Lu Peng (Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
[Editor's Note] Due to the sudden outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the field work of Chinese archaeology in 2020 has been greatly affected in terms of time and environment. However, archaeologists actively resume work and create job opportunities, and archaeological work throughout the year still has frequent highlights.
In addition to the top ten archaeological discoveries in the country in 2020, what other archaeological achievements are also worth paying attention to? The Paper·Private History Column specially invited 9 scholars from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences to write a summary manuscript to sort out China's major archaeological discoveries in the past year in a full-time and comprehensive manner for readers.
In the past year, although domestic scientific and technological archaeology has experienced the impact of the new crown epidemic, it has still shown a booming momentum: First, the research content has been improved in depth and breadth, and the research vision has been gradually expanded; Second, the research methods have been constantly innovated, and a variety of methods and technologies have been organically integrated and applied to archaeological practice; Third, theoretical reflection and public service awareness have been enhanced, and social recognition has gradually increased. Here, a brief review is made according to various research areas of scientific and technological archaeology as follows.
Digital Archaeology
Digital Archaeology has now become the "standard configuration" of Chinese archaeology. In recent years, Liu Jianguo has comprehensively used spatial information technologies such as drone shooting, multi-view three-dimensional reconstruction and geographic information systems, and is committed to exploring important topics such as the relationship between human-land and prehistoric settlements and prehistoric water control.
research shows that prehistoric water control civilization in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is very developed, and even large-scale water conservancy projects have emerged. The prehistoric settlement sites such as the Luoyang Basin in Henan, the Linfen Basin in Shanxi, and the Qixing River Basin in Shaanxi, built river dams on the river channel; the Jianghan Plain and the Liyang Plain in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River should be facilities used to prevent flood threats in the rainy season, and water storage in areas with higher terrain is used for farmland irrigation in the dry season; huge prehistoric water conservancy projects were found in the ancient city of Liangzhu, Zhejiang and its periphery, which had important functions such as flood diversion, irrigation, transportation, and defense.
Liangzhu Ancient City Outer Water Conservancy System
Determination
correction curve and correction method are directly related to the test results of the carbon 14th dynasty. In 2020, two important progress in the field of international carbon 14 dating was related to it. Radiocarbon released the latest chronological correction curve IntCal20, which increased the basic data by 83.8% compared with IntCal13, pushing the correction curve from 50,000 years ago to 55,000 years ago, improving the accuracy of the carbon 14 correction curve in multiple segments of the Holocene, and optimizing the correction curve algorithm. Oxford University has also updated the correction procedure in conjunction with the use of IntCal20 and released a new free correction procedure OxCal4.4.1.
Domestic carbon 14 dating research is developing slowly. In addition to the new batch of test data publications and a few chronological case studies, young scholars are focusing on introducing the research progress of international carbon 14 dating technology. Song Yin introduced the basic method of using OxCal4.3.2 for statistical processing, and used different archaeologists to stage the lower cultural stage of Xiajiadian as a priori condition to test the degree of match between the Bayesian carbon-14 model and archaeological typology research. Liu Ruiliang and others compared the impact of the newly published calibration curve IntCal20 on the existing chronological framework in detail, and believed that the new calibration curve was different from IntCal13 in the three intervals from 54,000 BC to 30,000 BC, 11,000 BC to 10,000 BC, and 50 to 250 AD, but had little impact on the carbon-14th chronological research in the Neolithic Age, Bronze Age and historical period.
Environmental archaeological
The ancient landform research of specific sites is vivid and colorful. Wang Hui and others conducted ancient landform research on the Nanzhuangtou site in Xushui, Hebei, and found that the 5th and 6th floors of the site were lake and marsh strata containing cultural relics. At that time, the landform was a "valley in the valley" with good water resources. Li Lan and others conducted multi-index testing and analysis on the stratigraphic records of the Handongcheng ruins in Yongchuan, Chongqing, and determined that a large-scale flood event occurred in the middle and late Tang Dynasty. Further research on the strata of the Minhe Lajia site in Qinghai by Wang Haiyan and others shows that a period of prevalence of mountain torrents occurred during the development of Heiba soil.Situ Ke conducted chemical composition analysis of soil and sediments, and believed that artificially intervened paleosoils contain geochemical characteristics of human-used land, and are a valuable alternative indicator to define the geographical scope and density distribution of ancient human land use in the early Anthropocene.
