Transitions from Foraging to Farming in Ancient …...Stanford International Symposium Transitions...
Transcript of Transitions from Foraging to Farming in Ancient …...Stanford International Symposium Transitions...
Stanford International Symposium
Transitions from Foraging to Farming in Ancient China and Beyond:
An Archaeobotanical Perspective
April 21-23, 2017
Sponsoredby:
StanfordArchaeologyCenter
ConfuciusInstitute,DepartmentofEastAsianLanguagesandCultures
FreemanSpogliInstituteforInternationalStudies
Ofer Bar-Yosef Harvard University
Presentation Title
TheOriginsofAgricultureinChina–AViewfromWesternAsia
Bio Since1968,OferBar-YosefhasbeenteachingvariouscoursesinarchaeologyatHarvardandHebrewUniversities.HeorganizedseveralinternationalconferencesontheNatufianculture(Valbonne1989,Paris2010),ontheLevalloisTechnique(Philadelphia1995),theAurignacianculture(Lisbon2003),andtheNeolithicdemographictransition(Harvard,2007).Oferhasworkedasanarchaeologistsince1959andparticipatedactivelyinawiderangeofexcavationsofprehistoricsitesilluminatinghumanculturalevolution.ThesitesarelocatedinIsrael,Sinai(Egypt),Turkey,CzechRepublic,RepublicofGeorgia,andthePeople’sRepublicofChina.HisworkaddedevidenceforearlyhumandispersalsfromAfricatoEurasiaatthesiteof‘Ubeidiya(ca.1.5Ma)intheJordanValley.Morerecently,asaco-directorofalargeIsraeli-French-Americanresearchprogram,hespenttwodecadesoffieldandlaboratoryresearchinKebara,Qafzeh,andHayonimcavesinIsrael(withB.Vandermeersch,L.Meignen,P.Goldberg,A.Belfer-Cohenandothers)demonstratingtheearlyarrivalofModernhumansintheLevantandthelateappearanceofNeanderthalsintheNearEast.OferstudiedUpperPaleolithicassemblagesfromSinai,Israel,CzechRepublic,Georgia,andcurrentlyinChina.Heco-directedtheexcavationsatNetivHagdud,anearlyNeolithicsettlementintheJordanValleywithProf.Gopher.In2004-5heco-directedtheexcavationsatYuchanyancave(HunanProvince)withProf.J.Yuan.CurrentlyOferisinvolvedinfieldprogramsinGeorgiaandChina.Hehasco-edited16volumes(includingfourmajorsitereports)andauthored,orco-authoredover300papersandbookchapters.
Abstract
Theadvantageofacomparativegeographicapproachtothestudyofanarchaeologicalresearchsubjectisthatamodelbuiltandtestedinareasonablywell-investigatedareamayassistusinbuildingamodelforconductingexcavationsinarelativelynewregion.ThisismybasicapproachinadvocatingtheLevantineortheFertileCrescentmodel,totheissueofthetransitionfromforagingtofarminginChina.MorethantwohundredyearsofgatheringbotanicalandzoologicalinformationinwesternAsiawhereemployedbyarchaeologicalresearchaccompaniedinthelast80yearsbyarchaeobotanicalandarchaeozoologicalresearchallowedustobuildaframeworkforreachinganunderstandingof‘when’and‘how’hunter-gatherersbecamefarmers.Eventhequestionof‘why’foragersbegancultivationwasstudiedwithinthecontextofpopulationgrowthandcompetitionforresourcescoupledwithclimaticfluctuations.InwardmigrationofforeignersfromNorthAfrica,anissuerecentlyunderstudy,basedonpalaeogenetics,supportsamodelof‘relativedemographicpressure’asthetriggerfortheemergenceoftheNatufianculture.SeveralreasonscurrentlyrecordedinWesternAsiaarenotuniquetothisregion.InarecentsurveyItriedtoindicatethatcultivationofwildplants,knownforhunter-gatherersformillennia,weresystematicallycultivatedforsometime.However,domesticatedcropsinafewCenters(sensuHarlan1971)wereadoptedthroughtransmissionofeitherseeds,techniquesorincomingmigrants,wherecropspeciesdidnotnaturallygrow.Apparently,asthearchaeobotanicalChineseevidencefromsitesinthenorth(millet)andthesouth(rice)keepsaccumulating,similartrendscanbediscerned.CultivationofvariousannualplantsisbecomingevidencedasitwasshownintheJapanesearchipelago.Examplesfromothercontinents,suchasAfricacanbecited.Oncebasicfarmingwasestablished,additionalannualandperennialplantsbecomedomesticated.TheNeolithicRevolutionintheCenterswasafastprocesswhencomparedtothelengthofhumanevolution.Ambiguitiescausedbythefirstpublishedradiocarbondates(especiallythosemadeoncharcoalsamples)ledtomisunderstandingswheredidtheDomesticationSyndromeachieved.Moreover,studiesconcerningthearchaeobotanicalinformationasindependentofculturalchanges(evidenceforseafaring,rivertransport,socialstructure,etc.)resultedintheunfoundedproposaltosuggestmany(upto14-22)centersofdomestication.Insum,IwilltrytopresentinmylecturehowtheFertileCrescentmodelmayassistthefuturestudyoftheoriginsofagricultureinChina.
Gary W. Crawford University of Toronto Mississauga
Presentation Title
EarlyNeolithicPalaeoethnobotanyinShandongProvince,China:LessonsfromtheYuezhuangSite
Bio GaryCrawfordisaFellowoftheRoyalSocietyofCanada,isaProfessorofAnthropologyattheUniversityofTorontoMississaugawherehehastaughtsince1979.Hisinterestslieinancienthumanecologyandspantwocontinents:NorthAmericaandEastAsia.Hepioneeredresearchontherelationshipsbetweenplantsandpeople(palaeoethnobotany)inOntarioandJapaninthe1970sandearly1980sandhelpedstartpalaeoethnobotanicalresearchinNorthChinainthelate1990s.The
flotationdevicehedesignedisinusethroughoutJapanandChina.HiscurrentresearchfocusesonpeopleandplantinteractionsandagriculturaloriginsinOntarioandEastAsiaandhowancientpeopleinteractedwiththeenvironmentinwhichtheylived.Hehaspublishedtwotextbooks,amonographonJapanesearchaeology,hostedatelevisionseriesonarchaeologyforTVOntario,andhaspublishedwidelyinjournalssuchasAntiquity,PLOSOne,PNAS,CurrentAnthropology,AmericanAntiquity,andTheHolocene.Inadditiontohisscholarlywork,Prof.CrawfordhasservedontheboardoftheOntarioHeritageFoundationandspentnearlytwodecadesservingtheuniversitycommunityastheChairoftwodepartments(atdifferenttimes),AssociateDeanofSocialSciencesatUTM,andinanActingcapacityinseveralotheradministrativepositions.HeiscurrentlyservingasanelectedmemberoftheAcademicBoardoftheGoverningCounciloftheUniversityofToronto.
