牙齿残留物反映的闽西新石器时代人类食谱

Neolithic human diet revealed by the dental residues in West Fujian

本项目对福建闽西地区奇和洞与南山两处新石器时代遗址出土古人类牙齿进行了表面残留物提取与鉴定,通过对其中淀粉粒残留物的种类与数量对比,讨论了全新世初期至中期闽西地区古人类对植物资源的利用方式。这些古人类牙齿表面包含四大类形态不同的淀粉粒:1)多面体形;2)圆形或椭圆形;3)圆锥形;4)水滴形。这些淀粉粒分别代表了禾本科植物种子、植物地下根茎部分和疑似的坚果类,这些都是古人类容易获得的野生食物资源,在新石器时代古人类的饮食中占据着重要的地位。

Both of the Nanshan and the Qihedong are Neolithic sites in western Fujian Province of Southeast China,from which human remains were discovered with cultural remains such as lithic artifacts,bone artifacts,potteries and the like.Human teeth from these two sites were processed for plant residues extraction in the Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences.Based on their morphological attributes,the plant starch grains identified could be classified into four types:1)polyhedral grain;2)oval or rounded grain;3)coniform grain;and 4)water drop-shaped grain.These grains are considered to be from seeds of Poaceae plants,roots and tubers,and probably nuts.Based on the starch evidence,a transitional subsistence strategy from early to middle Holocene is discussed.Although early cultivation had already emerged in this area,wild plant food still played a very important role in the daily diet.