Diversity of Late Yangshao agricultural intensification at Xishanping, Gansu

Abstract

Previous work at the Xishanping site, located in the upper Wei River basin in eastern Gansu Province, China, identified the earliest regional evidence for rice cultivation (5070 cal. yr BP).This study presents the first integrated archaeobotanical and isotopic research on charred cereal crop remains at Xishanping site obtain via flotation. This is combined with new archaeobotanical and cereal crop seed δ15N data suggests. We suggest that late Yangshao populations at Xishanping not only implemented a mixed-crop millet-based agricultural regime, but intensified their cultivation during the period 5300 − 4800 cal. yr BP. This study enriches current understandings of the spatial and temporal changes in agricultural practices in the late Neolithic Wei River Basin on the eve of the formation of complex society in north China.