Abstract
TheYuezhuangsiteisoneofabout16HouliCulturesettlementsinShandongProvince,Chinaanddatestoca.8000–7500cal.BP.ShandongUniversityhasexcavatedtwootherHouliculturesitesareinJinancity,includingXiheandZhangmatunfromwhichplantremainshavealsobeencollected.Palaeoethnobotanicalresearchdocumentshuman–environmentinteractionandthelocalsubsistenceeconomysoonaftertheinitiationoffoodproductionintheregion.ThiseconomysupportedasizeablecommunitythatoccupiedakilometerstretchoffloodplainalongsouthbankoftheNandashaRiver.Sofar,thearchaeologicalevidenceconsistsofpitsandditches,animalbone,potteryandstonetoolsbutnodwellings.TheearliestHouliCulturepresencedatestoabout9000BPatZhangmatun.Earlierdates(ca.10,000BP)havebeenreportedfromothersites,buttheyappeartobeoutliers.Oneofthequestionsourresearchaddressedwas:“wherealongthetrajectorybetweenhunting-gatheringandagriculturedidtheHouliCultureeconomysit?”Inotherwords,towhatextenthadtheYuezhuangpopulationdevelopedafoodproductionniche?Inordertodoso,charredseedsfromavarietyofplanttaxawererecoveredbyflotationofsedimentfrompitsandculturalstrata.About30%oftheseedassemblageiscrops:rice(Oryzasativa),broomcorn/commonmillet(Panicummiliaceum),andfoxtailmillet(Setariaitalicasubsp.italica).Severalotherplantssuchassoybean(Glycinemaxsubsp.maxorG.maxsubsp.soja),perilla(Perillasp.),andchenopod(Chenopodiumsp.)thatarealsocultivatedinEastAsiaarealsopartoftheassemblage.Itisnotclearwhethertheywerecultivated,butwecannotruleoutthepossibility.ThisproportionissimilartoLateNeolithicplantremainsassemblagesinthearea.Mostoftheotherplanttaxaarefromopen,sunlit,andanthropogenic,disruptedhabitats,similartothosedocumentedforthelateNeolithicLongshanCultureinShandongProvince.Afewarboreal(woody)plantsappearintheEarlyNeolithicarchaeologicalrecordofShandong.Anthropogenichabitatsandtheirformation,maintenanceanduse,wetlandexploitation,cultivation,hunting–gathering–fishing,andanimalmanagementcharacterizethemature(late)HouliCultureniche.AlthoughnotidenticaltoLateNeolithicassemblages,itisquitesimilar,indicatingthattheLateHouliculturewassubstantiallyinvestedinresourcemanagementandfoodproduction.TheHoulipresenceonthelandscapealsofacilitatednewecologicalopportunitiesforplantandanimalpopulations,someofwhichwouldeventuallybecomeeconomicallyimportant.
Jade d’Alpoim Guedes Washington State University
Presentation Title
MovingAgricultureontotheRoofoftheWorld:WhatComputationalModelingTellsUsAboutForager/FarmerInteractionsontheTibetanPlateau
Bio Jaded’AlpoimGuedesisanassistantprofessorofAnthropologyatWashingtonStateUniversity.Sheisapaleoethnobotanistandcomputationalmodellerwhostudieshowhumansadaptedtheirforagingpracticesandagriculturalstrategiestonewenvironments.JadeearnedherPhDatHarvardUniversityin2013andcarriedoutapostdoctoralfellowshipinEarthPlanetarySciencewhereshedevelopedcomputationalmodelsthatchartedthespreadofagriculturetoSouthwestChinaandtheTibetanPlateau.ShedirectsthepaleoethnobotanylaboratoryatWashingtonStateUniversitywhereshehasanalyzedmaterialfromawidevarietyofcontextsacrossChina,SoutheastAsia,HarappaandthePacificNorthwest.ShecurrentlydirectsanNSFfundedinterdisciplinaryfieldworkprojectintheJiuzhaigouNationalParkthatusesacombinationofcomputationalmodeling,ancientclimatereconstructionandgeomorphologytocharthowhumansadaptedtheirlifestylestothechallengingenvironmentofthefoothillsoftheHimalayas.Thisprojectalsoinvolvesexperimentalresearchandfieldtrialsofcroplandracesaimedatimprovingthemodelsusedtounderstandancientcropdistributionandtheirresistancetoclimatechange.
Abstract
Researchonagriculture'sspreadinEastAsiahasfollowedanunderlyingassumption:thatfarmingproducedequallyreliablereturnsacrossthevastexpanseofterritoriesintowhichitspreadandalwaysplacedfarmersatademographicadvantage.SignificantecologicalbarrierstogrowingcropsontheTibetanPlateaumeantthattheoppositewastrue.Usingecologicalnichemodelingtoilluminatehowforagersandfarmersinteractedinenvironmentsmarginaltocropcultivation,thispaperdemonstratesthatthehigherelevationreachesofthe“thirdpole”constitutedabarrierforexpandingmilletfarmers.Intheseareasforagersmaintainedacompetitiveadvantage.Followingtheendoftheclimaticoptimum,decreasingtemperatureseffectivelyendedmilletfarmer’sexpansion.ItwasonlyfollowingtheintroductionofasuiteofnewcropsandanimalsthattheTibetaneconomyasweknowittodaywasabletoflourish,butalsothatpastoralistsandfarmersfinallybegantotrulyencroachonforagerterritory.
