西安发现唐代双峰驼

Bactrian camel of the Tang Dynasty from Xi'an

在西安北郊高陵渭河沙坑中发现骆驼标本,其主要形态特征为前臼齿和臼齿的齿冠分别由2个或4个明显的新月型主尖组成,齿褶简单,无附加的褶、棱、刺等存在。DNA分析表明样本属于双峰驼(Camelus bactrianus)。加速器质谱(AMS)测定其年代结果为1290~1180 a B.P.(660~770 A.D.),这个年代落入了中国历史上的唐朝(618年~907年)。这是丝绸之路起点长安(唐代都城)唐代丝路骆驼的骨骼形态学、生物学、年代学的首次现代综合科学研究记录。

One camel specimen was found in the sand pit of Weihe River in Gaoling,north suburb of Xi'an.The main morphological features of the camel specimens are premolar and molar crowns consisting of two or four distinct crescent-like main cusps,respectively,with simple structure,but no additional folds,crests or spurs are developed.DNA analysis showed that the camel specimen should be Bactrian camel(Camelus bactrianus).The results of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry(AMS)reveal an age of 1290~1180 a mB.P.(660~770 A.D.),just the early period of the Tang Dynasty(618~907 A.D.)in Chinese history.This is the first modern comprehensive scientific research record of the skeletal morphology,biology and chronology of the Silk Road camels in Chang'an(capital of the Tang Dynasty),the starting point of the Silk Road.