Biochemical evidence of cannibalism at a prehistoric Puebloan site in southwestern Colorado

The existence of cannibalism is one of the most controversial issues in the archaeology of the American Southwest. Disarticulated, cut-marked and heat-altered human remains from non-burial contexts at prehistoric Puebloan (Anasazi) archaeological sites in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest have been interpreted by some scholars as evidence of cannibalism. Osteological studies indicate that many of the disarticulated bodies found at these sites were processed in a manner consistent with food preparation. Opponents of this interpretation point out that non-cannibalistic practices such as secondary interment, corpse mutilation and ritualized witch executions might account for the assemblages. Osteological evidence alone does not document the actual ingestion of human flesh. Here we show consumption of human flesh did occur as demonstrated in preserved human waste containing identifiable human tissue remains from a site with osteological evidence of cannibalism.     

Mode of débitage and technical cognition of hominids at the Guanyindong site

Exploring and interpreting the mode of cognition and behavioral patterns of prehistoric hunter-gatherers is always one of the main goals of current Paleolithic research. In the 1940s, French prehistorians proposed the technological method for studying lithic assemblages which opened a brand-new perspective on the prehistoric domain. In the 1960s, French ethnographer and anthropologist Andre Leroi-Gourhan proposed the concept ＂chaine operatoire＂ and established the theory of lithic technological study. After the 1980s, the concept ＂chaine operatoire＂ was substituted for two different but complementary concepts： techno-cognition and techno-economy, which contributed not only to revealing the technical knowledge and know-how applied during lithic production but also to interpreting the technical behavior of prehistoric hunter-gatherers from social and economic viewpoints. The lithic technological study of the Guanyindong site, presented in this paper, was carried out for the first time by applying lithic technological method developed by French prehistorians to the Chinese materials. Our analytical results demonstrated that the debitage system of Guanyindong is quite distinct from the concept Levallois largely used in Europe, Near-East and Africa. The differentiation between these two debitage modes may contribute to exploring and interpreting the relationship in Middle Paleolithic between China and Europe, Near-East and Africa.     

试论西藏高原的史前游牧经济与文化

文章通过对考古材料的分析研究,论证了西藏高原史前游牧业的起源、游牧经济与文化的基本面貌以及早期游牧民族在高原的迁徙与移动空间等问题,力图勾勒出距今约5000年的新石器时代以至西藏＂早期金属器时代＂史前游牧人群的生态环境、生活样态、艺术创造等不同的侧面与断面,揭示高原游牧业由原始农业转化而来的历史进程。     

Culinary archaeology: Millet noodles in Late Neolithic China

Noodles have been a popular staple food in many parts of the world for at least 2,000 years, although it is debatable whether the Chinese, the Italians or the Arabs invented them first. Here we analyse a prehistoric sample of noodles contained in a well preserved, sealed earthenware bowl discovered in the Late Neolithic archaeological site of Lajia in northwestern China. We identify millet as the source of the abundant seed-husk phytoliths and starch grains present in the vessel. This shows that the conversion of ground millet flour into dough that could be repeatedly stretched into long, thin strands for the preparation of boiled noodles was already established in this region 4,000 years ago.     

Age and paleoenvironment of Xiaogushan fauna at Haicheng,Liaoning Province

A mammalian fauna composed of 40 species associated with Xiaogushan Man was unearthed during the archaeological excavations from 1981 to 2007 at Xiaogushan Paleolithic Site, Haicheng, Liaoning Province. The analyses of the fauna and comparison with other related faunas indicate that Xiaogushan fauna is very similar to that of Shanchengzi, Gulongshan and Yushu. It is a typical fauna of Northern Region. Its age is within the middle to late stages of the Late Pleistocene (80–20 ka). Influenced by cold period MIS4, the cold forms appeared in the fauna. Nevertheless the decrease in temperature was not very much and the climate was still a temperate one. The fauna’s environment was generally humid, with large forest, some water areas and grasslands. It is suitable for prehistoric human habitation during temperate seasons with considerable food and water resources. The cold period MIS4 might push prehistoric human southward to temperate areas or stimulate them to develop fire using and making techniques.     

