Archaeobotanic Research For Prehistoric Subsistance Of Beiqian Site

Beiqian site is an important prehistoric shell midden site in the south of Jiaodong Peninsula. The prehistoric remains continue from the Late Beixin culture to early Dawenkou culture. In this paper, we mainly use various archaeobotanic methods, conducting systematic sampling and flotation in the site, and then obtain abundant plant remains including charcoal and carbonized seeds, fruits. Based on the identification and quantitative statistical analysis, we have got a preliminary understanding on the prehistoric agriculture development level and plant utilization in Beiqian settlement. Combined with animal remains and bone isotope analysis results in this site and related studies in other sites of Jiaodong Peninsula in the same period, my dissertation makes a preliminary analysis on the prehistoric subsistence strategy of Jiaodong Peninsula.The flotation results are composed of a wide variety of carbonized seeds and fruits. Crops includes broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.), foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.)and rice(Oryza sativa L.)(rice may arise in the late period); weed seeds covers panicoideae (e.g. Panicum sp., Setaria sp., Digitaria sp., Echinochloa sp.), Eleusine indica, Glycine soja L., Melilotus sp., Chenopodium sp., Amaranthus sp., Portulaca sp., Polygonum sp., Cyperaceae, Compositae, Lamiaceae, Rubiaceae and etc.; fruits contains drupes (e.g. Prunus sp., Rhamnaceae), berries (e.g. Physalis sp., Vitis sp., Actinidia sp.), nuts (e.g. Quercus); and other kinds of carbonized plant remains such as tubers, stems, buds, and unknowns.The quantitative statistics shows the number of crops is significantly higher than that of the non-crop plants. Among the crops, broomcorn millet has an absolute advantage, with few foxtail millet, that’s to say, the dry farming planting pattern of the settlement consisted of mainly broomcorn millet and foxtail millet in the second. Through comparing systematic measurements of the unearthed carbonized broomcorn millet, it’s found that broomcorn millet of the early Dawenkou culture in Beiqian had been cultivated maturely and stably. Moreover, we uncovered millets in large quantity and widespread, which shows clearly its significance in the daily life, and the concentrate finding in the postholes and pits indicates the possibility of ritual function. In addition, the proportion of foxtail millet and broomcorn millet rose gradually from the early to the late phase, especially the ancestors might start to plant rice in the late phase of the early Dawenkou culture. In all, agriculture in Beiqian had developed greatly in the early Dawenkou culture and improved gradually from the early to the late period.Based on the analysis of other plant remains, we insist that the plant food at that time mainly were food crops such as broomcorn millet, and other sources such as nuts, fruits and edible herbs. These plants also could be used as animal feed or for medical purpose and so on.Combined with animal identification and the isotope analysis results of the human bones, it’s concluded that the subsistence strategy of the prehistoric Beiqian ancestors is consisted mainly of marine fishing, planting millets in the second place, keeping livestock and little hunting-gathering. The formation of this model involves the geographical location and productive force factors at that time. The food production of Beiqian is of comparatively low level, even if had a certain domesticated crops. This subsistence strategy is a miniature and representative of the shell midden along Jiaodong peninsula at that period.This is the first time to conduct systemically archaeobotanic research in Jiaodong peninsula, therefore, the result can not only provide tangible evidence for the prehistoric farming, but also enrich important materials for the quantitative analyzing the subsistence strategy in this area.