Animal exploitation of the Fenghuangzui Neolithic walled settlement in the Middle Yangtze River Valley

During the Qujialing period (5000-4500 BP), there was a wave of construction of walled settlements in the middle Yangtze River valley, and at least 20 walled settlements have now been discovered in the Jianghan and Dongting Lake plains. However, it is still vague as to how the animal resources were utilized by the people in the walled settlements, which limits our comprehensive understanding of the walled settlements. This paper presents a detailed case study about the use of animal resources in the Qujialing (5000-4500 BP) period and Shijiahe period (4500-4200 BP) at the Fenghuangzui site, which is the first time to reveal the animal resource exploitation of walled-settlement in the middle Yangtze River valley. The differences and interaction between the walled settlement and the surrounding settlements are also demonstrated. This research provides new perspectives for understanding of the rise, development, status and role of walled-settlements in this region.