Component and simulation of the 4,000-year-old noodles excavated from the archaeological site of Lajia in Qinghai,China

Noodles are a global food, but the periods when and places where they were made and originated, as well as their ingredients and the cooking methods used to manu- facture them, have remained contentious. In the 2005 edi- tion of the journal Nature, we wrote a summary of the millet noodle specimens found in the Late Neolithic Qijia cultural stratum of the Lajia archaeological site in Qinghai Province, China. However, how the ancient people made millet noodles remains controversial. This paper provides a systematic analysis of the remains of noodles found within an earthenware bowl at the Lajia ＂noodle house＂ in terms of their plant composition including phytoliths, starch and biomarkers. It provides evidence of how people used millet 4,000 years ago and, most specifically, of the principal methods used for producing millet-based noodles. Further, we show how we used traditional hele tools to make hele millet noodles, with especial reference to the gelatinized hydrogel-forming method, to simulate morphology con- sistent with the composition and form of the unearthed millet noodles. The results of this study provide new evi- dence and new insights into the cultural characteristics of the prehistoric human diet.     

从石峁建筑用玉新发现看夏代的瑶台玉门神话——大传统新知识重解小传统

史前大传统的考古新发现对于重新解释文字记述小传统具有重要的知识创新意义。文学人类学者思索华夏第一王朝即夏文化的源流，将目光转向2012年十大考古发现之一的陕西神木石峁遗址的建城用玉器现象，参照北方萨满教的活态文化实践，解读为辟邪驱魔的精神防卫功能，归结到玉石承载神力的信仰观念。对文献中有关夏桀修建玉门瑶台之类神话建筑物的说法提出大传统背景的新解读：史前建筑用玉的真实情况如何被后人夸张为夏代玉质建筑。     

泰山大河旧石器文化遗址考察报告

2013年11月4日至12月4日期间,笔者与泰山学院历史与社会发展学院2012级历史专业历史班部分学生,在泰山主峰西南的大河地区发现一旧石器文化遗址,发现了具有鲜明特点的石犁铧、石耜、石镢、石锄、石镰、石刀（多品种,有的大小成系列）、石锛、石刨、石锯、石开（多品种,有的大小成系列）、石锥铳（多品种）、石截铳（多品种）、石斧（多品种）、石锤（多品种）、石锥、石截（凿）、石杵、石网坠、石纺锭、石权（多品种）、石戈、石矛、石镖、石弹、石箭簇等旧石器400余件.大河旧石器文化遗址的发现对泰山地区古代人类活动历史的研究,对山东地区较详细考古谱系的书写,乃至对全国史前历史的研究,都有重要意义,并将产生重大影响.     

从经济形态考藏族史前历史

文章对藏王聂赤赞普以前的经济形态做了历史文献和考古两个方面的叙述。文章认为,在藏族历史文献中,对藏族史前经济形态做了一些笼统的记载,但具有浓厚的宗教话语色彩,一定程度上遮盖了它的本意。但以经济史的角度去分析,可以梳理出它的背景意义,展现出其历史真实映象。再与历史研究中必不可少的考古发现相结合论证,可以更加清晰地看到藏族史前经济的轮廓。     

伏牛山文化圈史前城址与中国文明起源探索——伏牛山文化圈与中国文明起源探索之二

伏牛山文化圈在旧石器时代已经有人类居住与生产。近一个世纪的考古发现证明，伏牛山文化圈史前城址遗存非常丰富，是中国史前城址的发源地之一。伏牛山文化圈史前城址演进的脉络完整清晰：城址性质由仰韶文化的初城开始，逐渐演进为龙山文化的城址群，二里头文化的宫城，并与殷商成熟都城相衔接。伏牛山文化圈是中国文明的发源地之一。     

Relation between human existence and environment viewing from the distribution of prehistoric archaeological sites in the Three Gorges reservoir region of the Yangtze River,China

Based on archaeological research findings in the Three Gorges region as well as the distribution of prehistoric sites in this area,the following conclusion can be derived:the unique physical and geographical conditions and variations in the Three Gorges region make local people of different ages seek their survival and development in the favorable environment along the riverbanks.Environment evolution has direct impact on the selection of location for survival.The increase of sites quantity reflects the favorable natural environment,but the decrease just reflects the consequence of such natural disasters as flood.     

