Skip to main content
Log in

Phytolith evidence for early agriculture in the East Liao River Basin, Northeast China

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present the results of the analysis of phytoliths, grain size and organic matter content (LOI550℃), and AMS 14C dating of sedimentary profiles and individual archaeological samples from the Changshan site in Jilin Province, Northeast (NE) China. Our aim was to elucidate the origins of agriculture in the East Liao River Basin. The results indicate that there were two intervals during which prehistoric culture flourished at the Changshan site: ~ 6,500–5,600 cal years BP in the Neolithic, and ~ 3,700–2,750 cal years BP in the Bronze Age. Abundant η-type husk phytoliths from common millet and a few Ω-type husk phytoliths from foxtail millet found at the Changshan site provide direct evidence for prehistoric agriculture during these two periods. Prehistoric agriculture was practiced together with hunting and fishing, which were part of a multi-subsistence strategy. The relatively warm and wet climate during ~ 6,500–5,600 cal years BP and ~ 3,700–2,750 cal years BP promoted the prosperity of the local culture, together with cultural interchange, and the climatic conditions also encouraged the dispersal of early agriculture in the East Liao River Basin. In addition, archaeological excavations have shown that there was frequent interchange and interaction among prehistoric cultures in NE China, and we hypothesize that the Liao River Basin was the main routeway for cultural interchange and the dispersal of prehistoric agriculture in NE China.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ball T, Chandler-Ezell K, Dickau R, Duncan N, Hart TC, Iriarte J, Lentfer C, Logan A, Lu HY, Madella M, Pearsall DM, Piperno DR, Rosen AM, Vrydaghs L, Weisskopf A, Zhang JP (2016) Phytoliths as a tool for investigations of agricultural origins and dispersals around the world. J Archaeol Sci 68:32–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2015.08.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blaauw M, Christen JA (2011) Flexible paleoclimate age-depth models using an autoregressive gamma process. Bayesian Anal 6(3):457–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bocquet-Appel J, Naji S, Linden MV, Kozlowski J (2012) Understanding the rates of expansion of the farming system in Europe. J Archaeol Sci 39(2):531–546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2011.10.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bremond L, Alexandre A, Wooller MJ, Hély C, Williamson D, Schäfer PA, Majule A, Cuiot J (2008) Phytolith indices as proxies of grass subfamilies on East African tropical mountains. Global Planet Change 61:209–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2007.08.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng YQ, Zhang PY (2005) Regional differentiation of grain production of commodity grain bases in the Northeast China. J Nat Resour 20(6):925–931 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Colledge S, Conolly J, Shennan S (2013) The evolution of neolithic farming from SW Asian origins to NW European limits. Eur J Archaeol 8(2):137–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461957105066937

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dian C, Xin Y (1994) The archaeological excavation of Zhahai site in Fuxin, Liaoning during 1987–1990. Cultural Relics 11:4–19 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Dong GH, Liu FW, Chen FH (2017a) Environmental and technological effects on ancient social evolution at different spatial scales. Sci China Earth Sci 60:2067–2077. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-017-9118-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong GH, Yang YS, Han JY, Wang H, Chen FH (2017b) Exploring the history of cultural exchange in prehistoric Eurasia from the perspectives of crop diffusion and consumption. Science China Earth Science 60(6):1110–1123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-016-9037-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong GH, Li R, Lu MX, Zhang DJ, James N (2020) Evolution of human-environmental interactions in China from the Late Paleolithic to the Bronze Age. Progress Phys Geogr 44(2):233–250. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133319876802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duan TJ (2018) A new understanding of the Neolithic remains of the Zuojiashan site in Nongan, Jilin province. Archaeology 9:88–99 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo ZT, Ren XB, Lu HY, Gao X, Liu W, Wu HB, Zhang CX, Zhang JP (2016) Effect of paleoclimate changes and human adaptation-progress on “impact and adaptation” group of CAS strategic priority research program “climate change: carbon budget and relevant issues.” Bull Chin Acad Sci 31(1):142–151 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo ZZ, Suo XF, Bao QC (1993) The archaeological excavation of Baiyinchanghan site in Linxi county, Inner Mongolia. Archaeology 7:577–586 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • He KY, Lu HY, Zhang JP, Wang C, Huan XJ (2017) Prehistoric evolution of the dualistic structure mixed rice and millet farming in China. The Holocene 27(12):1885–1898. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683617708455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilbert L, Neves EG, Pugliese F, Whitney BS, Shock M, Veasey E, Zimpel CA, Iriarte J (2017) Evidence for mid-Holocene rice domestication in the Americas. Nat Ecol Evol 1:1693–1698. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0322-4

