Abstract
ABSTRACTThe development and subsistence strategies adopted in ancient settlements are crucial to the understanding of long-term human–environmental interaction in the past. Here, we reassess the chronology of the ancient walled settlement of Sanjiao in the Hexi Corridor in northwestern China through accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS14C) dating and explore the subsistence of the settlers inside through the identification of carbonized seeds and charcoal. In addition, high-resolution paleoclimate records in the Hexi Corridor and nearby regions are employed to explore the reason for the construction of Sanjiao. Our results show that Sanjiao was built around 828 cal BC and remained inhabited through 384–116 cal BC. This indicates Sanjiao is the earliest known walled settlement in the Hexi Corridor. Ancient people at Sanjiao consumed crops such as barley, broomcorn millet, and foxtail millet, and used wood fromTamarix chinensis,Tamarix,Salix,Picea,Hippophae,Betulaceae, andPoaceaeas fuel. The construction date of Sanjiao correlates with climate deterioration and social upheavals in the Hexi Corridor, potentially suggesting a defensive purpose for the site.
Highlights
Ancient walled settlements are considered important symbols of human civilization (Redfield and Singer 1954; Sun 1990; Wang 1995; Yan 1999; Qian 2000; Xu 2009; Gates 2011)
We reassess the chronology of the ancient walled settlement of Sanjiao in the Hexi Corridor in northwestern China through accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dating and explore the subsistence of the settlers inside through the identification of carbonized seeds and charcoal
The three AMS 14C ages derived from the charcoal from the walls are relatively close and fall into the period 888–551 cal BC (Figure 3; Table 1), which coincides with the Western Zhou (1046–771 BC) and spring and autumn periods (770–476 BC)
Summary
Ancient walled settlements are considered important symbols of human civilization (Redfield and Singer 1954; Sun 1990; Wang 1995; Yan 1999; Qian 2000; Xu 2009; Gates 2011). During the Longshan Period (2600– 2000 BC), numerous walled settlements emerged along the Yellow River and Yangtze River valleys (Qian 2000), which indicate a dramatic transformation of social structure, possibly brought by a relatively cold and dry climate (Marcott et al 2013; Wanger et al 2013; Chen et al 2015a; Hosner et al 2016). This transformation preceded the emergence of ancient civilizations in the Xia and Shang Dynasties in the second Millenium BC.
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