潜流带水流特性及氮素运移转化研究进展

为进一步探明潜流带表层沉积物对地表水体的"源汇"关系及季节性转化规律,综合阐述了当前国内外在河道和湖泊潜流带方面的研究进展,包括不同区域潜流带内水流形态及其对氮素运移转化的影响机制、潜流带内部环境变化梯度和温度分布季节性变化对潜流带好氧-厌氧区分布范围及氮素硝化反硝化过程的影响、潜流带中氮素与地表水体的交换特征及季节变化规律,并结合当前的研究动态提出了潜流带水流特性及氮素运移转换研究中存在的问题并对研究进行展望。     

西王母神话：女神文明的中国遗产

以多重证据法发掘神话背后的历史信息，探考西王母神话中两大要素与华夏史前文化大传统的渊源关系，即女神崇拜和美玉崇拜（拜物教），还原欧亚大陆史前“女神文明”大背景，解析夏商周三代以来地域文化兴衰更替的线索，说明玉山与玉胜形象发生的考古实物原型，揭示后起的儒家河图洛书新神话系统如何继承和改造美玉崇拜、排斥和遮蔽女神崇拜，使西王母形象被道教接纳和再造，削弱其独立女神的地位，匹配男性神祗东王公或玉皇大帝。     

贵州旅游开发及发展研究

本文运用旅游地理学和旅游行为学的理论和方法,着重从岩溶地貌、高原气候、地生态环境和民族成分及分布、社会文化结构的地域分布特点诸方面,论述贵州旅游资源形成的地理背景。认为在优越的“原生”旅游资源开发中,应强调岩溶风光和民族风情以及不同资源个体间的功能耦合,以形成最大吸引力。并提出将科学旅游,诸如洞穴探险、地质旅游、自然保护区考察和历史考古等作为贵州旅游业向高层次发展的方向。     

Ancient DNA sequences of rice from the low Yangtze reveal significant genotypic divergence

Rice (Oryza sativa) was first domesticated in the lower and middle Yangtze regions of China, and rice remains have been found in many Chinese archaeological sites. Until now, only phenotypic archeobotanical evidence, such as the spikelet bases of ancient grains, has been used to speculate on the domestication process and domestication rate of rice. In this study, we sequenced 4 genomic segments from rice remains in Tianluoshan, a site of the local Hemudu Neolithic culture in the low Yangtze and two other archaeological sites (~2400 and 1200 BC, respectively). We compared our sequences with those of the current domesticated and wild rice (O. rufipogon) populations. At least two genotypes were found in the remains from each site, suggesting a heterozygotic state of the rice seeds. One ancient genotype was not found in the current domesticated population and might have been lost. The rice remains belonged to the japonica group, and most if not all were japonica-type, suggesting that the remains might be at an early stage of indica-japonica divergence or an indica-japonica mixture. We also identified sequences with significant similarity to those from species of Sapindales, Zygophyllales, and Brassicales, which is consistent with the identification of other plant remains in the Tianluoshan site and the common rice field weeds such as mustards in southern China.     

胶州市土地利用功能分区研究

 土地资源是一个综合的功能整体,具有生态功能、生产功能和生活功能。其中,生态功能是基础,同时生产、生活功能又影响生态系统。为充分发挥土地资源系统的整体功能,有必要对整个区域土地资源的重要功能进行统筹研究,即可以采用土地利用功能分区的方法统筹安排土地的利用方向。选取人口密度、亩产GDP、水浇地比重、城市用地比重等13个指标作为评价指标,对胶州市所辖的18个乡镇（街道办）进行土地利用功能分区。利用SPSS软件的Hierarchical Clust功能,得到系统聚类结果,在充分考虑区域间土地利用结构差异、生态环境差异、经济发展特征、区位条件及资源条件等因素的基础上,对聚类分异的结果进行了修正。将胶州市分为中心城镇发展区、东部重点开发建设区、北部基本农田保护区、南部低山丘陵生态环境保护区,并且对四类功能分区提出调控措施及利用方向,为合理利用土地资源提供科学依据,有利于实现区域土地可持续发展。     

Early human use of marine resources and pigment in South Africa during the Middle Pleistocene