The research on the relationship between people and landforms related to landforms is carried out in an orderly manner. Zhao Chengshuangping and others discussed the causes and mechanisms of the evolution of the hydrological environment in the Jianghan-Dongting Basin in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and its relationship with human activities. Li Yaping and others analyzed the distribution characteristics of rice remains in different geomorphic parts of the Luoyang Basin in Henan from the middle and late Neolithic Age to the Xia and Shang dynasties, and discussed the influence of paleomorphic evolution on prehistoric rice planting.
human bone archaeology
There are more than 20 sites that carried out human bone archaeology research in 2020, and the space-time range has been greatly improved. In terms of time, it expanded forward to the late Paleolithic period and backward to the Han Dynasty, Northern Wei Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty and Ming Dynasty. Spatially, the research scope extends to the wider northwest and southern regions.
Human Origin is still the focus of research. In terms of research methods, we will gradually develop from macromorphology to refinement and deepening. The discovery and research of human fossil in the late Pleistocene from Anhui to Hualong Cave and zhaoguo Cave in Gui'an, Guizhou shows that eastern China and the southwest region are important areas for studying the origin of modern Chinese people, and are of great significance for studying the behavior patterns of people in East Asia and the evolution of people's skeleton micromorphology in East Asia. The special research on human fossil materials has also achieved important results. Some scholars have conducted research on the performance characteristics and evolutionary significance of the ancient human fossils in China.
Paleopathology research is booming. The earliest and most complete case of death due to dysfunction in Chinese archaeological records were unearthed at the Huigou, Zhengzhou, Henan and Shuanghuaishu sites in Gongyi. Some scholars have begun to sort out the paleopathological achievements of spirochetes at home and abroad, as well as the diagnosis methods, origins and paleopathological distribution of syphilis, laying the foundation for special paleopathological observation and statistics. The translation and publication of the world's classic textbook on paleopathology, "Photographic Regional Atlas of Bone Disease", provides identification, judgment and analysis standards for archaeologists to further conduct research.
Shuanghuaishu site
Bone trauma research is the focus of archaeologists. The high skull trauma rate of male residents in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty during the Dushan Cemetery in Yanqing, Beijing and the beheading of soldiers of the Chu State reflect the social unrest and violent conflicts during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. The post-care of human bones on human bones and long-term assistance in social and rehabilitation in Pula, Hotan Mountain, Xinjiang, helps us to have a deeper understanding of past social relations, culture, group and individual identities.
The ancient population problem was a difficult research point. Li Nan used the "population archaeology" method for the first time to conduct a systematic study on the population of the Western Zhou Dynasty in Shaanxi for the original in the 2nd week of Shaanxi, and proposed new theories and methods for further carrying out paleodemography research.
Some social cultures or customs will trigger bone changes to a certain extent. The phenomenon of people with a ball on the mouth of the Dawenkou culture in Shandong Province may be a symbol or symbol of the special status of a few women. The traces of kneeling on human bones during the Shang and Zhou dynasties reflected the universal custom of kneeling. Research on the deformation of female foot binding caused by foot bones in Xinzhen Cemetery in Changyi, Shandong and Taohua Garden, Jixian, Tianjin in Ming and Qing dynasties in cemeteries have an important role in understanding the ancient foot binding customs and analysis of bone functional pressure.
