中国北方万年农业考古新发现：燕山南北早期旱作农业历经三阶段

Core Insights - The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Key Laboratory of Technological Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Protection announced significant findings regarding the origins of dryland agriculture in northern China, revealing three key stages in its development [1][3]. Group 1: Research Findings - The research team utilized radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis to identify critical time nodes in the development of dryland agriculture, which is essential for understanding the origins of agriculture and civilization [1][3]. - The first stage identified at the Sitaizhi site in northern Hebei indicates a coexistence of settled life and agricultural origins around 10,000 years ago, suggesting that this region may be a center for the origins of dryland agriculture [4]. - The second stage, evidenced by findings at the Xiliao River sites, shows that by 7,800 to 7,500 years ago, dryland agriculture had formed a stable economic base, with millet comprising about 70% of the diet of early inhabitants [5]. - The third stage, from 6,200 to 5,000 years ago, indicates that millet constituted approximately 80% of the diet in the core area of the Hongshan culture, reflecting the development of agricultural economies that supported population growth and social complexity [5]. Group 2: Laboratory Contributions - The radiocarbon dating laboratory, established in 1965, is the first of its kind in China and has published over 2,700 dating results, contributing significantly to the foundational chronological framework for Chinese archaeology [7]. - The laboratory will continue to focus on important academic issues related to the cultural history of over 10,000 years and the civilization history of over 5,000 years [7].