  • Hong B, Liu CQ, Lin QH, Shibata Y, Leng XT, Wang Y, Zhu YX, Hong YT (2009) Temperature evolution from the δ18O record of Hani peat, Northeast China, in the last 14000 years. Sci China, Ser D Earth Sci 7:952–964. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-009-0086-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hosoya LA, Sato Y-I, Fuller DQ (2010) Editorial: the archaeobotany of early rice agriculture in Asia. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 2:57–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-010-0034-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu HJ, Wei YX (2006) The freshwater algae of China. Science Press, Beijing, Systematics, Taxonomy and Ecology ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Itzstein-Davey F, Taylor D, Dodson J, Atahan P, Zheng HB (2007) Wild and domesticated forms of rice (Oryza sp.) in early agriculture at Qingpu, lower Yangtze, China: evidence from phytoliths. J Archaeol Sci 34:2101–2108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2007.02.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin XD (1992) The remains of several ancient cultures in the East Liao River basin. Archaeology 4:347–356 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Li YP, Zhang JN, Zhang XH, Zhao HT (2021) From the early to late Yangshao periods (5000–3000 BC): insights from macro-botanical remains in North-Central China. Front Earth Sci 9:662391. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.662391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin S, Jing ZW, Liu W, Wang CY (2018) The archaeological excavation of Changshan site in Lishu County of Jilin province in 2016. Res China’s Front Archaeol 1:43–76 ((In Chinese))

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Wang Y, Wang Y, Guan YY, Dong J, Li TD (2018) A multi-proxy record of environmental changes during the Holocene from the Haolaihure Paleolake sediments, Inner Mongolia. Quatern Int 479:148–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2016.12.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Chen XC (2012) The archaeology of China: from the late Paleolithic to the early Bronze Age. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139015301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu XL (2004) The development of prehistoric agriculture and the origins of civilisation. Agricultural Archaeology 3:70–73 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu XY, Fuller DQ, Jones M (2015) Early agriculture in China. In: Barker G, editor. The Cambridge World History. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, pp 310–334. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511978807.013

  • Liu XY, Jones MK, Zhao ZJ, Liu GX, O’Connell TC (2012) The earliest evidence of millet as a staple crop: new light on Neolithic foodways in North China. Am J Phys Anthropol 149(2):283–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y (2010) Taxonomical and ecological studies on diatoms from wetlands in Great Xing’an Mt., China. A dissertation submitted to Zhejiang University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Ph.D. Degree (In Chinese)

  • Lu HY, Zhang JP, Liu KB, Wu NQ, Li YM, Zhou KS, Ye ML, Zhang TY, Zhang HJ, Yang XY, Shen LC, Xu DK, Li Q (2009a) Earliest domestication of common millet (Panicum miliaceum) in East Asia extended to 10,000 years ago. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106(18):7367–7372. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0900158106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu HY, Zhang JP, Wu NQ, Liu KB, Xu DK, Li Q (2009b) Phytoliths analysis for the discrimination of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and common millet (Panicum miliaceum). PLoS ONE 4(2):e4448. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu HY (2017) New methods and progress in research on the origins and evolution of prehistoric agriculture in China. Sci China Earth Sci 60:2141–2159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-017-9145-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo WH, Yang YZ, Yao L, Chen ZJ, Li J, Yin CL, Zhang JZ, Lin LG, Gan HY (2016) Phytolith records of rice agriculture during the Middle Neolithic in the middle reaches of Huai River region. China Quaternary Int 426(28):133–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2016.03.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo WH, Gu CG, Yang YZ, Zhang D, Liang ZH, Li J, Huang CQ, Zhang JZ (2019) Phytoliths reveal the earliest interplay of rice and broomcorn millet at the site of Shuangdun (ca. 7.3–6.8 ka BP) in the middle Huai River valley. China J Archaeol Sci 102:26–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2018.12.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madella M, Alexander A, Ball T (2005) International code for phytolith nomenclature 1.0. Ann Bot 96(2):253–260. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mci172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matz SA (1986) Millet, wild rice, adlay, and rice grass. Cereal Science. CT: AVI Press, Westport

  • Mannion AM (1999) Domestication and the origins of agriculture: an appraisal. Progr Phys Geogr: Earth and Environ 23(1):37–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/030913339902300102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson SM (2003) The archaeology of Northeast China: beyond the Great Wall. Routledge, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Piperno DR (1988) Phytolith analysis. Academic Press, San Diego, An archaeological and geological perspective. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2009-0-21743-0

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Piperno DR, Stothert KE (2003) Phytolith evidence for early Holocene Cucurbita domestication in Southwest Ecuador. Science 299:1054–1057. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1080365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsey CB (2009) Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates. Radiocarbon 51:337–360. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200033865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reimer PJ, Baillie MGL, Bard E, Bayliss A, Beck JW, Blackwell PG, Bronk Ramsey C, Buck CE, Burr GS, Edwards RL, Friedrich M, Grootes PM, Guilderson TP, Hajdas I, Heaton TJ, Hogg AG, Hughen KA, Kaiser KF, Kromer B, McCormac FG, Manning SW, Reimer RW, Richards DA, Southon JR, Talamo S, Turney CSM, Van Der Plicht J, Weyhenmeyer CE (2009) IntCal09 and Marine09 radiocarbon age calibration curves, 0–50000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon 51(4):1111–1150. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200034202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riehl S, Zeidi M, Conard NJ (2013) Emergence of agriculture in the foothills of the Zagros Mountains of Iran. Science 341:65–67. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1236743

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Routson CC, Mckay NP, Kaufman DS, Erb MP, Goosse H, Shuman BN, Rodysill JR, Auit T (2019) Mid-latitude net precipitation decreased with Arctic warming during the Holocene. Nature 568:83–87. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1060-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelach-Lavi G, Teng MY, Goldsmith Y, Wachtel I, Stevens CJ, Marder O, Wan XF, Wu XH, Tu DD, Shavit R, Polissar P, Xu H, Fuller DQ (2019) Sedentism and plant cultivation in northeast China emerged during affluent conditions. PLoS ONE 14(7):e0218751. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shennan S, Downey SS, Timpson A, Edinborough K, Colledge S, Kerig T, Manning K, Thomas MG (2013) Regional population collapse followed initial agriculture booms in mid-Holocene Europe. Nat Commun 4:2486. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens C, Fuller DQ (2017) The spread of agriculture in eastern Asia: archaeological bases for hypothetical farmer/language dispersals. Language Dyn Change 7(2):152–186. https://doi.org/10.1163/22105832-00702001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuiver M, Reimer PJ, Reimer RW (2020) CALIB 7.1 [WWW program] at http://calib.org

  • Sun YG, Zhao ZJ (2013) A comprehensive study on plant remains in the Weijiawopu site of the Hongshan culture. Agric Archaeol 3:1–5 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Tao DW, Wu Y, Guo ZZ, Hill DV, Wang CS (2011) Starch grain analysis for groundstone tools from Neolithic Baiyinchanghan site: implications for their function in Northeast China. J Archaeol Sci 38(12):3577–3583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2011.08.028

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twiss PC (1992) Predicted world distribution of C3 and C4 grass phytoliths. In: Rapp GR, Mulholland SC (eds) Phytoliths systematics: emerging issues. Advance Archaeological Museum Science, vol. 1. Plenum Press, New York, pp 113–128

  • Underhill AP (2013) A companion to Chinese archaeology. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wang C, Lu HY, Zhang JP, Gu ZY, He KY (2014) Prehistoric demographic fluctuations in China inferred from radiocarbon data and their linkage with climate change over the past 50,000 years. Quatern Sci Rev 98:45–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.05.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang YQ (2019) A study on the pottery decoration of Neolithic culture in Northeast China. J Nat Mus China 4:18–35 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang YJ, Lu HY (1992) Phytolith study and its application. China Ocean Press, Beijing ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisdorf JL (2005) From foraging to farming: explaining the Neolithic revolution. J Econ Surv 19(4):561–586. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0950-0804.2005.00259.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weisskopf AR, Lee GA (2016) Phytolith identification criteria for foxtail and broomcorn millets: a new approach to calculating crop ratios. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 8(1):29–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-014-0190-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wen RL, Xiao JL, Chang ZG, Zhai DY, Xu QH, Li YC, Itoh S (2010) Holocene precipitation and temperature variations in the East Asian monsoonal margin from pollen data from Hulun Lake in northeastern InnerMongolia, China. Boreas 39:262–272. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1502-3885.2009.00125.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wen RL, Xiao JL, Fan JW, Zhang SR, Yamagata H (2017) Pollen evidence for a mid-Holocene East Asian summer monsoon maximum in northern China. Quatern Sci Rev 176:29–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2017.10.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentworth CK (1922) A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. J Geol 30: 377–392. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30063207