New technologies and new methods are increasingly being applied to ancient human skeleton research. AutoCAD, Photoshop, etc. can realize the accurate measurement of the two-dimensional shape area of human bone specimens. Geometric morphology measurements well reveal the variation of the three-dimensional shape of the specimen. CT scanning, three-dimensional laser scanning, multi-view three-dimensional imaging and other technologies realize the virtual three-dimensional reconstruction of the specimen, and can obtain accurate data such as surface area, cross-sectional area, volume and other internal micromorphology of the specimen.Three-dimensional craniofacial virtual restoration of male skull No. 101, Shanding Cave, Beijing, high-resolution industrial CT scan, Sichuan Ziyang human skull fossil, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) completed the three-dimensional reconstruction of human teeth in the Jiaojia site in Jinan, Shandong, etc., showing the broad application prospects of new technologies.
Animal Archaeology
20 has carried out more than 30 sites that conducted animal archaeological research, including Houtaomuga, Da'an, Jilin, Sanjianfang, Luolan Ancient City, Ruoqiang, Xinjiang, Xinglong, Zhangjiakou, Hebei, Kanjiazhai, Linzi, Qi Ancient City, Linzi, Shandong, Lingjiatan and Weigang, Hanshan, Shaanxi, Lantian New Street, Shaanxi, Wancheng, Jingbiantong, Shaanxi, Fangjiagou, Dengfeng, Henan, Gaoshan Ancient City, Sichuan, and Long'an Yahuai Cave, Guangxi. Taking the animal archaeological study of Wancheng Ruins in Jingbiantong, Shaanxi as an example, this site is the only capital ruins left by the Daxia Kingdom during the 16 Kingdom period. There are various ways to develop and utilize animal resources, and the proportion of herbivores accounts for a very high proportion, and they engage in nomadic methods.
Tongwancheng Ruins
Regional zoological archaeology research is carried out in depth. Key research areas include: Tao River Basin in Gansu, Qinghai, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Yulin in Shaanxi, Cangtou River Basin in Youyu County, Shanxi, etc. Sino-foreign cooperation carried out multidisciplinary research on the Tao River Basin in Gansu and Qinghai, and obtained the earliest dating data of domestic sheep and goats in the Tao River Basin from 1900 BC to 1750 BC and 1600 BC to 1450 BC, respectively.
The dialectical relationship between Marxism’s productivity and production relations, and the economic foundation and superstructure are important theories that guide Chinese archaeologists to conduct ancient biotechnology and social research. Yuan Jing 's book "Research on the Biotechnology of the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age" edited by Yuan Jing comprehensively applies the research results of zoological archaeology and plant archaeology to comprehensively explain the connotation and characteristics of the biotechnology of the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age in China, and comprehensively consider it with environmental background, changes, social development process, etc.
Animal archaeological research on specific animal species is very distinctive. Specific studies include pig bone research in Shuangdun, Bengbu, Anhui, pig bone research in the Central Plains and the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, fish remains in Ningbo, Zhejiang, research on primitive cattle in northern China, research on horse bone unearthed in Xinjiang, research on donkey bone unearthed from the tomb of Cui, a wife of Tang Boling County, Qujiang, Xi'an, Shaanxi, and research on cats from Song Tomb in Xinxiang, Henan.
Archaeological phenomena of burying or burying animals can reflect the etiquette activities and spiritual demands of ancient ancestors. Hou Yanfeng and others conducted zoological archaeological research on the sacrificial sacrifices of animals unearthed from Tomb No. 8, Chengyang, Xinyang, Henan Province (the era was late in the middle of the Warring States Period), and combined animal species, parts, slaughter traces, etc. with historical documents to conduct comprehensive research. The research on
bone device has been quite highlighted. First, we began to use GIS (geographic information system) to conduct bone device research, and second, we began to pay attention to bone device manufacturing in animal husbandry economic areas. Li Yue and others will shift the research area from the Central Plains to the frontier, and conduct zoological archaeological research on the unearthed bone products in the Balikun Shirenzigou site in Xinjiang (the era was from the late Bronze Age to the early Iron Age).
