云贵地区新石器至青铜时代的农业进程探究——以植物考古材料为中心

云贵地区是我国西南地区的重要组成部分,其自然与人文环境的多样性造就了先民多元的生业策略。本文系统梳理了目前云贵地区出土的植物考古材料,对区域内新石器至青铜时代的农作物结构以及农业种植发展历程、区域特点等问题进行探究。现有材料表明,云贵地区自新石器时代晚期以来就经营稻粟混合型农业,随着青铜时代麦类作物的传入,滇西北、滇东等地开始流行稻粟麦混合型农业。除农作物外,野生植物资源在云贵地区先民的生活中也扮演着重要角色。探究云贵地区新石器至青铜时代多样化的植物资源利用策略,对理解西南地区早期文明进程具有重要意义。植物资源的选择既是先民对山地环境的适应与探索方式,也是区域间文化交往、交流、交融的结果。     

西藏地区史前动物利用与鸟兽遗存情况简述

文章以西藏新石器时代、早期金属时代遗址中发现的动物相关遗存为对象,探讨史前先民利用动物情况,梳理了西藏地区狗、猪、家养牦牛、绵羊、马的驯养利用情况,概述遗址出土动物陶塑、鸟兽遗存的情况。根据相关动物遗存,分析古代先民利用动物的情况、人与动物的关系特征、先民的生业模式及其特点,为进一步解释古代人类与动物的各种关系及探索古人生业模式等方面的研究提供参考。     

馆藏大石铲选介

<正>大石铲是岭南地区新石器时代晚期极具地方特色的文化遗产,起源于有肩石斧,是骆越先民为适应原始农业发展的需要而发明制作的一种生产工具,因其造型奇特,制作精美,有别于其他地区新石器时代出土的石器,又因其集中分布于广西南部地区,故学界惯称之"桂南大石铲"。本文以馆藏大石铲为例,介绍广西独特的大石铲文化。一、大石铲的分布与年代大石铲遗存是20世纪50年代初以来,随着考古调查     

山东省菏泽市定陶区何楼遗址大汶口早期动物资源利用初探

何楼遗址位于鲁西南地区,遗存的年代分别属于新石器时代、汉代及金元时期,其中新石器时代遗存十分丰富,有助于认识和了解这一地区考古学文化格局的演变。何楼遗址出土了较为丰富的动物骨骼遗存,其中哺乳动物以猪为主,鹿等野生动物也占有一定的比例,此外还包括少量的贝类、鱼类、爬行类和鸟类等。通过动物遗存研究,对于认识该地区的古代自然环境、古人对动物资源的利用和当时的生业特点具有重要意义。     

淮河上游新石器时代的绚丽画卷──舞阳贾湖遗址发掘的主要收获

舞阳贾湖遗址的发掘,可称是８０年代以来我国新石器时代考古中最重要的收获之一,尤其值得指出的是它对淮河上游新石器时代文化诸多方面的研究都具有极高的学术价值,其丰富的遗存为我们展现了一幅八千年前淮河上游地区先民生活的绚丽画卷。     

湖北大冶蟹子地遗址2009年发掘报告

蟹子地遗址2009年发掘获取了一批重要的遗存,在鄂东南地区的先秦文化谱系探讨和科技考古实践两个方面都有重要收获。其新石器时代遗存整体属石家河文化系统,但区域特色突出,一期遗存可能代表了新的区域类型,二期遗存新见有少量"后石家河文化"因素。其商周遗存属鄂东南地区西周土著文化,与矿冶有关。     

榆林地区龙山晚期至夏代早期先民的作物选择初探

已有的考古研究显示,榆林地区在龙山晚期至夏代早期遗址数量激增,聚落等级差异显著,社会复杂化程度加深。但其文明化过程中,不同等级聚落的先民对作物的选择情况如何,作物选择与社会发展程度之间的关系如何仍不明确。本文公布了榆林新机场火石梁遗址的植物浮选结果,搜集该地区已有的大植物遗存资料,根据古人农作物计量的习惯,优化分析植物遗存所代表的作物产量信息,揭示不同聚落规模下先民对作物的选择利用情况。研究结果揭示,榆林地区龙山晚期至夏代早期小型聚落居民延续以黍为主的旱作农业,但大型聚落—石峁遗址的先民则有了更多的选择,如强化对粟的开发,其作物选择的多样化可能与资源调动能力相关。     

江淮东部新石器时代末期社会生计个案分析——以东台开庄遗址为例

东台开庄为江淮东部一处内涵明确的以龙山文化时期遗存为主体的新石器时代末期遗址,兼有少量良渚文化遗存.通过对遗址开展的浮选获得了水稻和粟等农作物,狗尾草和藜属等杂草类种子,芡实、菱角、栎果等其他可食遗存.稻作是开庄遗址良渚文化晚期和龙山文化时期最重要的农耕生产内容.农业在聚落生业中不占绝对优势,先民采集狩猎作为食物的重要...     

河北省石家庄市石邑城遗址出土动物遗存的初步研究

文章以石邑城遗址2017年出土的动物骨骼遗存为研究对象,应用种属鉴定、量化统计、年龄结构分析等方法讨论了石邑城遗址先民对动物资源的利用模式;并结合发掘区是手工业区的性质探讨了石邑城遗址先民制骨手工业的生产方式及其特征。     

南京的历史与文物

南京袁凭长江天堑袁依钟山巍峨袁呈虎踞龙蟠之形胜曰东控吴越袁西扼荆楚袁显六朝帝都之气象曰承汉启唐袁逐元建明袁为中华正朔之所在曰历史悠久袁古迹众多袁是历史文化之名城遥南京是我国完整经历旧石器时代和新石器时代的一个地区遥远在猿缘万年前袁南京猿人就劳动尧生息尧繁衍在这块土地之上遥一万一千年前的溧水神仙洞先民袁率先迈向新石器时代遥远古时代袁南京属叶禹贡曳扬州之域遥北阴阳营先民创造独树一帜的北阴阳营文化曰薛城先民则属于另一个文化共同体遥新石器时代晚期文化遗存具有北方多重文化因素袁同时还受到东尧西邻近地区文化…     

Dietary changes and millet consumption in northern France at the end of Prehistory: Evidence from archaeobotanical and stable isotope data

Diachronic changes of dietary human habits between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age are mainly identified through archaeological artefacts and archaeozoological and archaeobotanical studies. This paper aims to demonstrate the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach for palaeodietary studies and to identify the food changes between Neolithic and Bronze Age human groups in northern France. These changes are probably linked to the introduction of new crops, such as millet, and the use of stable isotope analysis on bones and teeth proves to be an effective method for assessing the role of this specific cereal in the diet and the economy. Stable isotope analyses were performed on bone and tooth collagen and apatite from eight humans and five domestic animals from a Late Bronze Age site (LBA; Barbuise; 15th–13th c. BC; Aube). The studied corpus is compared with isotopic data from human and animal bones from a nearby Neolithic site (Gurgy; 5th mill. BC; Yonne) and regional Neolithic to Iron sites located in northern France. Moreover, Barbuise data are supplemented by information from an important archaeobotanical study carried out on 21 LBA and Early Iron Age sites in the region. Neolithic and LBA human collagen isotopic ratios (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) differ statistically, as do those of some animals. Carbon isotopic ratios of human apatite corroborate collagen results indicating the consumption of ¹³C enriched food by LBA humans and animals compared to Neolithic samples. The high number of occurrences of plant remains in the Bronze Age settlements near the site points to the consumption of C₄ plants, such as millet, and would account for these results.     

Book Reviews

Abstract

Plant macroremains were recovered during the renewed excavation at Grap?eva ?pilja, a cave on the island of Hvar in Croatia. This is the first archaeoboatnical investigation on an eastern Adriatic island to use flotation samples. Samples were taken from layers dating from the Early Neolithic to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 6000–1500 B.C.). Sixteen radiocarbon dates obtained from wood charcoal date the samples precisely. Detailed archaeobotanical analyses of plant macroremains reveal plant use during the occupation of the cave, with the highest density of plant remains in the Neolithic. Oak acorns were the most abundant plant remains. Finds of two types of juniper berry cones, various parts of gymnosperm cones, and cypress seeds and leaves indicate that the Mediterranean evergreen woodland was exploited. Remains of cultivated plants are rare. A small number of cereal grains, including emmer, einkorn, and possibly bread wheat were recovered from the Neolithic layers, as well as a few wheat grains from later horizons. Remains of typical wild Mediterranean fruits included almond nutshell fragments, a grape pip, and a fig seed. These finds indicate that the occupants of Grap?eva utilized processed crops but also gathered plants from the wild for food, fuel, and perhaps ritual. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was performed in order to assess charred versus mineralized preservation. Macroplant remains from Grap?eva were compared to the few available plant analyses from the eastern Adriatic. This comparison provides evidence that caves had different functions both from each other and from open-air sites. The plant remains are discussed in the context of the spread of farming on both sides of the Adriatic.     

A Palaeodietary Study of Stable Isotope Analysis from a High‐status Burial in the Copper Age: The Montelirio Megalithic Structure at Valencina de la Concepción–Castilleja de Guzmán,Spain

This palaeodietary study presents carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data from human and faunal skeletal remains from the Copper Age settlement of Valencina de la Concepción–Castilleja de Guzmán, located in Seville, Spain. Montelirio, the only Valencina–Castilleja human group from which we have obtained reliable palaeodietary results, had a diet based on C₃ terrestrial resources, including both plants and animals. The protein component of the diet consisted mainly of meat, milk and dairy products from livestock as well as C₃ plant protein from cereals and pulses. This study compares data from Montelirio, the Copper Age group from Valencina–Castilleja, with the published data from other Iberian Late Neolithic–Copper Age (LN‐CA) societies. This comparison reveals a homogeneous diet with some exceptions. Overall, the LN‐CA diet in the Iberian Peninsula consisted mainly of animal proteins from meat, milk and dairy products from livestock as well as C₃ plant sources from the characteristic agriculture of the societies of these periods. This study also demonstrates the minor use of aquatic resources from the Neolithic to the Copper Age period in the Iberian Peninsula. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluating prehistoric finds of Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum in north-western and central Europe with an emphasis on the first Neolithic finds in Northern Germany

The swollen basal internodes of the grass species Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum (tuber oat grass) are recorded here for the first time for Neolithic Germany. These charred bulbs occurred in the Late Neolithic soil mantle of the megalithic tomb of Albersdorf-Brutkamp LA 5. They are interpreted as most probably originating from the natural vegetation on and around the grave mound. The bulbs were possibly charred in the course of a ritual fire. However, their use as gathered plants and their intentional deposition in a secondary burial ritual during the Late Neolithic cannot be excluded with any certainty. Identification criteria for Arrhenatherum bulbs as well as the ecological requirements of the species are introduced here. Furthermore, prehistoric bulb finds from north-western and central Europe, and different interpretations concerning the occurrence of Arrhenatherum in different archaeological contexts, are discussed. The compilation of finds from literature and excavation reports shows that bulbs of Arrhenatherum were found rather infrequently in the Neolithic. Most commonly, charred bulbs of A. elatius var. bulbosum are detected in Bronze Age cremation graves. In the Iron Age, however, they mainly occur in domestic sites. This shows that the interpretation of the plant remains is dependent on their archaeological context. A ritual meaning of the bulbs has to be considered in the interpretation, but they may also have contributed to people’s daily diet. This evaluation of bulb finds in prehistoric and historic contexts contributes to the debate on the relevance of plant gathering in early economies and in ritual activities.     

Ais Giorkis: An unusual early Neolithic settlement in Cyprus

Abstract

For over a century, archaeologists have been intrigued by the inception of food production and sedentary lifeways, the so-called “Neolithic Revolution.” Research focused on the Near Eastern and Anatolian mainlands has documented some of the earliest Neolithic cultures known. The adjacent Mediterranean islands were generally believed to have been late recipients of Neolithic economies. Recent research challenges this by establishing both Late Epipalaeolithic and early Neolithic occupations on Cyprus. Ais Giorkis contributes to this revision. It is an early Neolithic site (ca. 7500 cal b.c.) in the uplands, unlike most contemporary sites, which are near the coast. Ais Giorkis is more complex than originally believed, containing unusual architecture, abundant and sophisticated artifacts, and some of the oldest directly dated domesticated plants in the Near East. It also has a faunal assemblage that includes small numbers of cattle bones, previously undocumented before the Bronze Age, but now shown to be present at three early Neolithic sites.     

红陶葫芦瓶

The gourd shaped red earthen yase is unearthed from the remains of the Neolithic Age of Long Qin zhuang site,Gao you city ,Made in imitation of the natural gourd,it retlects the wisdom of our ancestors and bears the hope for good luck,its appearance marks the beginning of the production of the gourd-shaped object in China ,In terms of function,this vase may be the wine vessel used by our ancestors,and it reflects the local production level and the ecnomic relationship.     

Chenopodium Seeds in Open-Air Archaeological Sites – How to Not Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater

ABSTRACT

Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for some taxa (here fat-hen, Chenopodium album type) can be very problematic. Recognition of the preservation state is obviously crucial for archaeobotanical data derived from dry, open-air sites. Fat-hen as a common weed, is also one of the most important components of a persistent soil seed bank. It is also a well-known food plant, gathered or cultivated. Numerous findings of fat-hen seeds in unclear states of preservation were noted in the Early Neolithic sites of the Linear Pottery culture in Kuyavia (N Europe). In previous studies such specimens were omitted as probably uncharred. Re-examination of Neolithic finds of fat-hen from that region showed the link of their abundancy with the earliest phases of the Neolithic occupation. The plant probably played an important role in the diet of the early Neolithic settlers there. It may indicate intensive use of local, open, fertile, probably alluvial areas. Distinguishing between ancient and modern specimens of that common weedy plant, producing large amounts of small, black, resistant seeds is thus very important, holding a great potential to shed new light on the origins of agricultural societies in this part of northern Europe.     

Archaeological wells in southern France: Late Neolithic to Roman plant remains from Mas de Vignoles IX (Gard) and their implications for the study of settlement,economy and environment

Abstract

A study of plant remains from seven archaeological wells at Mas de Vignoles IX, near Nîmes, southern France, was used to shed light on a current gap in the archaeological record caused by erosion and modern agriculture. The analysis also explored the reliability of these sources for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoeconomical information. Significant results on the spatial organization of human habitation, economic activities, and on the environment and its exploitation were obtained for the Middle Neolithic to Roman periods. Furthermore, the Neolithic wells also provided the first early finds of fig seeds in France. The abundance of weed and ruderal plants up to the Iron Age is consistent with data from other studies and their dramatic decrease during the Roman period may have resulted from radical changes in land management. The study marks the first time, in southern France, that a group of wells from a single site have provided a complete record throughout the later prehistoric and Roman periods.     

Can't find a pulse? Celtic bean (Vicia faba L.) in British prehistory

Archaeobotanical research on prehistoric crops in Britain has primarily focussed on cereals and the potential importance of alternative crops, such as pulses, has often been overlooked. This paper reviews evidence for Celtic bean (Vicia faba L.) in British prehistory, using a database of archaeobotanical assemblages from 75 sites. Celtic bean is rare in the Neolithic – Early Bronze Age and it only becomes frequent from the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1500 cal BC) onwards, particularly in southern England. Though there is a paucity of evidence at many sites, it is suggested that this reflects a preservation bias and in some areas at least, Celtic bean formed an important element of past agricultural systems.