Richard Fullagar University of Wollongong
Presentation Title
Stonetoolfunction,plantexploitationandforaginghistoriesinAsiaandAustralia
Bio RichardFullagarisemployedasaProfessorialResearchFellowintheCentreforArchaeologicalScience,UniversityofWollongong,Australia,andisalsodirectorofanarchaeologicalcompany.HepreviouslyheldresearchpositionsattheAustralianMuseumandtheUniversityofSydneyandhasextensivefieldexperience.Hepioneeredresearchintoresiduesandusewearonstonetoolsandcurrentprojectsincludeanalysisofstone
toolsfromDenisovaCave(Siberia,Russia),LiangBuaCaveandSoaBasin(Flores,Indonesia)andanearlybonebreakagesite(California,USA).Recentpublicationsincludestudiesofexperimentalmethodologies,earlyagricultureintheNewGuineaHighlands,theoldestAustralianoccupationsite(Madjedbebe)andPleistocenegrindingstonesfromLakeMungo(southeasternAustralia).
Abstract
In2009,Denhametal.(Quat.Int.202:29–40)publishedareviewofarchaeobotanicalevidencefromAustraliaandNewGuinea.WeaimedtounderstandmodernhumancolonizationoftheAsian-Australianregionandhowgeneralistpracticesandpatternsofbehaviourbecamemoreregionallydistinct.WedocumentedsophisticatedplantexploitationpracticesinthePleistocene,andHolocenecomplexities,withtransitionstoagricultureemerginginonlysomelocations.Itistimelytoreviewagainthesedatainthelightofnewarchaeologicalfindsfromtheregion,newmethodsofanalysisandrevisedageestimatesformodernhumans(e.g.atMadjedbebe,northernAustralia,by65ka,andatLiangBua,Indonesia,by50ka).TheearliestevidenceofoccupationinAustraliashowsplantexploitation,grindingtechnologiesincludingedge-groundhatchets,bifaciallyretouchedtoolsandevidenceofartwithhaematitecrayons.DatafromMadjedbebeconfirmevidenceforearlyseedgrinding,tuberprocessingandnutexploitation.PolishedflaketoolsfromLiangBuaindicatearangeofplantprocessingforatleastthepast30kyr.ThemodelhasimplicationsforanalyzingtheChinesestoneartifactrecord,whichpotentiallyprovidesamuchlongerrecordofmodernhumanplantexploitation.
Wei Ge Xiamen University
Presentation Title
UpdatedCluesfortheSpreadingofAgricultureinSEChina:Multi-disciplinaryEvidences
Bio GeWeiisanassociateprofessoratXiamenUniversity.HeisalsothelabdirectorforAnthropologyandArchaeologyfortheSchoolofhumanities.HereceivedhisPh.D.fromtheUniversityofScienceandTechnologyofChinaforthedissertationontheApplicationofStarchAnalysisinChineseArchaeologyinJune2010.Dr.Ge’sresearchworknowmainlyfocusesonthereconstructingofsubsistenceeconomyofprehistoricSEChina,bycombiningmultipleevidencesfrombotanicalremainsandisotopicanalysisofanimalbones.
Abstract
ToinvestigatethedevelopmentofprehistoryagricultureofSEChina,weconductedmulti-disciplinarystudiesinFujianProvince.Researchesonmicro-botanicalremainsfromQihedongcavesiteindicatingatraditionoftuberusefromlatePleistocenetohistoricalperiod,whichcouldbethereasonforlackofgrassagricultureinSEChina.CarbonizedseedsfoundfromHulushanlateNeolithicsiteprovedtheagricultureofriceandmilletof4000BP.StableisotopeanalysesofhumanandpigbonesfromTanshishan,PingfengshanandHuangguashancoastalshellmiddensitessuggesttheexistingofricecultivationof5000BPandmilletcultivationof3700-3500BP.Thesefindingsprovidenewinformationforthespreadingofprehistoryagricultureinthisarea.
Lisa Kealhofer Santa Clara University
Presentation Title
AgricultureandPoliticalEconomy:GordionintheLongueDurée
Bio LisaKealhoferisaProfessorintheAnthropologyandEnvironmentalStudiesandSciencesDepartmentsatSantaClaraUniversity.ShereceivedherPh.D.inAnthropologyfromtheUniversityofPennsylvania.HerresearchareasincludeAnatoliaandSoutheastAsia,whereshefocusesonproductionandexchange(ceramics),landuse,environmentalchange,andpracticesofpower.CurrentprojectsincludethestudyofpoliticallandscapesinAnatoliaandinSoutheastAsia,aswellascollaborationsinthewesternPacific.
Abstract Archaeologistshavelongarguedthatagriculturalstrategies,particularly‘intensification,’areamajorfactorindestabilizingenvironments.Narrativesofsocietalcollapsestandardlypointtoacomponentofenvironmentaldegradationindiscussionsofpoliticalbreakdown.RecentworkintheGordionregion,centralAnatolia,demonstratesthatmajorenvironmentalchangeisweaklyconnectedtosimplemeasuresofagriculturalintensificationoverthelast5000years.Detailedstreamhistories,coupledwithsettlementintensitymeasuresfromsurveydata,showthatmajorenvironmentalchangespredatesignificantsettlementinsmallwatersheds,whileinthelargestsystemstheypost-datehighintensitysettlement.Soil,slope,climate,andmanagementstrategiesmatterforlandscapeoutcomes.Integratedevidenceoflongtermpatternsinagriculturalstrategies,settlementchanges,andsoilerosionintheregionshowsthatenvironmentaltippingpointsarecomplexlyrelatedtothetimingofpoliticalcentralization.
Amanda G. Henry Leiden University, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Presentation Title
InterpretationsofStarchGrainRecordsforDietaryTransitionsMustAccountforTaphonomy,Contamination,MethodsVariabilityandReferenceMaterials
Bio
AmandaG.HenryisanassociateprofessorintheFacultyofArchaeologyatLeidenUniversity,wheresheisstudyingtheroleofplantfoodsinhumanevolution,andhowabehavioralecologyframeworkcanhelpusunderstandtheforagingchoicesmadebyourhomininancestors.
