Tianshanbeilu and the Isotopic Millet Road: reviewing the late Neolithic/Bronze Age radiation of human millet consumption from north China to Europe.

ABSTRACT: The westward expansion of human millet consumption from north China has important implications for understanding early interactions between the East and West. However, few studies have focused on the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the vast geographical area directly linking the ancient cultures of the Eurasian Steppe and the Gansu Corridor of China. In this study, we present the largest isotopic investigation of Bronze Age China (n = 110) on material from the key site of Tianshanbeilu, in eastern Xinjiang. The large range of δ¹³C values (-17.6‰ to -7.2‰; -15.5 ± 1.2‰) provides direct evidence of unique dietary diversity and consumption of significant C₄ resources (millets). The high δ¹⁵N results (10.3‰ to 16.7‰; 14.7 ± 0.8‰) likely reflect sheep/

SUBMITTER: Wang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8291513 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature