Starch grains from dental calculus reveal ancient plant foodstuffs at Chenqimogou site, Gansu Province  

作　　者：LI MingQi YANG XiaoYan WANG Hui WANG Qiang JIA Xin GE QuanSheng 

机构地区：[1]Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [2]Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China [3]Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology,Lanzhou 730000,China [4]Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems,MOE,Lanzhou University,Lanzhou 730000,China

出　　处：《Science China Earth Sciences》2010年第5期694-699,共6页中国科学（地球科学英文版）

基　　金：supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40771205);National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (Grant No. 40625002);Knowledge Innovation Project from Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-315)

摘　　要：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.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.

关 键 词：Chenqimogou SITE Qijia Culture starch grain analysis dental calculus ANCIENT plant diet 

分 类 号：N[自然科学总论]