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Seeds of melon (Cucumis melo L., Cucurbitaceae) discovered in the principal tomb (M1) of Haihun Marquis (59 BC) in Nanchang, China

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Abstract

A cluster of melon seeds (Cucumis melo L.) has recently been unearthed in the principal tomb (M1) of Haihun Marquis in Jiangxi Province, China. These seeds were very well preserved in a waterlogged and anoxic condition with clear archaeological strata, which not only provide new evidence to explore the utilization of melons in ancient times but also provide a new perspective in the study of the lifestyle of Liu He, the tomb owner. The seeds were discovered in the food cellar of the main tomb chamber (M1), as well as in the different parts of Liu He’s body found in the inner coffin, which indicates that melon was one of his favorite fruits, even probably part of his last meal. Moreover, the seeds also provide perfect samples to explore the time of Liu He’s burial. Combined with the ripening season of melon and mume, it can be ascertained that the time of Liu He’s burial was most probably in July.

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Abbreviations

HAU:

Hunan Agricultural University

HM:

Huzhou Museum

HMC:

Hunan Medical College, renamed to Xiangya School of Medicine of Central South University

IBCAS:

Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences

IGMRX:

Investigation Group of Melon Resources in Xinjiang

JDCA:

Jiaxing Department of Cultural Affairs

NUCM:

Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine

SACH:

State Administration of Cultural Heritage

SIA:

Suzhou Institute of Archaeology

SM:

Suzhou Museum

ZPCRMC:

Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee

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Acknowledgments

We thank the archaeologists that assisted with the excavation.

Funding

This study was supported by the program of Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41672171) and the National Social Science Fund of China (No. 16@ZH022).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044, China

    Lijing Wang

  2. Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A, Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China

    Lijing Wang & Hongen Jiang

  3. Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Nanchang, 330025, China

    Jun Yang

  4. Lushan Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiujiang, 332900, China

    Tongjun Liang

  5. Forensic Examination and Identification Center of Beijing Public Security Bureau, Beijing, 100192, China

    Jifeng Yang

  6. Economic Herbarium of Oakes Ames, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

    Christopher J. Grassa

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  1. Lijing Wang
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Wang, L., Yang, J., Liang, T. et al. Seeds of melon (Cucumis melo L., Cucurbitaceae) discovered in the principal tomb (M1) of Haihun Marquis (59 BC) in Nanchang, China. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 12, 156 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01147-6

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