Chinese archaeology has accumulated rich "archaeological resources" in both physical objects and data. Building a national science and technology resource sharing service platform has become an important measure and urgent need to deepen basic research in archaeology. At present, the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has begun to implement the pilot project of the construction of the Chinese animal remains specimen database by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.
Plant Archaeology
(I) Plant Research
0 There are more than 30 articles related to plant archaeology published in 2020, with a large span, from the late Paleolithic Age, to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and even the Han and Wei dynasties; the geographical scope is wide, including Henan and Shaanxi in the Yellow River Basin, Jiangxi and Hubei in the south, Xinjiang, Gansu and Qinghai in the northwest, Jilin and Heilongjiang in the northeast, and southwest regions including Tibet. Related studies include flotation research reports interpreted from the perspective of carbonized large plants, case studies elaborated from the level of micro-evidence, regional studies combining multiple sites, or special studies based on a particular angle.
Research on the origin of agriculture continues to make efforts.The carbonized millet (14 grains) and millet (1 grain) from the Donghulin Site of Mentougou, Beijing (date 11,000 to 9,000 years ago) are the two earliest solid particles of millet unearthed in the official archaeological excavation. Stevens et al. conducted a dimensional analysis of charred millet unearthed from more than 40 prehistoric archaeological sites in northern China, and believed that the domestication of millet occurred between 7,000 and 5,300 BC.
Single site or regional research results continue. There were summer solstice grass , bald solstice flower and mud-curd found at the Yangguanzhai site in Gaoling, Shaanxi, which may reflect the ancient people's understanding of primitive medicine. Comprehensive research on plant archaeology at multiple sites in the Miaodigou period in the Central Plains region shows that the agricultural production model dominated by millet has replaced hunter-gathering as the main business model and entered a mature agricultural society. The Qinghai Muzhu Jinchankou site shows that wheat and wheat had been introduced 3900 years ago. This is the earliest evidence of direct dating of in Hehuang area. Research on silicon grafts in the Youziling to Shijiahe Culture period (about 5,800 to 4,200 BC) shows that rice has an absolute dominant position in the structure of the people's livelihood industry. The botanical archaeological research on Haojiatai, Luohe, Shaanxi, Gongbei Cliff, Shaanxi, Longgang Temple, Hanzhong, Shaanxi, Jungden, Henan, Jinqiao, Puyang, Henan, and Fenglin Ancient City, Shuangyashan, Heilongjiang, has further enriched our understanding of the development of ancient agriculture. Tomb No. 8, Chengyang City Site in Xinyang, Henan Province (the era was late in the middle of the Warring States Period) was found in the oak leaf , rice, millet and other plant remains. The earliest oak leaf wrapping may be the early form of traditional Chinese food zongzi. New progress has been made in the research on early winemaking in the Yangshao era. In the earliest batch of pointed-bottom bottles of from Banpo and Jiangzhai ruins in Xi'an, Shaanxi, there were evidence that millet and other crops and wild plant resources were used for winemaking. Crops such as hemp, rice, and millet were found in the of the tomb of Haihunhou in the Han Dynasty in Jiangxi Province, as well as melon seeds and plum cores. Through the analysis of direct dating results of crops unearthed in southern China and Indochina Peninsula, scholars believe that millet agriculture appeared in the late 3000th century BC, and rice agriculture appeared in the late 2000th century BC. It is believed that early agriculture in the Indochina Peninsula may have three sources: southwest China, Guangdong-Guangdong-Guangdong-Guangdong-Guangdong-Guangdong-Coast. In addition, the Tao River Basin in Gansu and Qinghai region and the Cangtou River Basin in northern Shanxi have also announced the results of regional plant archaeological research.