Abstract
Analysesofstarchgrainspreservedonarchaeologicalmaterialssuchaspottery,grindstones,anddentalcalculuscanelucidateshiftsinhumandietarytransitions,suchastheoriginandspreadofagriculture.Theappearanceofstarchesfromplantsinregionsoutsideoftheirnativehabitats,andthepotentialforshiftsinstarchmorphologyduetodomesticationbothwouldbemarkersforearlyuseofdomesticatedfoods.However,thestarchrecordincludesalargenumberofpossibleproblems.Starchgrainsarecommoninmodernlandscapesandlaboratories,makingmoderncontaminationextremelylikely.Starchesareremovedfromthearchaeologicalrecordduetobacterialaction,hightemperatures,wateraction,extremesofpHandotherfactors,andthesefactorsmaydifferentiallyeffectvariousplanttaxa,furtherbiasingtherecord.Manyofthemethodsusedtoisolatestarchesfromarchaeologicalsamplesaremoreeffectiveoncertainstarchtypes,andareknowntobiasagainstdamagedstarches.Finally,theconfidentidentificationofancientstarchesreliesonhavinganextremelythoroughreferencecollectionthatincludesnotonlytheplantsofinterest,butalsoalargenumberofclosely-anddistantly-relatedtaxafromthesameregion.Anyattempttousestarchestodocumentdomesticationmustfirstaddresstheseissues.
Gyoung-Ah Lee University of Oregon
Presentation Title
ReconstructingprehistoricplantresourceintheKoreanPeninsulaintheHoloceneenvironment:comparingmacroscopicandmicroscopicplantRemains
Bio Lee’sresearchfocusistheoriginsofagriculture,culturallandscape,andhuman-environmentalinteractioninEastAsia.ShehasbeenconductinginterdisciplinaryprojectsintheYellowRivervalleyofnorthcentralChina,theborderregionbetweenChinaandKorea,andsouthernKorea.Recently,shestartedanislandarchaeologyprojectinJejuwiththeNationalGeographicsupporttounderstandpeoplingandculturalconnectionsovertheoceans,islandadaptation,andoriginsofpotteryandfarminginAsia.
Abstract
Chulmunculture,documentedbyover870sitesacrosstheKoreanPeninsula,presentsalong-standingNeolithicculturalnicheconstructionfromtheearlyHolocene.Thispresentationwilloverviewenvironmentalchangesandconcurrentsocio-economicshiftsfromthePleistocene-HolocenetransitiontotheendofHoloceneOptimumperiod.IncreasingevidenceonearlyplantmanagementindicatesChulmuneconomywasnotassimpleasusedtobethought.Dataonmacroscopicandmicroscopicplantresourceusewillbecomparedwithchangingsettlementpatternsandlandscapechoice.Departingfromaone-wayloopframeworkofenvironmentalimpactsandculturalconsequence,thisresearchwillillustratetheChulmuneconomicprogressinalong-termevolutionaryperspective.
Xinyi Liu Washington University in St. Louis
Presentation Title
BetweenFertileCrescents:Trans-EurasianExchangeofCerealCrops
Bio XinyiLiuisanassistantprofessorofanthropologicalarchaeologyatWashingtonUniversityinSt.Louis.HeisthedirectortheLaboratoryfortheAnalysisofEarlyFood-webs(LAEF).LiupreviouslytaughtandworkedattheUniversityofCambridgeuponhemovedtoWashingtonUniversityin2014.HewaseducatedinChinaandUK,andobtainedhisPhDin2010atUniversityofCambridge.Liu’smainresearchinterestslayinsubjectssuchastheoriginsoffoodproduction,dispersalofagriculture,andtheprehistoryofChina.
Abstract Muchhascometolightaboutthetimingandthepathwaysoffoodglobalizationinprehistory,pathwayswhichrangewidelyinaltitudeaswellasincontinentally.Oneissueincomprehendingthesemovementsistounderstandtheearlyhumanmovementsthatcarriedthem.Asecondissueistheirpersistenceoftheseagriculturalresourcesinnovelhabitatsandthenecessaryadaptiveresponses,andthenewpossibilitiesofworkingwithexoticplants.
Li Liu Stanford University
Presentation Title
HarvestingandProcessingWildMilletintheUpperPaleolithicYellowRiverValley,China:Apathwaytodomestication
Bio LiLiuistheSirRobertHoTungProfessorinChineseArchaeologyintheDepartmentofEastAsianLanguagesandCulturesatStanfordUniversitysince2010.PreviouslyshetaughtarchaeologyatLaTrobeUniversityinMelbourne,Australia,for14yearsandwaselectedasFellowofAcademyofHumanitiesinAustralia.ShehasaBAinHistory(ArchaeologyMajor)fromNorthwestUniversityinChina,anMAinAnthropologyfromTempleUniversityinPhiladelphia,andaPhDinAnthropologyfromHarvardUniversity.HerresearchinterestsincludearchaeologyofearlyChina(NeolithicandBronzeAge);ritualpracticeinancientChina;culturalinteractionbetweenChinaandotherpartsoftheOldWorld;domesticationofplantsandanimalsinChina;developmentofcomplexsocietiesandstateformation;settlementarchaeology;urbanism;starchgrainanalysis;andlithicusewearanalysis.
Abstract
ThereconstructionofalonghistoryofplantexploitationatShizitanLocality29revealedtheinitialstageofwildmilletexploitationinthemiddleYellowRiverregion.ResiduesanduseweartracesoncuttingtoolsandgrindingstonesindicatethatPaleolithichunter-gatherersbegantoharvestandprocesswildcereals(TriticeaeandJob’stears)some28,000yearsago.Theybegantoharvestwildmilletsaround24,000yearsagoattheonsetofLastGlacialMaximum,whichwasabout14,000yearsbeforethemorphologicallydomesticatedmilletsoccurredintheearlyHoloceneinChina.TheintensifiedexploitationofwildmilletsduringtheLGMmayhavebeenapartofnewsubsistencestrategyinresponsetothecold-dryconditionswithanexpansionofthesteppeecosystem.Thislongprocessofwildcerealcollectionindicatesthattheearlystageofpredomesticationcultivationofmilletmayhavebeeninitiatedbythehunter-gatherersonthispartofChina.
