新疆石人子沟遗址出土双峰驼的动物考古学研究

A ZOOARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON BACTRIAN CAMEL BONES IN THE SHIRENZIGOU SITE,XINJIANG

通过研究新疆石人子沟遗址墓葬随葬坑、高台和石围居址等早期铁器时代遗迹出土的骆驼骨骼,确认随葬骆驼为双峰驼,测量骆驼牙齿及各部位骨骼、判断随葬骆驼的死亡年龄、观察骨骼表面切砍痕迹和病理现象,并利用^(14)C测年、碳氮稳定同位素和古DNA分析的方法,确定骆驼的年代、食性和种属。最后综合形体测量、病理现象、数量比例、考古现象、碳氮稳定同位素分析和古DNA分析结果,判断双峰驼是家养动物,还探讨了古代人类开发利用家养骆驼的方式。这样全方位地对考古遗址出土的骆驼骨骼进行研究,在中国骆驼研究史上尚属首次。

The Shirenzigou site（43°31 ＇12.8＂-43°34＇28.9＂N ,93° 13＇44. 8＂- 93° 16°49. 1＂E ） is located on the southern slope of the eastern Tianshan Mountains, Shirenzi village, Barkol County, Hami region, Xinjiang Province, and contains remains of early Iron Age nomadic peoples. A high stone building,five stone houses and 12 tombs were found between June to July of 2006, and June to July of 2007. Many animal bones were also discovered including those of sheep, goat,horse, cattle, camel, and deer. A complete camel skeleton was found in a burial pit M12, and fragmentary camel skeletons were found in the high stone building and two of the houses. Based on morphological comparisons,the complete camel in M12 is a Bactrian camel,whose distal articulation of the first phalange is different from that of dromedary camels. The NISP and MNI for the buried camel are 158 and 1 respectively; those of the high building and houses are 5 and 1 respectively. For the complete buried camel, a large part of the skeleton remains except for the pelvis, femur, and most of the tibia. Its age at death is close to 7 8 years based on fusion stage of the vertebrae. All permanent teeth have erupted,but there is currently no way to link camel tooth abrasion stages to age at death. Cut marks were found on the second lumbar vertebra and the left tibia,while pathological phenomena were found on the 11＇h and 12th thoracic vertebrae, and possibly the third phalange. The sizes of teeth and other complete bones were also measured. Radiocarbon dating, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis, and ancient DNA analysis were applied to resolve questions about the date,diet and the species of the two camel individuals：the one from M12 and the one from the high building. The camel in M12 dates to 360-170 BC. The camel from the high building dates to 200- 50 BC. Stable isotopic analysis of the M12 camel reveals that the δ^13C level is - 16.80%0 and the N level is 9.99%. For the camel bones in the high building the δ^13C level is - 18.48%0 and the δ^15N level is 9.95%0. DNA analysis shows that both are domestic Bactrian camels. According to the multiple methods employed for identifying domestic animals including morphological measurements, description of pathology, archaeological context, and the results of DNA analysis,we conclude that the camel at Shirenzigou is a domesticated animal. We also discuss the exploitation of camels including their roles as a source of food,a source of work power, and as funerary symbols. This research represents the first comprehensive study of camel skeletons from a Chinese archaeological site using zooarehaeological methods, radiocarbon dating, stable isotope analysis,and ancient DNA analysis.