The Center for Archaeological Science, Sichuan University team reveals the dietary structure of the Han and Jin Dynasties population in the Lop Nur region.

Recently, Wang Xueye, Associate Research Fellow at the Center for Archaeological Science, Sichuan University, and others published a research paper titled "Diet along the eastern Silk Roads: an isotopic case study of ancient humans and livestock from the Han-Jin Dynasties in the Lop Nur region, northwest China" in the international archaeological journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. Collaborators are from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jilin University, Xinjiang University, Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Loulan Museum, Wuhan University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz. This study reconstructed the diet of the population at that time by analyzing carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotopes of human and animal teeth remains unearthed from tombs (Figure 1) of the Han-Jin Dynasties in the Lop Nur region, eastern Tarim Basin, Xinjiang.

Figure 1. Geographical location of the Lop Nur No. 1 Cemetery in 2015

The results show that the 未15N values of herbivores ranged from 10.2鈥� to 15.5鈥�, which is abnormally high, far higher than the previously published 未15N values of herbivores in the Eurasian steppe, Hexi Corridor, and northern Xinjiang (< 9鈥�). Combined with the local climatic conditions and the accumulation layer of animal feces in the ruins (Figure 2), it is speculated that the extremely arid climate environment and human fertilization behavior are possible reasons for the abnormally high nitrogen isotope. The diet of humans was mainly C3/C4 mixed foods and depended on animal products. In addition, a large number of tombs from the Han-Jin Dynasties are preserved in the Lop Nur area, but there are obvious differences in the specifications of the tombs. Considering the possible social stratification at that time, this study preliminarily speculated that "village populations" consumed more millet foods than "city populations" by comparing the isotope data of human bone remains in tombs of different specifications.

Figure 2. Animal feces accumulation layer preserved in the ruins of the Han-Jin Dynasties in the Lop Nur area

The SIBER (Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses in R) isotopic niche model analysis results in this study show that the dietary diversity of the Loulan people in the Han-Jin Dynasties was much higher than that of the Xiaohe and Gumugou people in the Bronze Age, and C4 food consumption increased significantly (Figure 3). The difference in isotopic niche width between different periods reflects the diversification of agricultural practices and the expansion of dietary choices in the Lop Nur area during the Han-Jin Dynasties.

Figure 3. SIBER analysis of human bone isotopes in the Lop Nur area and archaeological sites of the same period in Northwest China

This study was carried out relying on the scientific investigation project (2014FY210500) of the National Science and Technology Basic Work Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology undertaken by the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and four other units, namely, "Comprehensive Scientific Investigation of Natural and Cultural Heritage in Lop Nur". In addition, this research was also supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42072210 & 42207508), the Independent Deployment Project of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS-201905), and the Interdisciplinary Research Youth Fund Project of the Center for Archaeological Science, Sichuan University.