Plant utilization is poorly known in South China as compared to North China.Fanchengdui, Zhuweicheng, Shinianshan, and Yinjiaping, which date back to 5-4 ka BP, are typical Neolithic sites located at the middle reache...Plant utilization is poorly known in South China as compared to North China.Fanchengdui, Zhuweicheng, Shinianshan, and Yinjiaping, which date back to 5-4 ka BP, are typical Neolithic sites located at the middle reaches of the Ganjiang River in Jiangxi Province.Due to the lack of systematic plant archaeological work, only rice straw and husk residues have been found in some archaeological sites in Jiangxi Province.Thirteen stone tools excavated from these sites were examined in this study.The results showed that among the plants utilized are Coix spp., Oryza spp., Vigna spp., plants from the tribe Triticeae, roots from some plants of Zingiberaceae, and other species of roots and tubers.More than 457 grains were retrieved from the 13 stone tools.The fact that Coix spp.were found in all stone tools suggests that these species were a major food source during the Neolithic era.In addition, 28 starch grains of Oryza spp.were found in 8 stone tools.The analysis also revealed that not only seeds of Gramineae but also those of Leguminosae, Zingiberaceae and other species of roots and tubers are among the plants utilized in the four Fanchengdui culture sites.These results indicate that ancient plant utilization was rather diverse, and this study elucidates the prehistoric agricultural systems of South China.展开更多
It is widely accepted that Holocene climatic and environmental changes had major impacts on socioeconomic development and the evolution of civilization.The eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau(TP)has been an importan...It is widely accepted that Holocene climatic and environmental changes had major impacts on socioeconomic development and the evolution of civilization.The eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau(TP)has been an important passageway for south‒north migration of agricultural groups since the late Neolithic.Prehistoric farmers began to occupy the northeastern Tibetan plateau(NETP)and the area of modern Yunnan Province(YNP),on the southeastern margin of the TP,from∼5200 BP and∼4600 BP,respectively.This occupation was potentially closely linked to climatic and environmental changes;however,the spatiotemporal pattern of moisture variations between these two regions,and its possible impact on human settlement and the migration of farming communities along the eastern margin of the TP during the late Neolithic and Bronze Age,are unclear.In the present study,well-dated sedimentary records with unambiguous indicators of humidity variations from the NETP and YNP were integrated,along with radiocarbon dates from human and animal bones and the remains of crop plants from archaeological sites in this region.The results indicate a long-term,out-of-phase relationship of moisture variations between the NETP and YNP during the middle to late Holocene.A mid-late Holocene increase in humidity on the NETP facilitated the development of agropastoral societies during the period of∼5200‒2200 BP.However,pronounced cooling from∼5000 BP forced the southward dispersal of millet farming groups along the eastern margin of the TP during the fifth millennium BP.Decreasing moisture in YNP promoted the expansion of an open landscape,which affected the development of agriculture during the period of∼4600‒2200 BP.Our results suggest that changes in moisture affected the development of prehistoric agriculture in the northeastern and southeastern marginal areas of the TP in different ways,implying that the development of prehistoric human society largely depended on the regional climatic conditions.展开更多
We explored a time series of the Asian summer monsoon(ASM) variability during the transition period from the middle to the late Holocene in the marginal Asian monsoon region. We used an absolutely dated ^(230)Th recor...We explored a time series of the Asian summer monsoon(ASM) variability during the transition period from the middle to the late Holocene in the marginal Asian monsoon region. We used an absolutely dated ^(230)Th record with only a ~20-year dating error, and oxygen isotope data with an 8-year average temporal resolution from the top 22-mm segment of stalagmite WXB07-4 from Wanxiang Cave, western Loess Plateau. The ASM intensity weakened gradually from 6420 to 4920 a BP, which was mainly characterized by three phases:(1) a strengthening phase with a higher precipitation amount between 6420 and 6170 a BP;(2) a smooth fluctuating interval during 6170–5700 a BP; and(3) a sudden extreme weakening period from 5700 to 4920 a BP. Interestingly, the extreme weakening interval of the ASM occurred during the period between 5700 and 4920 a BP, an abrupt change dated at 5430 a BP, which is known as the 5400 a BP, or 5.4 ka BP, event. The period included 290 years of gradual weakening, and 350 years of slow strengthening. This was synchronous with some cave records from the Asian monsoon region within dating errors. Comparing with Chinese archaeological archives over the past 7000 years, the early decline of the Yangshao Culture in the Yellow River Basin and the Hongshan Culture in the West Liao River Basin occurred during the period of gradual decrease of ASM precipitation. The dramatic decline in precipitation, caused by the extreme weakening of the ASM at 5400 a BP,may have been partly related to the decline of the Miaodigou Culture at the Yangguanzhai site in the Weihe River valley; the middle Yangshao Culture in western Henan in the Yellow River Basin; the early Dawenkou Culture on the lower reaches of the Yellow River; and the middle Hongshan Culture in the west of the Liaohe River valley. During the later period of the 5400 a BP event(5430–4920 a BP), a small amplitude increase and a subsequent sharp decrease of ASM precipitation may have also been linked to the contemporaneous prosperity and disappearance of the late Yangshao and Hongshan cultures; the disappearance of the late Yangshao Culture represented by the Yangguanzhai site in the Guanzhong basin on the Weihe River; the fourth phase of the late Yangshao Culture on the upstream Dadiwan site; the beginning of the middle Dawenkou Culture, the formation of its late stage,and the rise of the Longshan culture; and the rise of the Qujialing and Liangzhu cultures on the lower Yangtze River. Compared with the stalagmite precipitation records on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the rise and expansion of the Majiayao Culture in the upper Yellow River valley at 5300 a BP may have also been connected to the more dramatic increase of the summer monsoon precipitation at higher, rather than lower, altitudes during the late 5400 a BP event.展开更多
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41072140)National Plan for Global Change Research(Grant No.2010CB950101)Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant Nos.XDA05130603,XDA05130402 and XDA05080100)
文摘Plant utilization is poorly known in South China as compared to North China.Fanchengdui, Zhuweicheng, Shinianshan, and Yinjiaping, which date back to 5-4 ka BP, are typical Neolithic sites located at the middle reaches of the Ganjiang River in Jiangxi Province.Due to the lack of systematic plant archaeological work, only rice straw and husk residues have been found in some archaeological sites in Jiangxi Province.Thirteen stone tools excavated from these sites were examined in this study.The results showed that among the plants utilized are Coix spp., Oryza spp., Vigna spp., plants from the tribe Triticeae, roots from some plants of Zingiberaceae, and other species of roots and tubers.More than 457 grains were retrieved from the 13 stone tools.The fact that Coix spp.were found in all stone tools suggests that these species were a major food source during the Neolithic era.In addition, 28 starch grains of Oryza spp.were found in 8 stone tools.The analysis also revealed that not only seeds of Gramineae but also those of Leguminosae, Zingiberaceae and other species of roots and tubers are among the plants utilized in the four Fanchengdui culture sites.These results indicate that ancient plant utilization was rather diverse, and this study elucidates the prehistoric agricultural systems of South China.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFC1523600)Major Project of National Social Science Foundation of China(21&ZD285).
