The transformation of cropping patterns from Late Neolithic to Early Iron Age (5900–2100 BP) in the Gansu–Qinghai region of northwest China

Abstract

The Gansu–Qinghai region lies in the key position for trans-Eurasian cultural exchange, and hence investigations of the history of agricultural development in this region are significant for understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of prehistoric crop dispersal in Eurasia. However, systematic archaeobotanical studies concerning the history of the development of prehistoric agriculture in this area are scarce. Here, based on archaeobotanical analysis and radiocarbon dating at the Jinchankou site, we investigated the history of agricultural development in the Datong River valley during the Qijia culture. Combined with previous archaeobotanical studies of the Gansu–Qinghai region, we explored the diachronic changes in the cropping patterns from the Late Neolithic to the Early Iron Age. The results suggest that millet remained the most important subsistence plant during 4100–3700 BP, while barley and wheat were first cultivated around 3900 BP at the Jinchankou site. Humans only cultivated foxtail and broomcorn millet in the Gansu–Qinghai region with a high level of agricultural management during 5900–4000 BP. Barley and wheat were added to the agricultural system in the area during 4000–3600 BP, although they played a subsidiary role compared with millet. During 3600–2100 BP, barley played an increasingly important role in the Gansu–Qinghai region but with evident differences among geomorphic units, and there was an obvious decrease in agricultural management level. It is likely that the transformation of cropping patterns and agricultural management levels in the Gansu–Qinghai region from 5900 to 2100 BP was primarily promoted by prehistoric trans-continental cultural exchange and secondly by climate change in the area.

Ancient genomes from the Himalayas illuminate the genetic history of Tibetans and their Tibeto-Burman speaking neighbors

“…Prior to the spread into the Plateau, barley agriculture was practiced by Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age populations in the Gansu-Qinghai region, such as those associated with the Qijia culture (ca. 2300–1800 BCE) 19 , 20 . This cline may also have been established or reinforced by later historical events, such as the expansion of the Tibetan empire since the 7th century CE, or by a prolonged process of gene flow between nearby populations in an isolation-by-distance manner that did not involve long-range migrations.…”

Human–animal–environment dynamics and formation of pastoralism in the southern Tibetan Plateau during the Middle–Late Holocene

“…3, orange dots), and the third phase (3.5–2 ka) is represented by Xindian, Kayue, and Nuomuhong culture sites (Fig. 3, purple dots) (Dong et al, 2021; Ren et al, 2021). This time lag relates to the fact that sheep and cattle appeared later in the catchment area of the STP.…”

Human planting strategies and its relation to climate change during ∼4,800–3,900 BP in the mid-lower Hulu River Valley, northwest China

“…5.2 How millet farming groups responded to climate change in the mid-lower Hulu River Valley during ~4,800-3,900 BP Climate changes, especially rapid and extreme climate events, are proposed as an important factor for cultural evolution and the transformation of subsistence strategies in different corners of Eurasia during the Neolithic periods (Staubwasser et al, 2003;Wu and Liu, 2004;Weiss, 2017;Park et al, 2019;Ran and Chen, 2019;, including northwest China (Dong et al, 2012;Zhou et al, 2016;Cao and Dong, 2020;Ren et al, 2021). While social resilience to climate change gradually increased with innovations and the dispersal of agricultural techniques across Eurasia, Neolithic groups could adopt different strategies to cope with climate change (Yang et al, 2019;Yang et al, 2020;Dong et al, 2021;Tao et al, 2022).…”

“…This indicates that millet farming groups substantially expanded in the area under a relatively cold-dry climate. Previous studies have suggested that Neolithic groups might have successfully adapted to climate events in different ways, including the alteration of cropping patterns (Pokharia et al, 2017;Chen et al, 2020;Li R et al, 2020), the improvement of field management (Masi et al, 2014;Ren et al, 2021) and the enlargement of the cultivated land area (An et al, 2021). Nevertheless, differences in planting strategies between the Lower Changshan period and the Qijia period in the MLHRV remains unclear due to the absence of systematic archaeobotanical studies.…”