Isotope analysis for reconstructing the subsistence economy in Datong Basin, North China, during c. 4000 a BP

Abstract

To explore the reasons for unbalanced social development between the Yellow River Basin and other areas in North China, such as Datong Basin, during c. 4000 a BP, six human and 52 animal remains unearthed at Jijiazhuang site were subjected to accelerator mass spectrometry 14C (AMS-14C) dating and stable isotope analysis. The AMS-14C data showed that the age of Jijiazhuang site is 4141–3838 cal. BP, belonging to the late Longshan Culture Period. Isotope data showed that deer (−19.6‰ ± 0.5‰, 4.8‰ ± 0.3‰; n = 8) and horses (−18‰ ± 1.1‰, 4‰ ± 0.3‰; n = 4) relied on C3-based food, indicating that wild vegetation in Datong Basin was primarily composed of C3 plants. Cattle (−15.2‰ ± 1.7‰, 7‰ ± 1.4‰; n = 8) and sheep (−16‰ ± 0.6‰, 6.7‰ ± 0.2‰; n = 10) mainly relied on C3-based food, with a small amount of C4-based food. The isotope data of six humans (−7.6‰ ± 0.5‰, 8.8‰ ± 0.3‰) revealed that they predominately relied on C4-based food (millet). Pigs (−6.7‰ ± 0.5‰, 7.5‰ ± 1‰; n = 12) and most dogs (−8.1‰ ± 0.5‰, 7.2‰ ± 0.1‰; n = 5) had similar dietary patterns as humans. Therefore, people in Datong Basin primarily relied on millet-based agriculture. However, new productivity elements, such as cattle and sheep feeding, were not taken seriously in Datong Basin, which resulted in a limited complexity of local settlements during c. 4000 a BP.