedins resor].
Andersson J. G. (1933). Kineser och Pingviner 《中国人和企鹅》, Saxon & Lindströms Förlag.
Andersson J. G. (1932). Sven Hedin’s groote expeditie naar Midden-Azie en China, Ontlend an “Ord och Bild”.
Andersson J. G. (1933). Civilization is older than man, Forum 90: pp.177-9.
Andersson J. G. (1933). Kineser och pingviner: en naturforskares minnen från jordens alla horn, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1934). Ur fru Annas minnesbok [Anna Maria Saxon, f. Bergström], Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1935). The goldsmith in ancient China, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 7, 38p, 21 pl.
Andersson J. G. (1935). Selected Ordos bronzes, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 7, pp.143-54, 12p,16 pl.
Andersson J. G. (1936). Vad fann Sven Hedin? Ord och Bild 45:3, pp.129-44.
Andersson J. G. (1936). Närke. In: Sverige. De svenska landskapen skildrade i
ord av svenska författare och i bilder av Eigil Schwab, Vol. 1, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1938). Under brinnande krig, Stockholm: Saxon & Lindström.
Andersson J. G. (1938/1939). China Fights for the World《中国为世界而战》, London: Paul, Trench & Trubner. Originaltitel: Under brinnande krig.
Andersson J. G. (1939). Topographical and archaeological studies in the Far East, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 11 [on Vietnam, Hongkong etc.].
Andersson J. G. (1939). Krigsfaran. 2. uppl., Saxon & Lindström. Omfång: 63s Anmärkning: 1. uppl. s. å. Denna titel finns vid följande bibliotek: Am, S, U.
Andersson J. G. (1939). Chiang Kai-shek och kinesernas frihetskrig, Ord och Bild 48, pp.131-42.
Andersson J. G. (1942). Some fossil mammal localities in Northern China, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 14 [on Vietnam, Hongkong etc.].
Andersson J. G. (1943). Researches into the Prehistory of the Chinese, Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities 15, Stockholm.
Andersson J. G. (1949). Olösta gåtor. Särtryck ur Svensk geografisk årsbok 25, Lund.
Andersson J. G. (1950). Tam och vild skönhet i Kina (中国), Bonniers Månadstidning.
Andersson J. G. (1958). Strövtåg i tid och rum [Strolls through time and space], Stockholm: Saxon & Lindström.
Andersson J. G. (1959). Kina genom tidsåldrarna [China through the ages], Stockholm: Saxon & Lindström.
Andersson J. G. (1971). Dans le sillage des sinanthropes: lettres inédites de Pierre Teilhard de Chardin et Johan Gunnar Andersson 1926-1934 / présentation de Pierre Leroy, Paris: Fayard.
