Understanding the plant food spectrum at Jiangzhuang site through starch granule analysis of dental calculus

The Liangzhu culture (5300–4300 BP) in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River has entered the stage of an early state. Previous archaeobotanical studies mainly focused on its core area, and relatively limited archaeobotanical studies were conducted in the non-core areas including the eastern Jianghuai region, where the Jiangzhuang site is located. In this study, a starch granule analysis was conducted on Liangzhu-period human dental calculus from the Jiangzhuang site. The results revealed diverse plant-based consumption by Jiangzhuang inhabitants, including rice, millets, Triticeae, Coix sp., Fabaceae, acorns, and tubers/roots. Significantly, some newly recognized edible species expanded understanding of plant food spectrum during the Liangzhu period at the Jiangzhuang site. This study reveals broad-spectrum plant consumption in a large-scale settlement in the non-core area of the Liangzhu culture, and provides new evidences for comprehensive understanding of subsistence patterns in different regions of the Liangzhu culture distribution area.