Nanchang Haihunhou Tomb Unearthed cultural relics
Flora archaeological discoveries and research in Xinjiang and Tibet are particularly prominent. The crops in the Wubao cemetery from the late Bronze Age to the early Iron Age in the Hami Basin in Xinjiang include millet, sorghum and wheat. The starch granules on the surface of the stone tool in Jirentaigoukou site in Yili River Valley, Xinjiang come from the wheat family of the Grape family and some root and tuber plants, and the silicon phytoplankton found on the surface of the stone tool are mainly millet crop phytoplankton, early maturing grazing subfamily and rod-type. The study of plant remains of the Upal site in Kashgar, Xinjiang shows the oasis agricultural model from 1500 BC to 400 BC, filling the gap in plant archaeology research in southern Xinjiang. The Qiongjie Bangga site in Tibet has formed an agricultural economic model dominated by barley 3,000 years ago. The Han Dynasty Shichengzi site in Xinjiang shows that the agricultural structure of the border guard site includes four crops: millet, sorghum, wheat and barley.
(II) Wood Archaeology
In terms of research content, charcoal is used to analyze the relationship between people and the environment. From the restoration of ancient vegetation in a single site and the utilization of forest resources, the charcoal analysis results of multiple sites have gradually shifted to restoring vegetation in different regions and cultural periods and the utilization of forest resources by ancestors. In order to make the charcoal analysis results more ecologically representative, some scholars have discussed the collection and quantitative analysis methods of charcoal unearthed from archaeological sites.
In terms of research methods, it mainly focuses on identifying the materials of ancient wood tools and discussing wood identification methods. The non-destructive analysis of precious wood was performed using near-infrared spectroscopy analysis technology, and the wood to species were accurately identified by combining DNA barcode and wood anatomy.
Food analysis
(I) Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis
期人人人人人水人水人水新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新冠新Through the study of isotopes of human bones and animal and plant remains unearthed from sites such as Xijincheng, Nanwa, Dengfeng and Xiaoshuangqiao in Zhengzhou, the researchers roughly revealed that the agricultural economy in the Yellow River Basin was still based on millet agriculture from the Longshan to the Western Zhou Dynasty, and the progress of the complexity of the agricultural economy was relatively slow. The study of ancient recipes of ancestors and livestock in the two-week period in the ancient city of Zhenghan, Henan, Songzhuang, Qi County, and Chengyang City, Xinyang, etc. provided clear evidence for the rapid promotion of wheat crop agriculture in the Central Plains during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
Research on the people's livelihood economy in the Haba River Ayitu Khan No. 1 Cemetery in Haba River, Xinjiang, Shichengzi in Qitai County, Jierzankal Tomb in Tashkurgan County, provides a new perspective for understanding ancient cultural interaction and ethnic integration. For example, Ayito Khan's tomb No. 1 found evidence of the introduction of millet food into northern Xinjiang around 4,500 years ago. The ruins of Yingpan Mountain and Dayi Gaoshan Ancient City in Aba, Sichuan provide clues for the study of millet agriculture and rice agriculture from the late Neolithic to the late Neolithic Age to the main and tributaries of the Yangtze River in the northwest and eastern Yangtze River respectively. The combination of
stable isotopes and animal archaeology has produced some new discoveries. In addition to the reconstruction of livestock breeding methods at sites such as Xinglefang in Huayin, Shaanxi and Fuyangying in Cixian, Hebei, the discussion on the domestication process of wild animals and the breeding of ritual animals have become the biggest highlights of this year. For example, the study on the isotopes of the late grass rabbits in Hongshan, Shaanxi, Yangjiesha and Wangyangpan, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, Yangshao, For example, an analysis of the isotope results of animal bones unearthed from the Qin and Han sacrificial sites of the Qin and Han sacrificial sites of Fengxiang Blood Pond in Shaanxi Province found that the sacrifices used in high-level sacrificial activities showed a diverse breeding method, and most horses in Beidoufang were specially raised with millet food during their lifetime. This discovery was consistent with the "tributive" system recorded in the "Li of Zhou" and the sacrifice before the sacrifice "is tied to the prison, and the "makes for three months" and "specially raised". In addition, a comprehensive study on donkey bones in the tomb of Qujiang Tang tomb in Xi'an, Shaanxi revealed that the purpose of burying the donkey in the tomb is for the tomb owner to engage in donkey hop movement in the underworld.
