周原遗址西周时期人骨的稳定同位素分析

Hierarchical Structure and Spatial Variation:Stable Isotopic Analysis of Western Zhou-Dynasty Human Remains from the Zhouyuan Site

通过对周原遗址西周时期人骨的C、N稳定同位素分析可知,该地居民食物以粟、黍等C4类为主,肉食以C4类型家畜为主,反映了发达的粟作农业和家畜养殖业。等级结构和地域差异是影响遗址内居民饮食状况的主要因素。以齐镇东地点为例,中层贵族日常饮食以C4类为主导并伴有大量肉类;下层贵族和一般平民饮食虽也以C4类为主导,但肉食量有所下降且个体间差异较大;低等平民或奴隶则基本无肉食,个别还摄入较多C3类食物作为补充。另外,遗址内齐家村东人群的δ15N值较齐镇东人群普遍偏高,这可能与该地临近河流湖泊,居民生前摄入较多淡水鱼类和蚌类有关,显示出大型都邑性遗址内部人群构成的复杂性。

This paper focuses on stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of human bones excavated from Zhouyuan site.The results show that the diet of local inhabitants mainly consist of C4 plants and animals fed with C4 food,indicating well-developed millet agriculture and livestock raising.The hierarchical structure and regional difference are the main factors affecting local people’s dietary at this site.Take people living in the east of Qizheng for example,intermediate nobles consumed primarily C4 plants and a substantial portion of meat as well.While lower-level nobles and ordinary people shared a similar diet,the amount of meat intake varied widely between different individuals.In particular,poor individuals and slaves rarely consumed meat,and some of them had to consume a small amount of C3 plants as supplementary.Moreover,people living in the east of Qijia village had higherδ15N values than those living in the east of Qizheng,probably due to the freshwater fish and mussels that were available near the former site.Based on the above,this study shows a high degree of complexity regarding the social structure of Zhouyuan.