Sesame use in Turpan during the Tang dynasty: Evidence from the Astana Cemetery

Abstract

Three concentrations of sesame seed remains have been discovered from the Astana Cemetery of Turpan, Xinjiang, China. 14C dating and unearthed documents indicate that they approximately belong to the 7th–8th centuries, which represent the earliest reliable archaeobotanical evidence of sesame in China. In addition to plant macrofossil method, pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) analyses were also employed to investigate two sesame samples and characterized its special biomarkers (sesamol & sesamin & sesamolin). Based on the preserved condition and concomitantly unearthed plant remains, these sesame remains were considered to be used as cereal and/or oilseed crops and pillow fillers. Furthermore, combined with the record of unearthed documents from the Astana Cemetery, it is assumed that sesame has been extensively cultivated and used by the indigenous people during the Tang dynasty (approximately the 7th–9th centuries). This paper offers new insights into the role of sesame in the economic and social life of Turpan inhabitants.