大同地区北魏时期居民食物结构的转变

Transition of human diets in Datong area, Shanxi, during Northern Wei Dynasty

大同处于山西省北部大同盆地的中心,'西界黄河,北控大漠,东连倒马、紫荆之关,南据雁门、宁武之险',是首都之门户,三晋之屏藩,中原之保障,被誉为'北方锁钥'[1]。鉴于此,大同地区自古就被长城内、外不同的人群所青睐,在多民族的融合和发展过程中发挥着重要的作用,在北魏时期尤为特殊和重要。春秋时期大同地区为北狄(林胡、楼烦)所居,战国时期赵武灵王在此'置云中、雁门、代郡',秦因之不改[1]。

Here we present carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio results from human(n=79)from the Northern Wei Dynasty cemetery in Dongxin Square,Yuchang Jiayuan,and Huayu Square,Datong,Shanxi Province,China.Theδ13C(-10.9±2.6‰,n=63)andδ15N(9.7±1.2‰,n=63)results show a mixture of C3 and C4 diets with the consumption of significant amounts of protein from animals.Individuals consuming C3 diets had lives centered on grazing and/or hunting whereas the individuals consuming C4 diets made their living mainly by millet farming and the animal husbandry of domestic animals.Both C3 and C4 diets in Dongxin Square cemetery,and almost only C4 diets in Yuchang Jiayuan cemetery and Huayu Square Datong cemetery suggest that there was a transition of human diets and subsistence economy in Datong area,Shanxi,from early Northern Wei Dynasty to middle and late Northern Wei Dynasty,i.e.,millet based agriculture became more and more important during this period.