  • Wu LD, Jiang XD (2011) Four development stages and characteristics of Neolithic jade in Northeast China. Dong Bei Shi Di 1:23–34 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu WW (2015) Preliminary analysis of the subsistence of the Zhahai site in Fuxin, Liaoning Province: indication from the results of starch grain analysis in stone tools. Agric Archaeol 3:1–9 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu Y, Jiang LP, Zheng YF, Wang CS, Zhao ZJ (2014) Morphological trend analysis of rice phytolith during the early Neolithic in the Lower Yangtze. J Archaeol Sci 49:326–331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2014.06.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xia ZK (2012) Environmental archaeology-principles and practice. Peking University Press, Beijing (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang XY, Wan ZW, Perry L, Lu HY, Wang Q, Zhao CH, Li J, Xie F, Yu JC, Cui TX, Wang T, Li MQ, Ge QS (2012) Early millet use in northern China. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109(10):3726–3730. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1115430109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yi BZ (1993) Agricultural history of Northeast China. Jilin Wenshi Press, Changchun (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu CY (1985) The second excavation of the Neolithic site at Xinle in Shenyang. Acta Archaeol Sin 2:209–222 (In Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeder MA (2008) Domestication and early agriculture in the Mediterranean basin: origins, diffusion, and impact. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105(33):11597–11604. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0801317105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JP, Lu HY, Wu NQ, Li FJ, Yang XY, Wang WL, Ma MZ, Zhang XH (2010) Phytolith evidence of millet agriculture during about 6000~2100 a B.P. in the Guanzhong Basin, China. Quat Sci 30(2):287–297 (In Chinese)

  • Zhang JP, Lu HY, Liu MX, Diao XM, Shao KL, Wu NQ (2018) Phytolith analysis for differentiating between broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and its weed/feral type (Panicum ruderale). Sci Rep 8:13022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31467-6

  • Zhang JP, Lu HY, Ge Y, Shao KL (2019) Review and prospect of phytolith morphology on millets identification. Quat Sci 39(1):1–11 (In Chinese)

  • Zhao BF (2004a) The stages and characteristics of the Neolithic culture in the Northeast. Seeking Truth 31(4):117–120 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao ZJ (2004b) Flotation results from the Xinglonggou site and the origin of the dry-land agriculture in North China. In: Department of Cultural Relics and Museology of Nanjing Normal University ed. Antiquities of East Asian (A). Cultural Relics Publishing House, Beijing, pp 188–199 (In Chinese)

  • Zhao BF (2006) On the cultural patterns of Northeastern China in Neolithic Age and their relationships with peripheral cultures. China’s Borderland History and Geography Studies 16(2):88–97 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao BF (2007) A study on the mode of subsistence of Neolithic in the Nenjiang River valley. Archaeology 11:55–61 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao BF (2011a) The establishment of cultural development sequence of western area of Liao River before Han Dynasty and exploration on synchronic and diachronic cultural relations. Res China’s Front Archaeol 1:191–207 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao ZJ (2011b) New archaeobotanic data for the study of the origins of agriculture in China. Curr Anthropol 52:S295-S306. https://doi.org/10.1086/659308

  • Zhao BF, Ren RB (2016) A study on the painted ceramics of the Neolithic Northeast China. Archaeology and Cultural Relics 1:26–37 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao BF, Yu HS (2016) The new research on Lower Zuojiashan culture. Research of China’s Frontier Archaeology 1:117–148 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao ZJ (2019) Introduction of the origin of agriculture in China. Research on Heritages and Preservation 4:1–7 ((In Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Zohary D, Hopf M, Weiss E (2012) Domestication of plants in the Old World: the origin and spread of domesticated plants in Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean Basin. Oxford University Press, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the anonymous referees and the editor and Dr. Jan Bloemendal for their comments and suggestions that helped improve the manuscript, and Hainan Wang for his help in collecting samples. We also thank Yue Tang, Nannan Li, Dehui Li and Guihua Zhang for their help in the experimental operation.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province (award 20180101088JC) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (award 41771214,41971100).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Linan Sun or Dongmei Jie.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, J., Sun, L., Fang, Q. et al. Phytolith evidence for early agriculture in the East Liao River Basin, Northeast China. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 13, 156 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-021-01422-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-021-01422-0

Keywords

Navigation