Interplay of dietary diversity and mobility of the Late Neolithic people in the Central Plains of China: multi-isotope analysis at the Haojiatai site

Abstract

The origins of agriculture in East Asia can be distinguished between rice agriculture in southern China and millet agriculture (foxtail and broomcorn millet) in the north. In the Longshan period (c. 4300–3800 cal BP), with the northward expansion of rice farming, a mixed rice–millet agricultural area was established in the Central Plains of China, which was also in the core area of the establishment of the early state. The interaction between these two agricultural traditions is significant as a backdrop for the emergence of the Erlitou civilization, although the specifics of this cultural contact remain unclear. In this study, we conducted a multiple-isotope analysis to investigate the relationship between dietary diversity and human mobility at the Haojiatai site in Henan Province, where previous studies suggest that C₄ millet farmers and C₃ hunter-gatherer-fishers coexisted in this place. In addition to assessing carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of bone collagen, the results of nitrogen isotope ratios of individual amino acids suggested that the C₃-diet group primarily relied on terrestrial resources such as rice and wild herbivores but also showed a slight influence of C₄ food signature. Meanwhile, the C₄-diet group was also influenced by C₃ foods (wild herbivores and plants) and aquatic animals. Oxygen and strontium isotope ratios indicated that although there is no evidence of long-distance migrations, it does suggest an interaction with the core area of the Central Plains. C₃-diet individuals likely originated from non-local regions. A considerable number of C₄ millet farmers also appeared to have migrated from the surrounding area as well. The high mobility observed among populations of the Longshan culture implies a connection between the emergence of civilization and increased human mobility.