Houyuan Lu Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Presentation Title
TimingofShangshanCultureandtheProcessofRiceDomestication
Bio
Dr.HouyuanLuisaprofessorinInstituteofGeologyandGeophysics,ChineseAcademyofSciences.Hisresearchfocusesonthepollenandphytolith,thecharacterofprehistorichumanadaptations,includingagriculturaloriginsandthequantitativereconstructionof
palaeoclimaticalhistoryineastAsia.Hehasmorethan150publicationsinvariousjournalsinthefield,includingNatureandPNAS.HeisthepanelmemberofPalynology,PalynologyAssociationofChina,TheChinaSocietyonTibetPlateau,andChineseAssociationforQuaternaryResearch.Healsoservicedastheassociateeditor-in-chiefofQuaternarySciences.
Abstract
Phytolithremainsofrice(Oryzasativa)recoveredfromtheShangshansiteintheLowerYangtzeofChinahavepreviouslybeenrecognizedastheearliestexampleofricecultivation.However,duetothepoorpreservationofmacro-plantfossils,manyradiocarbondateswerederivedfromundifferentiatedorganicmaterialsinpotterysherds.Thesematerialsremainasourceofdebatebecauseofpotentialcontaminationbyoldcarbon.Directdatingofthericeremainsmightservetoclarifytheirage.Here,wefirstvalidatethereliabilityofphytolithdatinginthestudyregionthroughacomparisonwithdatesobtainedfromothermaterialfromthesamelayerorcontext.OurphytolithdataindicatethatriceremainsretrievedfromearlystagesoftheShangshanandHehuashansiteshaveagesofca.9400andca.9000calyrBP,respectively.Thericebulliformphytolithsindicatetheyareclosertomoderndomesticatedspecies,suggestingthatricedomesticationmayhavebegunatShangshannearly10,000yearsago.Theevidencealsoindicatesthatbarnyardgrass(Echinochloaspp.)wasamajorsubsistenceresource,alongsidesmallerquantitiesofacorn(Lithocarpus/Quercussensulato)andwaterchestnuts(Trapa).Theearlymanagedwetlandenvironmentsmightbeinitiallyharvestedformultiplegrainspeciesincludingbarnyardgrassesandrice.
Linda Perry Presentation Title
ChiliPeppersintheAmericas:TracingDomestication
Bio
Dr.LindaPerryisaFulbrightSeniorSpecialistinarchaeobotanyandaformerSmithsonianFellow,ResearchCollaborator,andResearchAssociate.Shehasbeenworkingwitharchaeobotanicalsamplesfornearlytwentyyears,andhastaughtinthefieldsofbiology,botany,environmentalscience,archaeologyandanthropology.Linda’sworkincorporatesarchaeobotanicalanalysesintoancientcontextstogaininsightintothebehavior,organization,anddevelopmentofpastsocieties.Tostudythesesubjectssheemploysmanymethodsincludingmicrofossilanalysesofbothartifactsandsediments,macrobotanicalanalysis,andwoodidentification.
Abstract
Chilipeppers(Capsicumspp.)arearguablythemostwidelycultivatedfoodplantsthatoriginatedintheAmericas.OnlyfivehundredyearsaftertheintroductionofpeppersintoEurope,thespicyfruitshavebeenincorporatedintocuisinesworldwide.Despitewidespreadinterestinchilipeppers,acombinationoffactorsincludingthenumbersofspeciesinvolved(atleastfive)andthenatureofthearchaeobotanicalrecordhavenotallowedforacomprehensiveunderstandingofthehistoriesoftheseimportantspiceplants.
Thisproblemcannowbeovercomeduetoourincreasingunderstandingofagenus-specificstarchmicrofossilthatallowsustoidentifychilipeppersfrommostarchaeologicalcontexts.Wewillalsobeabletousethismicrofossiltotraceboththedomesticationanddispersalofchilies.Starchmicrofossilsfromchilipeppershavebeenfoundatsevensitesdatingfrom6000yearsbeforepresenttoEuropeancontactandrangingfromtheBahamastosouthernPeru.ThestarchgrainassemblagesfromthesesitesalsodemonstratethatmaizeandchiliesoccurredtogetherasanancientandwidespreadNeotropicalplantfoodcomplexthatpredatespotteryinsomeregions.
Maureece Levin Stanford University
Presentation Title
Agroforestry,Migrations,andHumanNicheConstructioninCentral-EasternMicronesia
Bio
MaureeceLevinisapostdoctoralscholarattheStanfordArchaeologyCenter.Herresearchinterestscenteronpastfoodproductionsystems,historicalecology,andhumannicheconstructioninthePacificIslandsandinEastAsia.Sheisapaleoethnobotanistwhoemploysphytoliths,starch,andplantmacroremainanalysisinherwork,aswellasethnoarchaeology.
LevincompletedherPh.D.attheUniversityofOregonin2015,whereshestudiedmanagedagroforestsinPohnpei,Micronesiausinglandscapesurvey,andancientandmodernbotanicaldata.HercurrentworkincludesongoingprojectsonPohnpeiandPingelapislandsinMicronesia,aswellascollaborativeworkatStanfordonplantmicroremainsfromPaleolithicandNeolithicsitesinnortheastChina.
Abstract
Theislandsofcentral-easternMicronesiawereoriginallysettledabouttwomillenniaagobydescendantsofLapitapeoples.Modernlandscapesintheregionaretheresultofintenseecologicalengineeringbytheinitialsettlersandtheirdescendants;thisprocesswasfacilitatedbythetransportofwesternPacificcultigenstotheregion.UsingacasestudyfromthehighislandofPohnpei,thispresentationappliesthetheoryofculturalnicheconstructiontounderstandingthefeedbackbetweenfoodproduction-relatedecologicalengineeringandthesocialandphysicalenvironmentinthisregion.Phytolith,plantmacroremain,andsurveydatashowthatPohnpeianshaveengagedinintensivelandscapemanagementtodeveloplandscapesamenabletotreeandrootcropproduction.Additionally,peoplewerelikelyabletosettlethemoreremoteandecologicallyimpoverishedcoralislandsinthecentral-easternMicronesianregionbyengaginginsimilarpractices.
