Pottery Impressions Reveal Earlier Westward Dispersal of Foxtail Millet in Inner Asian Mountain Corridor

The Inner Asian Mountain Corridor (IAMC) has been identified as a major pathway for the westward dispersal of millet from Northern China, where it was initially cultivated. Cross-disciplinary investigations are necessary to distinguish cultivated taxa their wild relatives and clarify social context underlying adoption in novel environments. Despite ambiguity distinguishing Setaria italica Panicum miliaceum or other species using conventional analysis charred macro remains, recent attention focused on time gap between introduction S. IAMC following P. miliaceum. Here, we employed pottery impression casting method materials four Bronze Age sites eastern/southeastern Kazakhstan investigate surface textures grain impressions containers. We successfully both millets (Setaeria Panicum) three sites, Begash, Tasbas, Dali IAMC. Based our findings, two were introduced region within much shorter range than previously estimated. In addition, current evidence supports premise that these cereals likely utilized human consumption.