关中盆地6000～2100cal.aB.P.期间黍、粟农业的植硅体证据

PHYTOLITH EVIDENCE OF MILLET AGRICULTURE DURING ABOUT 6000～2100aB.P.IN THE GUANZHONG BASIN,CHINA

黍、粟是我国北方两种重要的旱作农作物,对中华文明起源和发展产生过重要的影响。长期以来由于受到考古样品保存及研究方法的限制,早期考古发掘报道的我国关中盆地新石器遗存的农作物多是以粟为主或粟、黍不分,统称粟类作物,缺少对该区新石器时期粟、黍农业状况的深入研究。本文利用植硅体方法,分别对现代黍、粟和水稻种子的植硅体产量以及关中盆地新石器考古样品中的植硅体进行分析。结果表明,等重量的黍、粟种子稃片的植硅体产量基本相等,其植硅体含量所反映的是黍、粟的相对产量(重量);水稻双峰型植硅体的百分含量比水稻实际含量相对偏低。关中盆地泉护、杨官寨、浒西庄、案板、王家嘴,水沟等6个考古遗址17个^(14)C年龄和47个植硅体样品分析结果显示,约6000～2100cal.aB.P.期间,关中盆地黍子的植硅体含量一直占优势(3.4%～34.5%),粟次之(0～6.2%),即使在气候相对暖湿的阶段,黍的产量仍超过粟。泉护、杨官寨、浒西庄,案板等遗址的个别样品中保存水稻植硅体。这些结果为重新认识关中地区新石器时期农业生产与社会经济形态以及与气候环境条件的关系提供了新的参考资料。

Foxtail millet （Setaria italica ）and common millet （Panicum miliaceum ）are vitally important food crops for people living in East Asia and even in the entire Eurasian continent prior to the popularity of rice and wheat. However, owing to constrained methodology in millet identification and limited archaeological samples, the history of millet cultivation in the Guanzhong Basin,North China is still problematic. In this paper, we firstly analyzed phytoliths from modern millets and rice husks（4 species respectively）to clarify the implications of crop phytolith quantity in archaeological samples by wet oxidation method （using nitric acid to oxidize organic materials completely）and dry ashing method （using high temperature baking to oxidize organic materials completely）. Then we identified millet and rice husk phytoliths from 47 archaeological samples in the Guanzhong Basin,including 18 samples from the Quanhu profile, 19 samples from the Yangguanzhai profile,and 10 pit samples from Quanhu, Yangguanzhai, Huxizhuang, Anban, Wangjiazui and Shuigou sites using a newly developed method of distinguishing common millets and foxtail millets. The analysis of modern crop husk phytoliths reveals that the same weight of common millet and foxtail millet yield almost the same amount of phytoliths. The quantity of these husk phytoliths reflects the relative production of the two millets rather than the quantity of individual grains collected by flotation. We consider that the quantity of foxtail millet grains concentrated by flotation should be divided by 3 or more to reflect substantially the relatively real production of the two millets in the archaeological samples. Moreover, the percentage of double peaked phytolith of rice husk may underestimate the actual quantity of rice. All 47 archaeological samples and 17 ^14C age data indicate that the percentage of common millet was always much higher（ 3.4% - 34.5%） than that of foxtail millet （0 - 6.2%） in ca. 6000 - 2100cal. aB. P. Even in the relative warm-wet phase, the output of common millets was still higher than that of foxtail millet. Rice may be locally cultivated in Quanhu,Yangguanzhai, Huxizhuang, and Anban sites. These results provide a new referencre for evaluating the relationship in different agricultural patterns, socio-economic modes and climate changes in the Guanzhong Basin during Neolithic epoch.