Arlene M. Rosen University of Texas at Austin
Presentation Title
RefashioningChina’sNature:MicrobotanicalEvidenceforthespreadofEarlyNeolithicAgriculturetotheLoessPlateauanditsImpactonMiddleHoloceneLandscapes
Bio ArleneRosenisaProfessorofEnvironmentalArchaeologyandGeoarchaeologyintheDepartmentofAnthropologyattheUniversityofTexasatAustin.SheisworkingonhumanenvironmentalrelationsduringlaterprehistoryandinearlycomplexsocietiesintheLevant,China,andMongolia.SheistheauthorofCivilizingClimate:SocialResponsestoClimateChangeintheAncientNearEast(2007:AltamiraPress),andnumerousjournalarticlesdealingwithissuesofhumanadaptationstoclimatechange,earlyagriculturalcommunities,andhumanimpactontheenvironment,publishedinissuesofPNAS,CurrentAnthropology,TheHolocene,JournalofAnthropologicalArchaeology,QuaternaryResearch,NatureandCultureamongothers.SherecentlyorganizedaninternationalworkshopentitledTheAnthropoceneintheLongueDuréewhichhassincebeenpublishedasaspecialissueofTheHolocenein2015.
Abstract
Mostofourinsightsaboutthespreadofearlycultivationfromcenterswherewildprogenitorsofcropsoriginatedtothehinterlands,comefromon-sitedatafromsuchcontextsasashpits,middens,hearthsandmillingstones.ThereismuchtobelearnedaswellfromexaminingcontextsattheinterfacebetweentheperipheriesofarchaeologicalsitesandthenaturallandscapesthatwerecontemporarywithNeolithicsitesinthesehinterlands.Geoarchaeological,phytolith,andstarchstudiesoflandscapesimmediatelyadjacenttoarchaeologicalsitesdistantfromtheheartland,cancontributeinformationonthedirectimpactofincipientcultivationandsubsequentintensificationoftheseearlycrops.Thisdirectconnectionallowsustounderstandaspectsofeconomicdecision-making,andcultivationstrategiesoftheearliestcultivators,andhowtheseaffectedlocalsitecatchments.
TheoriginandspreadofthefirstfarmingcommunitiesontotheLoessPlateauofnorthernChinaprovidesagoodexampleofthis.PreviouslypublishedsedimentprofilesalongtheLiujianStream,immediatelyadjacenttothesiteofHuizuiintheYiluoRiverBasin,providedevidenceforhumanland-usebeginningwiththeearlyMid-Holocenedepositswhichareconsistentwithstablehillslopesoils,indicatingthatthefirstmixedforager-milletfarmersofthePeiligangNeolithichadaverylightecologicalfootprintonthelandscape.ThisisincontrasttothelatermiddleNeolithicYangshaoPeriodfarmers.Sediments,phytolithsandstarchesfromtheYangshaoPeriodrevealedevidencefortheearliestNeolithicpaddyfarmingwelloutsideofthenaturalhabitatofwildrice.Inadditiontoevidenceformassivedeforestationandsoilerosion,a15mdeepalluvialsequencecontainingsetsofgravels(beginningca.7200calBP)andgleyedsoilsdatingfromca.6600calBP,containedricephytolithsandarchaeologicalwastesuggestingmanuring.Thesesignsofintensivelandscapemanagementwenthand-in-handwithrapidlyincreasingsocialcomplexityfromtheearliesttolatestNeolithicperiodsinnorthernChina(Rosenetal.inpress).AnewgeoarchaeologicalsectionfurtherdownstreamontheLiujianstream,providessediment,starch,andmicrobotanicalevidenceforearlycultivationactivitiesinthevicinitywhichgobacktoEarlyHoloceneandrecordPeiligongPeriodlanduseandcultivation.
Alison Weisskopf University College London
Presentation Title
ForagingtoFarmingintheWetTropics:ACaseStudyfromSoutheastAsia
Bio Alisonisanarchaeobotanist,currentlythephytolithspecialistonthethirdphaseoftheEarlyRiceProjectattheInstituteofArchaeology,UniversityCollegeLondon.'The
impactofintensificationanddeintensificationofAsianriceproduction:transitionsbetweenwetanddryecologies',exploringtheorigins,developmentandspreadofriceagricultureacrossAsia.ShehasworkedinEast,SoutheastandSouthAsiaonthisproject,andalsointhePacific,theEurasiansteppes,Belize,MaltaandtheUK.Hermaininterestsarehumanplantuseinprehistory,foodpathways,ethnobotanyandeconomicbotanyandtherelationshipsbetweenplantuse,tradingpatternsandsocialdevelopment.
Abstract
Distinguishingearlyfarmingfromforagingisachallenge,especiallyinthewettropics.Muchoftheplantdietisbasedontubers,leavesandfruit,whicharedifficulttofindarchaeologically.Whilegraincrops,suchasriceandmillets,arerobustandcanpreserveascharredremains,ingeneralpreservationoforganicmaterialsisoftenpoorduetosoilconditionsinmesicenvironments.Thisiswheremicroremains,suchasphytolithsandstarches,cometothefore.Ethnobotanycanalsoprovideinsightsonhowplantmaterialwasusedanddisposedof.Severalmethodshavebeendevelopedfordistinguishingcultivationsystemsusingethnography,modernanaloguesandasensitiveversusfixedphytolithmorphotypeanalysis.Howthesemethodsworkinmoretemperateenvironmentscomparedtothewettropicswillbediscussed,followedbyacasestudydiscussingresultsfromSoutheastAsiansites.
Jiajing Wang Stanford University
Presentation Title
FromFieldtoFeast:Food,Drinks,andRitualsintheShangshanCulture
Bio JiajingWangisaPh.D.studentintheDepartmentofEastAsianLanguagesandCulturesatStanfordUniversity.Herresearchinterestsincludetheoriginsofagriculture,ancientfoodprocessing,andalcoholproduction.Sheappliesstarch,phytoliths,andusewearanlaysisforherresearch.
