Research into the location and development of rice paddies after the collapse of Neolithic cultures is of crucial importance.This study explores the phytolith assemblages and soil micromorphologies of potential rice p...Research into the location and development of rice paddies after the collapse of Neolithic cultures is of crucial importance.This study explores the phytolith assemblages and soil micromorphologies of potential rice paddy relics found at the Xingang Site(3556–3360 cal.a BP)in the Taihu Lake Plain,Lower Yangtze River,offering insights into these issues.The discriminant function of the phytolith assemblage distinguished six out of 19 samples in the suspected paddy field area as wild rice fields,while the rest were non-rice fields.Soil micromorphology indicated that the alleged paddy field area experienced repeated dry and wet conditions,with signs of plant growth but no evidence of human activity,suggesting it was not an artificially managed paddy field.These findings suggest the area during the Shang Dynasty consisted of abandoned paddies from the post-Neolithic era.The proportion of rice bulliform phytoliths with≥9 fish-scale decorations(35%–47%)was significantly lower at the Xingang Site(marginal area)during the Shang Dynasty compared to periods like Qianshanyang-Guangfulin(4300–3900 a BP)(central area),suggesting that diminished population density in marginal areas after the Neolithic collapse likely led to paddy field abandonment.Additionally,the collapse of the Liangzhu social structure,along with a rice-farming economy that lacked strong resource competitiveness,may have also contributed to this phenomenon.This study provides an empirical example of rice paddy locations following the Neolithic collapse in the Lower Yangtze River,enhancing our understanding of the decline of the Liangzhu civilization.展开更多
Based on 14C dating and core sediments survey, phytolith records are employed to reconstruct paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the Jianghan Plain in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Phytoliths identified are a...Based on 14C dating and core sediments survey, phytolith records are employed to reconstruct paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the Jianghan Plain in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Phytoliths identified are assigned into 21 well-described morphotypes and divided into four groups （Poaceae, fern, coniferous and broad-leaved）. The phytolith assemblages together with warmth index （Iw） are divided into 18 ecological zones, which reflect a complete vegetation history related to climate change in the middle reach of the Yangtze River during the past 15000 years. On the basis of the correlation ofphytolith records with the paleoclimatic indicators from stalagmite, peatland, North Atlantic deep-sea sediments, Loess Plateau of Central China, and Arabic Sea sediments, eight climatic phases are identified included Last Glacial Maximum （LGM） （20- 14.8 cal kaBP）, Last Deglaciation （LDG） （14.8-11.9 cal kaBP）, low-temperature phase in the Early Holocene （11.9-8 cal kaBP）, Holocene Opti- mum （8-4.9cal kaBP）, Holocene Katathermal （4.9- 1.1 cal kaBP）, Medieval Warmth Period （MWP） （1.1- 0.7 cal kaBP）, Little Ice Age （LIA） （0.7-0.15 cal kaBP）, and Modem Warming （0.15 cal kaBP-present）. Climatic events such as Bolling-Allerod warm intervals, Older Dryas, Inter-Allerod Cold Period, and Younger Dryas, and eight Holocene Bond events （B1-8） have been identified since the LDG. Our results demonstrate that the evolution of the climate in the research area has a strong link with the Indian Summer Monsoon （SW Monsoon）, Asian Summer Monsoon （SE Monsoon）, and Holocene events in North Atlantic simultaneously, which might indicate that solar variability affects the Earth surface climate system at the centennial and millennial scales.展开更多
基金The Archaeological Talent Promotion Program of China(2024-272)National Natural Science Foundation of China No.42301173,No.42101152+5 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China,No.BK20230386,No.BK20221027Humanities and Social Science Fund of Ministry of Education of China,No.23YJCZH096The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,No.SKCX2024011,No.SKYZ2024026Key Project of Higher Education Teaching Reform Research and Practice in Henan Province,No.2024 SJGLX0209Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme,University Grants Committee,Hong Kong,No.34000323Comprehensive Research Project on Scientific and Technological Archaeology of Changzhou City’s Daxujiacun Site and Chuanfangtou Site(Phase III),No.JSZC-320400-FW2025-06406。
文摘Research into the location and development of rice paddies after the collapse of Neolithic cultures is of crucial importance.This study explores the phytolith assemblages and soil micromorphologies of potential rice paddy relics found at the Xingang Site(3556–3360 cal.a BP)in the Taihu Lake Plain,Lower Yangtze River,offering insights into these issues.The discriminant function of the phytolith assemblage distinguished six out of 19 samples in the suspected paddy field area as wild rice fields,while the rest were non-rice fields.Soil micromorphology indicated that the alleged paddy field area experienced repeated dry and wet conditions,with signs of plant growth but no evidence of human activity,suggesting it was not an artificially managed paddy field.These findings suggest the area during the Shang Dynasty consisted of abandoned paddies from the post-Neolithic era.The proportion of rice bulliform phytoliths with≥9 fish-scale decorations(35%–47%)was significantly lower at the Xingang Site(marginal area)during the Shang Dynasty compared to periods like Qianshanyang-Guangfulin(4300–3900 a BP)(central area),suggesting that diminished population density in marginal areas after the Neolithic collapse likely led to paddy field abandonment.Additionally,the collapse of the Liangzhu social structure,along with a rice-farming economy that lacked strong resource competitiveness,may have also contributed to this phenomenon.This study provides an empirical example of rice paddy locations following the Neolithic collapse in the Lower Yangtze River,enhancing our understanding of the decline of the Liangzhu civilization.
文摘Based on 14C dating and core sediments survey, phytolith records are employed to reconstruct paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the Jianghan Plain in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Phytoliths identified are assigned into 21 well-described morphotypes and divided into four groups （Poaceae, fern, coniferous and broad-leaved）. The phytolith assemblages together with warmth index （Iw） are divided into 18 ecological zones, which reflect a complete vegetation history related to climate change in the middle reach of the Yangtze River during the past 15000 years. On the basis of the correlation ofphytolith records with the paleoclimatic indicators from stalagmite, peatland, North Atlantic deep-sea sediments, Loess Plateau of Central China, and Arabic Sea sediments, eight climatic phases are identified included Last Glacial Maximum （LGM） （20- 14.8 cal kaBP）, Last Deglaciation （LDG） （14.8-11.9 cal kaBP）, low-temperature phase in the Early Holocene （11.9-8 cal kaBP）, Holocene Opti- mum （8-4.9cal kaBP）, Holocene Katathermal （4.9- 1.1 cal kaBP）, Medieval Warmth Period （MWP） （1.1- 0.7 cal kaBP）, Little Ice Age （LIA） （0.7-0.15 cal kaBP）, and Modem Warming （0.15 cal kaBP-present）. Climatic events such as Bolling-Allerod warm intervals, Older Dryas, Inter-Allerod Cold Period, and Younger Dryas, and eight Holocene Bond events （B1-8） have been identified since the LDG. Our results demonstrate that the evolution of the climate in the research area has a strong link with the Indian Summer Monsoon （SW Monsoon）, Asian Summer Monsoon （SE Monsoon）, and Holocene events in North Atlantic simultaneously, which might indicate that solar variability affects the Earth surface climate system at the centennial and millennial scales.
