The prehistoric roots of Chinese cuisines: Mapping staple food systems of China, 6000 BC–220 AD

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 15; no. 11; p. e0240930
• Main Authors: Liu, Xinyi, Reid, Rachel E. B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 04.11.2020; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Analysis; Archaeology; Archaeology - statistics & numerical data; Baking; Barley; Biology and Life Sciences; Body Remains - chemistry; Carbon Isotopes - analysis; Cereal crops; China; Chinese cooking; Chinese history, to 1766 BC; Cooking; Cooking - history; Crops, Agricultural - history; Diet; Environmental conditions; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food - history; Geography; History; History, Ancient; Humans; Hunting; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Nitrogen isotopes; Nitrogen Isotopes - analysis; Pastoralism; Physical Sciences; Prehistoric era; Rivers; Sex Factors; Skeleton - chemistry; Social factors; Spatio-Temporal Analysis; Staples; Subsistence agriculture; Traditions; Wheat; Wind; China; United States; Southwest Asia; United States > US; Virginia; Huai River; Loess Plateau

We conducted a meta-analysis of published carbon and nitrogen isotope data from archaeological human skeletal remains (n = 2448) from 128 sites cross China in order to investigate broad spatial and temporal patterns in the formation of staple cuisines. Between 6000-5000 cal BC we found evidence for...