Erlitou unearthed bone remains with symbols
Ancient recipe research has made the emergence of comprehensive research possible in the past 40 years. A comparison of the production economy along the northern Great Wall and the Central Plains from the late Neolithic Age to the pre-Qin period found that the differentiation of the production economy in the Central Plains and the Great Wall area - especially the difference in dependence on cattle, sheep and animal husbandry - led to the former forming a complex agricultural empire, while it is difficult to form a stable social aggregate force along the Great Wall area.
carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis has made breakthroughs in research methods, and the research ideas show the characteristics of multidisciplinary intersections. Isotope analysis of the teeth sequence samples of ancestors in the ancient city of Gaoshan, Dayi, Sichuan reconstructed the dietary structure of individual teeth at different stages during the development of the teeth. The isotope comparison analysis of the ribs and limb bones of horse animals at the Beidoufang site of Fengxiang Xuechi site in Shaanxi is the first to reveal the differences in the food structure of the same horse animals at different ages.
(Bi) Strontium isotope analysis
strontium isotope ratio has been widely used in the study of tracking human or animal migration behavior under different geological conditions. Wang Xueye et al. established China's first strontium isotope contour map suitable for the biological field. Zhao Chunyan analyzed the strontium isotope ratio analysis of the Xiawanggang site in Xichuan, Henan, and believed that the 16 human individuals unearthed at the site may have been born locally. Zhao Chunyan analyzed the strontium isotope ratio and carbon stable isotope analysis of animal remains unearthed in the Lingjiatan site in Hanshan, Anhui Province, and believed that all animals originated from the local area.
年年4年2DNA年3期
(I)年年年年年文
"The Paleogenome reveals the evolution and migration history of Chinese populations over the past ten thousand years" was rated as one of the top ten scientific advances in China in 2020.Fu Qiaomei research team has conducted the first paleogenome study with the largest, large-scale and systematic time span for prehistoric populations in northern and southern China, revealing the history of the north-south differentiation pattern, subject continuity and migration fusion of the Chinese population since 9500. The study shows that the continuous evolution of the main population in China and East Asia is the main theme, and the ancient southern population in Fujian and surrounding areas of China, 8,400 years ago is the ancestor of the Aristocracy group.
In addition, the team also successfully obtained the first Denisova mitochondrial gene sequence outside the Denisova Cave from the Xiahe people's mandibular fossils in the Baishiya Cave of Xiahe River in Gansu in the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, revealing evidence that Denisova lived in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for a long time in the late Pleistocene.
(Bi) Animal Paleo DNA 3 Research
In the past decade, high-throughput sequencing technology and the paleogenomics developed from this have triggered the third revolutionary change in paleo DNA research. Zhang Ming and others conducted a study on the entire genome of mitochondria of ancient Chinese domestic dogs, and speculated that the domestic dogs, haplotype , may have been widely distributed in the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins and dominated. Then, it spread southward to southern China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea , Australia and Pacific islands, and northward to the polar regions of East and West Siberia. Wen Shaoqing and others have optimized three detection processes based on high-throughput sequencing and applied them to the ancient DNA research of horses unearthed from the Qin and Han sacrificial sites of Fengxiang Xuechi, Shaanxi Province (from 350 BC to 125 AD). The results show that their matriline has high genetic diversity, many males, is not a war horse, originated in many places, and is mainly maximal horses.
