Research Of Charred Botanical Remains From Shannashuzha Site In Gansu Province

Shannashuzha site is located at Taohe valley in Ganqing area, which Majiayao culture is as the dominant remains. With the excavation in 2012-2013, the systematic sampling and flotation brought us plenty of plant remains in order to further discussion about agriculture economy in the site. The quantitative analysis and identification of plant remains recovered by 128 flotation samples showed that the main composite are charred wood and plant seeds in Shannashuzha site. The principal part of the plant seeds are foxtail millet and broomcorn millet, and overall the foxtail millet have a significant proportion of the whole. Besides, a few Cannabaceae and barely were found, while barely may not be the remains of Majiayao. The agricultural production tools can also reflect the existence of agricultural economy at that time, so we believe that the site belongs to a typical dry farming agricultural systems. Other plant resources also be used in the site such as Chenopodiaceae, Leguminosae, Labiatae, Elaeagnaceae, Rosaceae and so on. Different from the sites of Weishui Valley, the combination of Panicum and Chenopodium album L. in the site are more like Yingpanshan site on the whole. We speculate that the agricultural of Shannashuzha came from westward Majiayao culture of the Weishui Valley, but partly accepted traditional argriculture as a result of adaptation to its relatively cold and dry environment. It is show us a middle point in the path of dry farming system westward and southward spread.