安徽定远侯家寨遗址二期植物性食物资源利用的淀粉粒证据

Starch grain evidence of utilizing plant in phase Ⅱ of the Houjiazhai site in Dingyuan County, Anhui Province

淮河中游地区位于中国中东部地理、气候、文化的过渡地带,同时也是新石器时代北方旱作农业与南方稻作农业分布的交错地带。现有植物考古资料表明,新石器时代晚期是淮河中游地区农业结构从单一的稻作农业转变为稻旱兼作农业的关键阶段。然而,新石器时代晚期淮河中游地区,尤其是淮干以南地区先民的植物资源利用情况,以及该地区农业结构何时发生转变等问题至今依然不清楚。本文利用淀粉粒分析方法,对安徽定远侯家寨遗址二期(6.2~5.6 kaBP)出土的22件陶器残片表面残留物进行了分析。结果表明新石器时代晚期淮河中游淮干以南地区先民利用的植物性食物资源具有多样性,包括稻属(Oryza spp.)、小麦族(Triticeae)、薏苡属(Coix spp.)、粟(Setaria italica(L)P.Beauv.)、黍(Panicum miliaceum L.)、栎属(Quercus spp.)、莲属(Nelumbo spp.)以及块根块茎类植物等。稻属淀粉粒的发现证明,自新石器时代中期至新石器时代末期,淮河中游地区先民对水稻利用基本上是延续的。粟、黍淀粉粒是淮河中游淮干以南地区迄今为止已报道发现最早的旱生农作物的证据,意味着早在6.2~5.6 kaBP期间,北方旱作农业文化与淮河中游淮干以南地区可能就存在着食物的交流与传播。该结果对于了解淮河中游地区新石器时代农业发展、演变历程以及中国中东部稻作、粟作农业传播的时空路线等问题具有重要的科学价值。

The middle Huai River valley in eastern central China is located in a transitional area of geography,climate and culture.During the Neolithic,it was a zone for millet and rice farming but when these agricultural systems got established especially in regions south of the Huai River are still unclear.In this paper,we use starch analysis of 22 pottery fragments unearthed from Phase II of the Houjiazhai site(6.2-5.6 kaBP).Results of this work show evidence for a variety of grains derived from Oryza spp.,Triticeae,Coix spp.,Setaria italica(L)P.Beauv.,Panicum miliaceum L.,Quercus spp.,Nelumbo spp.,as well as tubers and roots on ceramic fragment surfaces.Discovery of rice starches indicates that ancient peoples continued to use Oryza species in this area from the middle to the end of the Neolithic.In contrast,starch grains from foxtail and broomcorn millets are the oldest evidence of dry crops discovered in the middle Huai River valley.These findings mean that food exchange and communication probably existed between the areas of millet farming in the north and regions south of the Huai River as early as 6.2 kaBP and 5.6 kaBP.This paper provides important data on agricultural development and transformation in the middle Huai River valley during the Neolithic,and provides some clues for the spread of rice and millet farming in eastern central China.