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Student Class

2027

Student Affiliation

WISP Intern

First Advisor

Professor Jiajing Wang

First Advisor Department

Department of Anthropology

Second Advisor

Yiyi Tang

Second Advisor Department

Department of Anthropology

Description

During the Longshan period of Neolithic China (c. 3000-2000 BCE), settlements took root and flourished in the Yellow River Valley. Kangjia is an example of such a settlement, with its craft specialization and hierarchical social structure. Furthermore, agriculture and animal husbandry contributed to a relatively varied diet, particularly among those of higher social status.

The primary objective of this experiment was to characterize the diet of Kangjia society. This was accomplished by analyzing plant microfossils sampled from pottery sherds excavated from an archaeological site in Kangjia. Phytoliths, silica plant cell skeletons, have distinct structures which differ between plant species. Similarly, starch granules have characteristic morphological differences between crop species. Because both phytoliths and starch granules are persistent over time, they are ideal diagnostic tools.

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Keywords

anthropology, biological anthropology, phytolith, starch granules, Neolithic China, Kangjia, rice, millet

Disciplines

Biological and Physical Anthropology

Microscopic Analysis of Ancient Food Residues

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