文摘It is widely accepted that Holocene climatic and environmental changes had major impacts on socioeconomic development and the evolution of civilization.The eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau(TP)has been an important passageway for south‒north migration of agricultural groups since the late Neolithic.Prehistoric farmers began to occupy the northeastern Tibetan plateau(NETP)and the area of modern Yunnan Province(YNP),on the southeastern margin of the TP,from∼5200 BP and∼4600 BP,respectively.This occupation was potentially closely linked to climatic and environmental changes;however,the spatiotemporal pattern of moisture variations between these two regions,and its possible impact on human settlement and the migration of farming communities along the eastern margin of the TP during the late Neolithic and Bronze Age,are unclear.In the present study,well-dated sedimentary records with unambiguous indicators of humidity variations from the NETP and YNP were integrated,along with radiocarbon dates from human and animal bones and the remains of crop plants from archaeological sites in this region.The results indicate a long-term,out-of-phase relationship of moisture variations between the NETP and YNP during the middle to late Holocene.A mid-late Holocene increase in humidity on the NETP facilitated the development of agropastoral societies during the period of∼5200‒2200 BP.However,pronounced cooling from∼5000 BP forced the southward dispersal of millet farming groups along the eastern margin of the TP during the fifth millennium BP.Decreasing moisture in YNP promoted the expansion of an open landscape,which affected the development of agriculture during the period of∼4600‒2200 BP.Our results suggest that changes in moisture affected the development of prehistoric agriculture in the northeastern and southeastern marginal areas of the TP in different ways,implying that the development of prehistoric human society largely depended on the regional climatic conditions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 41473009, 41273014, 40973007 & 40772110)
文摘We explored a time series of the Asian summer monsoon(ASM) variability during the transition period from the middle to the late Holocene in the marginal Asian monsoon region. We used an absolutely dated ^(230)Th record with only a ~20-year dating error, and oxygen isotope data with an 8-year average temporal resolution from the top 22-mm segment of stalagmite WXB07-4 from Wanxiang Cave, western Loess Plateau. The ASM intensity weakened gradually from 6420 to 4920 a BP, which was mainly characterized by three phases:(1) a strengthening phase with a higher precipitation amount between 6420 and 6170 a BP;(2) a smooth fluctuating interval during 6170–5700 a BP; and(3) a sudden extreme weakening period from 5700 to 4920 a BP. Interestingly, the extreme weakening interval of the ASM occurred during the period between 5700 and 4920 a BP, an abrupt change dated at 5430 a BP, which is known as the 5400 a BP, or 5.4 ka BP, event. The period included 290 years of gradual weakening, and 350 years of slow strengthening. This was synchronous with some cave records from the Asian monsoon region within dating errors. Comparing with Chinese archaeological archives over the past 7000 years, the early decline of the Yangshao Culture in the Yellow River Basin and the Hongshan Culture in the West Liao River Basin occurred during the period of gradual decrease of ASM precipitation. The dramatic decline in precipitation, caused by the extreme weakening of the ASM at 5400 a BP,may have been partly related to the decline of the Miaodigou Culture at the Yangguanzhai site in the Weihe River valley; the middle Yangshao Culture in western Henan in the Yellow River Basin; the early Dawenkou Culture on the lower reaches of the Yellow River; and the middle Hongshan Culture in the west of the Liaohe River valley. During the later period of the 5400 a BP event(5430–4920 a BP), a small amplitude increase and a subsequent sharp decrease of ASM precipitation may have also been linked to the contemporaneous prosperity and disappearance of the late Yangshao and Hongshan cultures; the disappearance of the late Yangshao Culture represented by the Yangguanzhai site in the Guanzhong basin on the Weihe River; the fourth phase of the late Yangshao Culture on the upstream Dadiwan site; the beginning of the middle Dawenkou Culture, the formation of its late stage,and the rise of the Longshan culture; and the rise of the Qujialing and Liangzhu cultures on the lower Yangtze River. Compared with the stalagmite precipitation records on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the rise and expansion of the Majiayao Culture in the upper Yellow River valley at 5300 a BP may have also been connected to the more dramatic increase of the summer monsoon precipitation at higher, rather than lower, altitudes during the late 5400 a BP event.
