黄河流域的新石器文化的发展为中华文明起源奠定了重要的基础。考古资料显示黄河流域新石器文化的发展主要经历了三个阶段：前仰韶时期(9 000~7 000 BP，BP表示距今年代，这里指距1950年)遗址数量少且分散；仰韶时期(7 000~5 000 BP)遗址数量显著增加，分布范围扩张至黄河及支流谷地；龙山时期(5 000~4 000 BP)遗址分布空间进一步扩张至丘陵地带。对比古气候和农业考古研究进展，显示黄河流域新石器时代粟黍农业的发展是推动文化扩张的主要动力，气候变
化则在此过程中起到了促进作用。

The development of Neolithic cultures in the Yellow River valley promoted the emergence of Chinese ancient civilization. Three phases of the temporal-spatial variation of Neolithic culture evolution can be decerned based on archaeological survey, the distribution range of Neolithic sites was mainly limited to foothills during the pre-Yangshao period (9 000~7 000 BP), which widely expanded to the valleys of the Yellow River and its tributaries during the Yangshao period (7 000~5 000 BP), and further extended to hilly areas during the Longshan period (5 000~4 000 BP). With the comparison to the results of palaeoclimate and archaeometry studies, we argue that the spatial expansion of Neolithic cultures was primarily facilitated by the development of millet-based agriculture in the Yellow River valley, which was further affected by the climate changes.