Abstract TheLowerYangtzevalleyofChinaisrenownedastheoriginofriceagriculture.Previousresearchbasedonarchaeobotanicalanalysisandgeneticdataindicatesthattheevolutionfromwildricetodomesticricewasacontinuousprocessthatoccurredbetween11,000-6,000BP.TheShangshanculture(11,400BP–86,00)hasrevealedtheearliestevidenceofricecultivationintheregion.However,westillhavelimitedunderstandingabouthowricecultivationemerged.Thispresentationappliesasocioapproachtounderstandtheinitialplantcultivation.BasedonarecentresidueanalysisonShangshanpottery,thispresentationexploreswhat“meals”and“drinks”weremadeandtheirassociatedsocialactivities.Byintegratingplantsintothesocialorganizationofthehumanlife,thisstudyaimstodevelopanexplanatorymodeltobetterunderstandthetransitiontoagricultureintheLowerYangtze.
Xiaoyan Yang Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of
Sciences Presentation Title
HowandwhydidHunter-gatherersselectmilletstodomesticateinNorthChina?
Bio
XiaoyanYangisaProfessoratInstituteofGeographicalSciencesandNaturalResourcesResearch,ChineseAcademyofSciences.ShereceivedherPh.D.degreeinQuaternaryGeologyfromPekingUniversityin2003,focusingonenvironmentalarchaeology.Herresearchinterests
includehuman-environmentalrelationship,theoriginsanddispersalsofdryfarminginnorthChina,ricedomestication,andtheroleofsagopalmsinsouthsubtropicalChina.
Abstract
RecentmicroarchaeobotanicalevidenceindicatedthattribesofbothTriticeae(includingbarleysandwheat)andPaniceae(includingfoxtailandbroomcornmillets)wereexploitedtogetherasearlyasLateglacialperiod(LGP)inNorthChina.However,howandwhythewildprogenitorsofmilletswereselectedtodomesticatewhileTriticeaewasabandonedislessclear.Here,wedocumentthedevelopmentprocessofmillet-basedagriculturebasedonancientstarchdataderivedfromninearchaeologicalsitesdatingfrom25,000to5,500aBPinNorthChina.PuttingsuchprocessinthecontextofdramaticclimatechangefromLGPtoHoloceneOptimumindicatedthatchangesofpatternbetweentemperatureandprecipitation,andCO2concentration,coincidedwiththegrowingseasonforthePaniceaegrassesbutwereunfavorableforgrowthoftheTriticeaegrasses.Favorableclimateincreasedtheyieldstability,abundance,andavailabilityofwildprogenitorsofmillets,whichfurtherinfluencedthehunter-gatherers'selectionofPaniceaeratherthanTriticeaetodomesticate.Thisstudyshedslightontheoriginsofmillet-baseddry-landagricultureinthisregion.
Jianping Zhang Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Presentation Title
PhytolithsAnalysisfortheDiscriminationofMilletsandRelatedWildGrasses
Bio
Dr.JianpingZhangisanassociateprofessorinInstituteofGeologyandGeophysics,ChineseAcademyofSciences.Hisresearchinterestshavemainlyinvolvedinphytolithmorphologyandarchaeobotany.Herecentlyusedphytolithtodistinguishbetween
foxtailmilletsanditswildancestor,revealedtheearliestfinereedytextileinChina,andidentifieddecayedtearemainsbycalciumoxalatecrystals.HehasbeencarryingoutonarchaeobotanicalandpalaeoecologicalresearchincentralandnorthwesternChina,whichincludetheoriginanddispersalofcropsinNeolithicChina.
Abstract
Phytolithanalysisprovidesaviablemethodinidentificationofmillets,especiallywhenthesegrainsdecayedinthearchaeobotanicalcontext.Althoughthediagnosticcriteriausedtodistinguishcommonmillet(Panicummiliaceum),foxtailmillet(Setariaitalica)andgreenfoxtail(Setariaviridis)hasquicklygainedterrain,however,todate,theidentificationofmilletsandrelativewildweedshasstillbeenquestionable.ThisstudysurveystheissuesconcerninginflorescencephytolithsfromSetariaspeciesinChinaanddiscusstheproblemsrelatedtophytolithdiagnosticcriteriausedtodistinguishmillets,commonSetariagrassesandspeciesfromTrib.Paniceae.Wefoundthataccordingtothemorphologyoftheundulatedpatterns,thepresenceofpapillae,andthewidthofendingsinterdigitation,Trib.Paniceaecanbedistinguishedingenusorspecieslevel.Particularly,ΩIIIepidermallongcellsintheupperlemmaandpaleadifferentiateS.viridisfromotherSetariaspecieswith85%accuracy.ConsideringthattypicalΩIIItypeisuniquetoS.italicaandS.viridis,wecandifferentiateS.viridisfromS.italicaandothercommonSetariaspecies.ThefivediagnosticcriteriaproposedbyLuetal.(2009)inPLoSONEcanbesafelyusedtodistinguishS.italicafromP.miliaceum.
Zhijun Zhao Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Presentation Title
Barnyard-milletFarmingZoneinNortheastAsia--ArchaeobotanicalevidencefromNortheasternChina
Bio
ZhijunZhaoisaprofessorattheInstituteofArchaeology,ChineseAcademyofSocialSciences.HereceivedhisPh.D.degreeinanthropologyin1996fromtheUniversityofMissouri-ColumbiaatUSA,withadvancedworkemphasizingarchaeology,principallyinarchaeobotany.HisresearchinterestisfocusedontheoriginofChineseagricultureandeconomicbackgroundoftheformationofChinesecivilization.Thisinvolvesarangeofapproachesfromfieldworktolaboratoryexperiments.Inthepastyears,hehasparticipatedinarchaeologicalfieldworkstocarryoutflotationthatinvolvedhundredsofarchaeologicalsitesdistributedalloverChina.Zhaohaspublishedabout90publicationsincludingarticlesandarchaeologicalreports.Hisbookentitled“Paleoethnobotany–Theories,MethodsandPractice”waspublishedbyScientificPressinBeijing.
