Archaeobotanical investigations at the earliest horse herder site of Botai in Kazakhstan
Archaeobotanical investigations at the earliest horse herder site of Botai in Kazakhstan
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DOI：
10.1007/s12520-019-00924-2
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发表时间：
2019-10-28
影响因子：
2.2
通讯作者：
Jones, M. K.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Matuzeviciute, Giedre Motuzaite;Lightfoot, E.;Jones, M. K.
本文介绍了博泰新石器时代遗址首次考古植物学调查的结果和新的放射性碳年代，旨在首次探讨博泰人饮食中的植物食物成分，以及博泰人是否是早期作物食物交换网络的一部分。我们对一个小屋圈的挖掘和相关的放射性碳测年将其占领的日期范围确定在公元前3550和3030 cal之间，结束于公元前3080和2670 cal之间。一个单独的特征（可能是一个炉子或窑），在测试沟E中挖掘出来，似乎更年轻，大约公元前2000卡。因此，该遗址的年代测定也表明了博泰后来的一个先前未知的占领，开启了对新石器时代至青铜时代北方欧亚大陆人类生存和互动以及马匹管理的进一步讨论。考古植物学的结果，来自系统的采样和分析macrobotanical遗骸，植物植硅体，和分子生物标志物分析表明，博泰人口没有任何更广泛的作物网络的一部分。种子数量相对较少，表明植物性食物并不构成经济生活的重要组成部分。另一方面，米里亚辛的存在可能表明该地区过去某个时候可能有小米种植或消费，可能是在博泰的主要占领时期之后。
This paper presents new radiocarbon dates and the results of the first archaeobotanical investigations at Eneolithic Botai site, for the first time aiming to explore the plant food component in the diet of Botai population and if the inhabitants of the Botai were a part of an early crop food exchange network. Our excavation of a hut circle and associated radiocarbon dating placed its occupation within a date range commencing around 3550 and 3030 cal BC and ending between 3080 and 2670 cal BC. A separate feature (likely a stove or kiln), excavated in test trench E, would seem to be younger, around 2000 cal BC. The dating of the site thus also indicates a previously unknown later occupation at Botai, opening further discussions on human subsistence and interaction as well as horse management in northern Eurasia from the Eneolithic to the Bronze Age. The archaeobotanical results, derived from systematic sampling and analysis of macrobotanical remains, plant phytoliths, and molecular biomarker analysis show that the Botai populations were not part of any wider crop network. The relatively small seed count would indicate that plant foods did not constitute a substantial component of economic life. On the other hand, the presence of miliacin could suggest possible millet cultivation or consumption in this region at some point in the past, possibly after the main occupation period of Botai.