Material composition, structure analysis and process research
(I) Protein Archaeology
In the top ten science and technology headlines of Science magazine Outlook 2020, Protein Archaeology (Protein Archaeology) ranks among them. Since protein is more stable than DNA, it is more suitable for research on ancient fossils that cannot extract DNA, and has obvious advantages in non-destructive, efficient, and low-cost detection. Rao Huiyun and others tested the paleoprotein sequence of the first Pleistocene spotted hyena fossil in East Asia. The study found that there may be gene exchange between cave hyena in East Asia and the living spotted hyena in northern Africa 1.03 million years ago. Xiao Qiqi and others conducted a comprehensive study on the food residue unearthed from the cemetery of Luopu Bizili, Xinjiang through infrared spectroscopy, plant microfossils, carbon-nitrogen stable isotope analysis, and proteomics . They believed that it was pasta mixed with millet and a small amount of barley, and added a little meat, and roasted. Yang Yimin and others conducted carbon and nitrogen isotopes, plant microfossils, proteomics and other analysis of the liquid in the ancient tomb group of Houchuan Village, Sanmenxia, Henan Province (the era was in the early years of the Western Han Dynasty) and believed that it was a medicinal wine for stopping hemostatic and anti-inflammatory.
(II) Metallurgical Archaeology
With the discovery and research of copper casting sites in southern regions such as Taijia Temple in Funan, Anhui, Xiaozui, Panlongcheng, Hubei, and Guoyuanzui, Huangpi, Hubei, Hubei, the appearance and pattern of copper casting handicrafts during the Shang and Zhou dynasties became clearer. Research on the layout of copper casting sites in Huanbei Shopping Mall and craftsman cemeteries in the Central Plains, excavation and research of Xindian Shopping Mall in Anyang, Henan, and analysis of copper casting relics unearthed in Yanshi Shopping Mall in Henan, not only fills the time chain on the road of bronze smelting production and evolution, refreshes our understanding of the layout and functions of copper casting workshops, but also expands the traditional understanding of bronze handicraft industry: urban cities are not the only production base, and not all copper casting workshops are controlled by the royal family.
Anyang Xindian Copper Cast Site, Henan
Iron metallurgy archaeology has achieved systematic results in field investigations and excavations. The Kanjiazhai cast iron site in the ancient city of Linzi, Shandong, the Caopu cast iron site in Xia, Anxi, Yunnan, and the survey of ancient mineral and smelting sites in western Liaoning, , Xiangxi and other areas have supplemented and revised the understanding of the ancient Chinese steel technology system.
New research methods have given birth to new research content.Liu Siran and others' research on micro relics in copper slag and exploration of the roasting temperature test method of pottery model, Zhou Wenli and et al.'s research on large outdoor bronze ware in the Ming and Qing dynasties, Su Rongyu and Zhang Changping's exchange and mutual influence on bronze production technology in different regions, Zhang Ji's research on the control, distribution and utilization of bronze ware in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Su Rongyu and Liu Yu's review of academic history, Zhang Changping's research on bronze ware collections in overseas, etc., enriched the picture of metallurgical archaeology in 2020.
(III) Research on grinding stone tools
Research methods, Yi Mingjie and others briefly reviewed the domestic research on microscopic marks of stone tools, Zhou Zhenyu reviewed the experimental archaeological content of China on the machining and grinding stone tools. Zhai Shaodong thought about the application of scientific and technological means in the research on grinding stone tools based on scholars' debate on the function of stone mortars in the Near East.
In terms of the types of objects, Chen Youcheng and others compared the age and types of grinding stone tools in the east and west of the old continent, believing that the origin of grinding stone tools has a binary structure in the east and west of the mainland, which is an embodiment of the diverse cultural adaptation strategy for the changes in the late Pleistocene ecological-social environment. In terms of
production technology, Chen Hong and others believe that there is a stone tool processing workshop in Wufeng North Site in Suzhou, Jiangsu, and pointed out that stone chisels are used to process wood. Zhai Shaodong and others conduct experiments on grinding copper ware by using grinding stone made of sandstone to analyze the selection and grinding content of sandstone by the Yinxu bronze grinding process.
(IV) Jade Research
Internationally, foreign scholars conducted a comparative study on the role of the production and dissemination of green gemstone in the political etiquette and economic development of their respective regions, and believed that this method is also applicable to different regions in the world such as Asia.
