Mixed farming of rice and millets became the primary subsistence strategy 6400 years ago in the western Huanghuai Plain of Central China: New macrofossil evidence from Shigu

The Huanghuai Plain is located in a transitional climate zone between the Yangtze River and Yellow valleys Central China, where mixed farming of millets rice appeared 8,000 years ago. However, when this specific agricultural model became primary subsistence strategy how crop structure developed area have not been confirmed, largely due to lack sufficient archaeobotanical evidence accurate chronological data. In study, accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) radiocarbon dating identification plant remains conducted at Neolithic site Shigu. results indicate that was practised Shigu during Yangshao Culture period (ca. 6400–5300 BP), which broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) foxtail (Setaria italica) dominated. This finding different from earlier Peiligang sites (9,000–7,000 BP) same research region, wild editable plants were more abundant. Although changed around 6,000 ago, with noticeable decrease cultivation, always foods for local population. present study thus proposes formation crop-based society least 6400 ago western China.