Early mixed farming of millet and rice 7800 years ago in the Middle Yellow River region, China

Abstract

The Peiligang Culture (9000-7000 cal. yr BP) in the Middle Yellow River region, North China, has long been considered representative of millet farming. It is still unclear, however, if broomcorn millet or foxtail millet was the first species domesticated during the Peiligang Culture. Furthermore, it is also unknown whether millet was cultivated singly or together with rice at the same period. In this study, phytolith analysis of samples from the Tanghu archaeological site reveals early crop information in the Middle Yellow River region, China. Our results show that broomcorn millet was the early dry farming species in the Peiligang Culture at 7800 cal. yr BP, while rice cultivation took place from 7800 to 4500 cal. yr BP. Our data provide new evidence of broomcorn millet and rice mixed farming at 7800 cal. yr BP in the Middle Yellow River region, which has implications for understanding the domestication process of the two crops, and the formation and continuance of the Ancient Yellow River Civilization.

Figure 1. Archaeological sites and related cultures mentioned in the article.

The map cited from http://maps.ngdc.noaa.gov/viewers/bathymetry/.

Figure 2. Sampling locations from the Tanghu site.

The plan positions of archaeological units is after Xin et al. (2010).

Figure 3. AMS ¹⁴C ages from the Tanghu site.

07-TH-01, 06, 08, 10, 14 collected from the profile; 07-TH-H92, H110 collected from pits H92 and H110; 07-TH-F34, F39 collected from houses F34 and F39. ¹⁴C ages made by Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, CAS, and the State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology of Peking University. CalPal was used to calibrate the data , . Dated materials are paleosoil rich in charcoal.

Figure 4. Main phytolith types from the Tanghu site.

A–c = rice bulliform; d–g = rice double peaked; h, i = phytoliths from broomcorn millet husk; j = long saddle; k = scutiform-bulliform from reed; l = common bulliform; m = Cyperus type; n = trapeziform sinuate (tooth type); o = woody phytolith.

Figure 5. Possible rice bulliforms with dissolved surface from the Tanghu site.

Figure 6. Ratio of phytolith from rice and broomcorn millet in H92 from the Tanghu site.

Figure 7. Comparison of morphological characteristics of rice bulliform in difference archaeological sites.

The data from the Majiabang, Songze, and Liangzhu Cultures obtained from Zheng et al. . The standard deviations of the references are not provided in the original paper. Phytolith portrait is after Fujiwara .