Late archaeologist Colin Renfrew poses before an ancient dam of Liangzhu. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

During the "Light of Civilization" sub-forum at the 2nd Liangzhu Forum in Hangzhou on Nov 25, Chinese and international archaeologists paid tribute to Colin Renfrew, a world-renowned archaeologist who recently passed away at the age of 87.

Renfrew, a former Disney Professor of Archaeology at Cambridge University and an advocate for "social archaeology" and "cognitive archaeology", was a leading figure in global archaeological studies. His works, including Before Civilization and Archaeology and Language, have had a profound influence on the field.

Renfrew takes a close look at jade ware of Liangzhu Culture. [Photo/inzhejiang.com]

Renfrew had a deep connection with Liangzhu, visiting the site multiple times and lauding its significance. In 2017, he predicted its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list, citing extensive comparative research. He also highlighted Liangzhu's findings in his seminal textbook Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice, dedicating an entire section to Liangzhu's role in understanding complex societies.

After Liangzhu's World Heritage designation in 2019, Renfrew delivered a lecture titled Liangzhu in World Prehistory, praising Chinese archaeologists' contributions to the advancement of the field.

Renfrew takes a close look at cultural relics of Liangzhu. [Photo/inzhejiang.com]

Liangzhu Museum Director Xu Tianjin expressed regret that Renfrew could not attend this year's forum due to health issues. However, he emphasized that the forum's theme, "Rediscovery of Civilization: Archaeology from a Global Perspective and Variety of Civilizations", aligns with Renfrew's vision of fostering cross-cultural dialogue in archaeology.

Renfrew once called for multi-level archaeological research in China to deepen its global impact. Xu concluded, "Today's dialogue among archaeologists is the most meaningful tribute we can offer to Professor Renfrew and his legacy."

Renfrew regards Liangzhu as one of the most important site museums in the world. [Photo/inzhejiang.com]