The research of domestic scholars mainly focuses on jade culture, cultural interaction, process technology, material analysis and comprehensive analysis of jade artifacts unearthed at a certain site. Wu Weihong and others reviewed the history of the discovery and research of jade artifacts in Lingjiatan site in Hanshan, Anhui. Ye Xiaohong and others conducted a series of research on the jade unearthed from the tomb of King Chu of Lion Mountain. Through micro-scar observation, they found that drilling technology was used by jade workers in the Western Han Dynasty to reduce the ground and openwork technology of round carving and relief jade. When removing internal materials, continuous pipe drilling technology was used, and rotary grinding technology may be used when polishing and polishing. Due to the advancement of tools and craftsmanship, the style and shape of jade in the Western Han Dynasty have been significantly changed. Bao Yi and others conducted a non-destructive analysis of the patina of jade unearthed from the Jinsha site in Chengdu, Sichuan, and confirmed that these six patinas (green, black, yellow, blue, purple and white) originated from the corrosion products of bronzes ( malachite , black copper ore, phosphochloroleadite, azure copper ore, hydroxycopper ore and cassiterite). In addition, they found organic matter and poisonous sand on the jade.
(V) Ceramics Research
Pottery firing industry is an important handicraft category in the Neolithic era. Qin Xiaoli and others studied pottery unearthed from the Kangjia family in Lintong, Shaanxi and Zhaocun, Tianshui Shi, Gansu, and found that there was a locally concentrated pottery production and operation model in the late Yangshao culture. When it reached the second phase of Keshengzhuang, it showed that the business model of pottery production was carried out based on households in the village. Qin Xiaoli and others also found that compared with the Liangzhu culture period, etiquette pottery had a stable and unified combination form, and the system of making etiquette instruments with special materials such as white pottery and bronze appeared, indicating that the ritual society had initially taken shape.
In terms of porcelain archaeology, Shen Yueming and Zheng Jianming conducted investigations and research on 12 kiln sites in Baoding Village, Lishui, Zhejiang, Lijiatang site in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and other unearthed porcelain and kiln sites. Bao Yibo inspected the original porcelain unearthed from multiple sites and obtained a series of data of important academic value, providing important inspiration for understanding the differences between original porcelain in the northern region and the southern region, and at the same time enriching the original porcelain database under construction.
Scientific and technological archaeology shines into reality
How does archaeology serve today's society? Science and technology archaeologists gave answers with practical actions. Fudan University Institute of Science and Technology Archaeology Wen Shaoqing's research team successfully used the probe capture technology of ancient DNA detection, which greatly improved the capture rate of the new coronavirus. At the same time, it also accurately obtained all the gene sequences of the new coronavirus in each infected person, providing important technical support for epidemic prevention and control. Faced with the epidemic, scientific and technological archaeologists have written articles to find clues of ancient plagues from unearthed human and animal remains, hoping to learn from the current epidemic. At the same time, a group of archaeologists have also begun to use their professional skills to serve the society. Relevant scholars actively participated in the public welfare activities of "Let the veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japan Go Home" by non-governmental organizations, which has been praised by all sectors of society.
How new science and technology can be applied quickly and efficiently to the field of archaeology is a prominent problem we are currently facing. To solve this problem, we need to build a bridge between "technology" and "archaeology". On the one hand, the archaeology field needs to actively receive the latest developments of modern advanced science and technology through various channels, and actively explore the application of new scientific and technological means in the archaeology field. On the other hand, the existing new and mature technologies need to be widely and in-depth promoted to the archaeology field, and cultivate compound talents for the archaeology field.
(Special thanks to colleagues from the Science and Technology Archaeology Center of the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences for providing information. This article embodies everyone's collective wisdom! Due to my limited level, omissions and inappropriateness, I hope readers will be satisfied.)
Editor in charge: Zhong Yuan
Proofreading: Ding Xiao
