山东淄博发现9000年前炭化小豆 比秦始皇早近7000年

Core Insights - The archaeological discovery at the Xiaogao site in Shandong, China, revealed charred small beans (adzuki beans) dating back 9,000 years, which is 4,000 years earlier than previous similar findings in China [1][3] - This finding indicates that a dry farming system based on "grains + legumes" was established in the lower Yellow River region 9,000 years ago, providing groundbreaking evidence for the study of agricultural origins in East Asia [1][3] Group 1 - The Xiaogao site, a typical post-Li culture site, has revealed rich remains including house sites, ash pits, pottery, and stone grinding plates, dating from 9,000 to 7,500 years ago [3] - A systematic analysis of 891 flotation samples identified 30,000 charred plant grains, including millet, foxtail millet, rice, soybeans, and small beans, with 45 charred small beans being particularly significant as the earliest evidence of small beans in the Yellow River basin [3] - The discovery highlights that 9,000 years ago, the lower Yellow River had already developed a complex agricultural system combining grains and legumes, showcasing the ecological wisdom of early farmers in crop combination [3] Group 2 - Professor Lang Jianfeng from Shandong University noted that the domestication of small beans in East Asia is a long-term, multi-centered complex process [5] - The research team compared small bean remains from over 140 sites in East Asia and found distinct evolutionary trajectories in the Yellow River basin, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula [5] - The small beans from the Xiaogao site measured only 5.8 cubic millimeters, significantly smaller than modern wild varieties, indicating an early "primitive form" of domestication, with significant size increase in Chinese small beans occurring 4,000 years later [5]