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Published on: October 1, 2013
Early millet use in northern China
Xiaoyan Yang1, Zhiwei Wan, Linda Perry
1Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. yangxy@igsnrr.ac.cn
Summary
Ancient starch analysis reveals early millet cultivation in Northern China, extending the known record by nearly 1,000 years and suggesting foxtail millet domestication over two millennia.
Area of Science:
- Archaeobotany
- Paleoethnobotany
- Ancient DNA Analysis
Background:
- Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) domestication origins in Northern China are poorly understood due to limited archaeological evidence.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the timeline and processes of early millet cultivation in the region.
Observation:
- Ancient starch grain assemblages were recovered from pottery sherds and grinding stones at Nanzhuangtou and Donghulin sites (11.5-9.5 cal kyBP).
- Carbonized residues provided direct evidence of plant use in early cultural deposits.
Findings:
- The study extends the archaeobotanical record of millet use in China by approximately 1,000 years.
- Evidence suggests foxtail millet cultivation in the North China Plain for at least two millennia, indicating a prolonged domestication process.
- Starch residue patterns support the hypothesis of gradual foxtail millet domestication.
Implications:
- This research provides crucial insights into the early stages of agriculture and crop domestication in East Asia.
- The findings challenge previous understandings of millet's timeline and domestication in Northern China.
- Further investigation in the region is needed to fully clarify the domestication processes of these vital ancient crops.
