A Study of Liangzhu Period Chinese Bayberry ( <i>Myrica rubra</i> ) Remains from the Shi’ao Site

Abstract This study uses AMS radiocarbon dating (AMS 14 C), wood anatomical analysis, and pyrolysis/ gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py/GC–MS) to examine tree remains unearthed at the Shi’ao site in Yuyao, Zhejiang. The results identify the remains as Chinese bayberry ( Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.), making them the earliest and most securely dated M. rubra remains found in China. Combined with previous archaeobotanical research in the region, this finding suggests that inhabitants of the Ningshao Plain during the Liangzhu period practiced a mixed subsistence strategy that integrated both rice cultivation and foraging, characterized by diverse plant resource use.