Abstract
NortheasternChinaisdescribedbyAncientChineseliteraturesasawildland,characterizedbysubsistenceofhunting/gathering.However,farmingappearedinthisregionasearlyasintheprehistorictimebasedonarchaeologicaldata.Inrecentyears,flotationworkshavebeencarriedoutinarchaeologicalsiteslocatedinthisregion.ThesitesaredatedfromNeolithictohistoricalperiods,whilemostofthembelongtothetimeofLiao/JinDynastiesinChinesehistory(AD907~1234).Alargenumberofsoilsampleswereprocessed,andatremendousamountofplantremainswererecovered.Themajorityoftheplantremainsarecrops,includingfoxtailmillet(Setariaitalica),broomcornmillet(Panicummiliaceum),barnyardmillet(Echinochloaesculenta),soybean(Glycinemax),adzukibean(Vignaangularis),buckwheat(Fagopyrumesculentum),wheat(Triticumaestivum),barley(Hordeumvulgare),hempseed(Cannabissativa),oat(Avenasativa),perilla(Perillafrutescens),andsorghum(Sorghumvulgare).Thebarnyardmilletisthemostsignificantfinding,duetonotonlytheabundancebutalsothefirstfoundinChina.ConsideringthearchaeobotanicaldatafromnorthernJapanandFarEastofRussia,IproposethatanidenticalagriculturalzoneonceexistedinNortheastAsiaaround1000yearsago,withbarnyardmilletasamarkofuniquecrop.
Stanford International Symposium Transitions from Foraging to Farming in Ancient China and Beyond:
An Archaeobotanical Perspective
April 21-23, 2017
Sponsored by: Stanford Archaeology Center
Confucius Institute, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Date/time Activities Participants PresentationTopics
April 21: Conference Day 1
9:00-9:30amMorningReception
9:30-9:40 Welcomespeech
LiLiu(StanfordArch.Center)
Session 1: Origins of Agriculture in China: New Approaches and Discoveries
Chair: Ofer Bar-Yosef
9:40-10:20 Presentations OferBar-Yosef
(HarvardUniversity)
TheOriginsofAgricultureinChina–aViewfromWesternAsia
10:20-10:50
ZhijunZhao
(InstituteofArchaeology,ChineseAcademyofSocialSciences)
Barnyard-MilletFarmingZoneinNortheastAsia–ArchaeobotanicalEvidencefromNortheasternChina
10:50-11:05Coffeebreak
11:05-11:35
Presentations XiaoyanYang(InstituteofGeographicalSciencesandNaturalResourcesResearch,ChineseAcademyofSciences)
HowandWhyDidHunter-GatherersSelectMilletstoDomesticateinNorthChina?
11:35-12:05
LiLiu(StanfordUniversity)
HarvestingandProcessingWildMilletintheUpperPaleolithicYellowRiverValley,China:APathwaytoDomestication
12:05-12:30Discussion
12:30-1:45Lunch
Session 2: Origins of Agriculture in China: New Approaches and Discoveries
Chair: Gary Crawford
1:45-2:15 Presentations GaryCrawford(UniversityofTorontoMississauga)
EarlyNeolithicPalaeoethnobotanyinShandongProvince,China:LessonsfromtheYuezhuangSite
2:15-2:45 HouyuanLu(InstituteofGeologyandGeophysics,ChineseAcademyofSciences)
TimingofShangshanCultureandtheProcessofRiceDomestication
2:45-3:15 JiajingWang(StanfordUniversity) FromFieldtoFeast:Food,Drinks,andRitualsintheShangshanCulture
3:15-3:40Coffeebreak
3:40-4:10 Presentations WeiGe(XiamenUniversity) UpdatedCluesfortheSpreadingofAgricultureinSEChina:Multi-DisciplinaryEvidences
4:10-4:40 AlisonWeisskopf(UniversityCollegeLondon)) ForagingtoFarmingintheWetTropics:ACaseStudyfromSoutheastAsia
4:40-5:05Discussion
April 22: Conference Day 2
9:00-9:30amMorningReception
Session 3: Ancient Landscapes and Ecology
Chair: Arlene Rosen
9:30-10:00 Presentations ArleneRosen(UniversityofTexasatAustin)
RefashioningChina'sNature:MicrobotanicalEvidencefortheSpreadofEarlyNeolithicAgriculturetotheLoessPlateauandItsImpactonMiddleHoloceneLandscapes
10:00-10:30
Jaded’AlpoimGuedes(WashingtonStateUniversity)
MovingAgricultureontotheRoofoftheWorld:WhatComputationalModelingTellsUsAboutForager/FarmerInteractionsontheTibetanPlateau.
10:30-11:00
MaureeceLevin(StanfordUniversity) Agroforestry,Migrations,andHumanNicheConstructioninCentral-EasternMicronesia
11:00-11:25Coffeebreak
11:25-11:55
XinyiLiu(WashingtonUniversityinSt.Louis) BetweenFertileCrescents:Trans-EurasianExchangeofCerealCrops
11:55-12:25
LisaKealhofer(SantaClaraUniversity) AgricultureandPoliticalEconomy:GordionintheLongueDurée
12:25-12:40Discussion
12:40-1:45Lunch
Session 5: Methods and Interpretation
Chair: Amanda Henry
1:45-2:15 Presentations AmandaHenry(LeidenUniversity)
InterpretationsofStarchGrainRecordsforDietaryTransitionsMustAccountforTaphonomy,Contamination,MethodsVariabilityandReferenceMaterials
2:15-2:45 JianpingZhang(InstituteofGeologyandGeophysics,ChineseAcademyofSciences)
PhytolithsAnalysisfortheDiscriminationofMilletsandRelatedWildGrasses
2:45-3:15 Gyoung-AhLee(UniversityofOregon) ReconstructingPrehistoricPlantResourceintheKoreanPeninsulaintheHoloceneEnvironment:ComparingMacroscopicandMicroscopicPlantRemains
3:15-3:40Coffeebreak
3:40-4:15 Presentations LindaPerry ChiliPeppersintheAmericas:TracingDomestication
4:15-4:145 RichardFullagar(UniversityofWollongong) StoneToolFunction,PlantExploitationandForagingHistoriesinAsiaandAustralia
5:10-5:40DiscussionandClosingRemarks