Qugou Site is the oldest Neolithic site ever found in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River.To understand the utilization of plant food resources by ancient people once lived here,as well as the functions of some stone implements,residues on the surface of 15 incomplete stone implements unearthed from the site have been collected and analyzed via means of starch grain analysis.It is found that there are 24 starch grains from 4 plant species,including millet,coix,the tribe Triticeae and the tribe Phaseoleae.The starch grains of millet are the oldest evidence for dryland farming ever found in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River.The analysis of the remains of carbonized plants shows,as early as 8,800 years ago,there was rice-millet farming in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River.The species of the starch grains on the surface of unearthed stone millstones,stone pestles and stone knives,as well as observations of the characteristics of the abrasive wear,indicate that the stone millstones and stone pestles were used to husk,crush,or grind,seeds of millet,plants of the tribe Triticeae,coix and others,and that the stone knives were probably mainly used for harvesting plants of the grass family.In this article,the results provide scientific basis for the exploration into the utilization of plant food resources by ancient people,the evolution of crop structure,the functions of stone implements in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River in the mid and late Neolithic Period.
Qugou Sitethe middle reach of the Huaihe Riverstarch grain analysisutilization of plant food resourcesfunctions of stone implements
万方数据
维普