Genetic and anatomical evidence suggests that Homo sapiens arose in Africa between 200 and 100 thousand years (kyr) ago, and recent evidence indicates symbolic behaviour may have appeared approximately 135-75 kyr ago. From 195-130 kyr ago, the world was in a fluctuating but predominantly glacial stage (marine isotope stage MIS6); much of Africa was cooler and drier, and dated archaeological sites are rare. Here we show that by approximately 164 kyr ago (+/-12 kyr) at Pinnacle Point (on the south coast of South Africa) humans expanded their diet to include marine resources, perhaps as a response to these harsh environmental conditions. The earliest previous evidence for human use of marine resources and coastal habitats was dated to approximately 125 kyr ago. Coincident with this diet and habitat expansion is an early use and modification of pigment, probably for symbolic behaviour, as well as the production of bladelet stone tool technology, previously dated to post-70 kyr ago. Shellfish may have been crucial to the survival of these early humans as they expanded their home ranges to include coastlines and followed the shifting position of the coast when sea level fluctuated over the length of MIS6.     

Rapid and early export of Phaeocystis antarctica blooms in the Ross Sea, Antarctica

The Southern Ocean is very important for the potential sequestration of carbon dioxide in the oceans and is expected to be vulnerable to changes in carbon export forced by anthropogenic climate warming. Annual phytoplankton blooms in seasonal ice zones are highly productive and are thought to contribute significantly to pCO2 drawdown in the Southern Ocean. Diatoms are assumed to be the most important phytoplankton class with respect to export production in the Southern Ocean; however, the colonial prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis antarctica regularly forms huge blooms in seasonal ice zones and coastal Antarctic waters. There is little evidence regarding the fate of carbon produced by P. antarctica in the Southern Ocean, although remineralization in the upper water column has been proposed to be the main pathway in polar waters. Here we present evidence for early and rapid carbon export from P. antarctica blooms to deep water and sediments in the Ross Sea. Carbon sequestration from P. antarctica blooms may influence the carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean, especially if projected climatic changes lead to an alteration in the structure of the phytoplankton community.     

Plant microremains provide direct evidence for the functions of stone knives from the Lajia site,northwestern China

A large number of stone knives have been recovered from Neolithic archaeological sites in East Asia. However, direct evidence regarding the functions of the stone knives has been scarce, and hence, their functions have remained controversial. In this study, we recovered and analysed ancient starch grains and phytoliths from residues adhering to stone knives excavated from the Lajia site, Qinghai Province, northwest China, thus providing direct evidence for the functions of the knives. Our anal- yses were based on the following： （1） an assemblage of 278 identifiable starch grains, representing grains from the stems of foxtail millet （Setaria italica） and broomcorn millet （Panicum miliaceum） （65.1% of the total） and the stems of Hordeum and Triticum species （3.6 % of the total）, and （2） an assemblage of 361 identifiable phytoliths, the majority of which were from the stems and leaves of plants such as Panicoideae and related taxa （96 % of the total）. Our study demonstrates that one of the functions of the stone knives was the harvesting crops. In addition, a few starch grains from food legumes and roots （3.4 % of the total） indicate that the stone knives were also likely used to process, peel and cut some foods.     

Early human occupation of the Red Sea coast of Eritrea during the last interglacial

The geographical origin of modern humans is the subject of ongoing scientific debate. The 'multiregional evolution' hypothesis argues that modern humans evolved semi-independently in Europe, Asia and Africa between 100,000 and 40,000 years ago, whereas the 'out of Africa' hypothesis contends that modern humans evolved in Africa between 200 and 100 kyr ago, migrating to Eurasia at some later time. Direct palaeontological, archaeological and biological evidence is necessary to resolve this debate. Here we report the discovery of early Middle Stone Age artefacts in an emerged reef terrace on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea, which we date to the last interglacial (about 125 kyr ago) using U-Th mass spectrometry techniques on fossil corals. The geological setting of these artefacts shows that early humans occupied coastal areas and exploited near-shore marine food resources in East Africa by this time. Together with similar, tentatively dated discoveries from South Africa this is the earliest well-dated evidence for human adaptation to a coastal marine environment, heralding an expansion in the range and complexity of human behaviour from one end of Africa to the other. This new, wide-spread adaptive strategy may, in part, signal the onset of modern human behaviour, which supports an African origin for modern humans by 125 kyr ago.