新石器早中期是我国北方遗址数量和文化规模显著增长的关键时段，为中华文明起源奠定了重要基础。新石器早中期文化大发展的主要因素被认为是气候变化，该时段也是驯化粟黍出现到以粟作农业为主的社会形成的过渡阶段，但农业发展过程及对新石器文化演化的影响尚不明晰。粟作农业发展动因方面多关注气候，区域尺度上地貌对农业的影响可能更大，但未受到足够的重视。本项目选择新石器文化连续、地貌复杂的豫西晋南地区，拟通过对新石器早中期遗址的考古调查及重点遗址发掘，获得关键考古材料，进行植物遗存鉴定、骨骼碳氮同位素分析；通过对地层地貌的考察及重点剖面的沉积物分析，进行古地貌环境研究。结合GIS等手段，揭示研究区新石器早中期不同地貌部位遗址粟黍比例变化，及不同生业模式类型遗址分布的地貌特征变化，探讨粟作农业发展过程及其和地貌环境的关系。该研究有助于理解中华文明起源核心区早期粟作农业发展历程和动力，及其对新石器文化演化的影响。

The Early and Middle Neolithic period witnessed an increasing millet cultivation and cultural expansion in Northern China, which formed a crucial stage to lay the foundation for the Chinese civilization. It was considered that the climate change played an important role for the cultural expansion during this period. And this was also a transition period from the foxtail millet (Setaria italica) and common millet (Panicum miliaceum) domestication to an agriculture society dominated by millet cultivation. However, the agricultural development and its influence on the Neolithic cultural evolution remain unclear. Previous research mainly focused on the climate influence on the agricultural development. Less attention has been paid on the geomorphological reasons, which might have relative greater influence on agriculture in the particular regions. This project will target the east of Henan Province and south of Shanxi Province as main research area, in which is a continuity of Neolithic culture and the complex geomorphological features. The archaeological survey and target excavation will be carried out, and plant remains identification with carbon and nitrogen isotopes analysis will be followed based on the main archaeological finds. A detailed investigation will also be carried out on topographical features, stratification and sediments in the main profile to reconstruct the paleogeomorphological environment. Integrating with GIS analysis, this project will aim to reveal the varieties of foxtail millet and common millet on different geomorphological locations and the developing process of millet cultivation during Early and Middle Neolithic period, and furthermore, the correlation between the geomorphological features and the type of agricultural sites. The relationships between millet cultivation and geomorphology will also be discussed. This research will provide the further understanding of the developing process and agent of the early millet cultivation in the core region of Chinese civilization, and its influence on cultural evolution during the Neolithic Period.