Early pottery sherds excavated in northern China date back to more than 11,000 cal a BP,and are presumed to have been used as cooking vessels.There has been,however,no direct evidence to demonstrate this function.Here we report ancient starch grains recovered from carbonized residues adhering to the bases of flatbottomed vessels excavated from the Zhuannian site dating more than 10,000 cal a BP in the North China Plain.This evidence demonstrates that early pottery was being used to cook cereal grains,particularly millets,and acorns.Because millets were in the process of domestication at thistime,we propose that pottery invention in northern China may have been related to early farming activities.
Chenqimogou site, located at the south bank of Tao River, is comprised of a large group of graves dated to ~4000 a BP. For its large scale, unique mortuary system, and abundant of typical artifacts, the site was named one of 'Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries of 2008 in China'. Many intact human skeletons have been excavated from the graves. Three teeth from two adult skeletons excavated from graves M187 and M194 were examined. Forty-eight starch grains were retrieved from dental calculus of three teeth. Six of those starch grains could not be identified because of damage. The others were classified into seven groups. Most of them were from wheat (Triticum aestivum) and/or barley (Hordeum vulgare). Remains possibly from foxtail millet (Setaria italica), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), gingkgo (Ginkgo biloba), acorn (Quercus spp.), bean, roots or tubers were identified. Ancient starch grains from dental calculus indicate that human foodstuffs primarily sourced from wheat, buckwheat, and foxtail millet. Acorn, beans, tubers or roots were supplements. A variety of starch grains retrieved from dental calculus revealed that diverse crops were cultivated in the Chenqimogou site 4000 years ago, and both dry-land farming and gathering were engaged.
LI MingQiYANG XiaoYanWANG HuiWANG QiangJIA XinGE QuanSheng
Charred residues adhering to sherds of ceramic cooking vessels,pots (Fu),excavated from the Kuahuqiao site (8000-7000 cal a BP) in Zhejiang Province were examined using the method of starch grain analysis.Ancient starch grains were recovered from charred residues and were classified into 8 genera.Remains from rice (Oryza spp.),job's-tears (Coix chinesis T.),bean (Vigna spp.),acorn (Quercus spp.) as well as possibly buckeye tree (Aesculus chinensis B.) were identified.Other starch grains from unidentified plants were also recovered.Tracheids with bordered pits from softwood fibers were also found,indicating that some food might have been processed with wooden tools.The range of starch grains in the charred residues adhering to the ceramic pots reveals the diversity of ancient plant foods at the Kuahuqiao site,Zhejiang Province.
关于史前考古遗址出土的磨盘和磨棒的功能,一直众说纷纭.过去一直认为是一种加工谷物的农具,近年来虽有异议,但缺乏直接证据.本文利用淀粉粒分析对北京平谷上宅遗址(7500～7000 cal a BP)出土的一件磨盘和一件磨棒进行了研究.从石器表面残留物上提取出的淀粉粒,可分为9类12种.在可鉴定的淀粉粒中,最多的是来自栎属(Quercus)果实(橡子)的淀粉粒;其次是来自粟(Setaria italica)的淀粉粒.栎属中包括蒙古栎(Q.mongolicus)、麻栎(Q.acuttssima)和槲树(Q.dentata)的淀粉粒,另有一定数量的黍(P.miliaceum)和小豆属(Vigna)淀粉粒,其余杂草类及可能为块茎类的淀粉粒无法更进一步鉴定归属.磨盘磨棒上植物种类的多样性表明这些器物不是只用来加工谷物,更不能作为农业出现的标志.这些石器被用于加工各种需要碾磨和脱粒的植物果实或者块茎.同时磨盘磨棒上的植物组合也反映了7000年前,北京平原上人类社会的经济方式以采集与农业并重,日常饮食包括了粟、黍、橡子以及一些块茎类和杂草类植物的种子和果实,当时的气候条件较今温暖湿润.
A large amount of carbonized plant remains were discovered in one of the outer burial pits of the Han Yangling Mausoleum, which was built more than 2000 years ago for the Jing Emperor, Liu, Qi (188―141 cal a BC), the fourth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty. The remains are identified by phytolith analysis and macrofossil morphological features. Seeds from foxtail millet (Setaria italica), broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), rice (Oryza sativa) and chenopod (possible Chenopodium giganteum) are identified, suggesting that these four crops might have been the staple plant foods in the capital area (Guanzhong area), Shaanxi Province during the Early Western Han Dynasty. Chenopods were often considered as weeds since they have only been rarely found as carbonized seeds in prehistoric sites. This is the first time such a large amount of seeds has been found at a site, which provides strong material evidence for chenopod cultivation with a long history in China. Wheat was thought to be promoted and popularized in the Guanzhong area since the Wu Emporor, Liu, Che (156―87 cal a BC), the fifth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty. No wheat was found at this site, which supports the historical document record that wheat was still secondary in the diet and agrarian economy before the Wu Emperor's reign.
YANG XiaoYanLIU ChangJiangZHANG JianPingYANG WuZhanZHANG XiaoHuLV HouYuan
