Acta Anthropologica Sinica >

2020 , Vol. 39 >Issue 02: 236 - 248

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16359/j.cnki.cn11-1963/q.2019.0073

Human use of ostrich eggshells at the Yujiagou site, Nihewan Basin

  • Xiaomin WANG ,
  • Huijie MEI ,
  • Fei XIE ,
  • Xing GAO
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  • 1. Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing 100710
    2. Laboratory for Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of CAS at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044
    3. Institute of Nihewan Archaeology, College of History and Culture, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024
    4. CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044
    5. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049

Received date: 2019-04-11

  Online published: 2020-07-17

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Abstract

Ostrich eggshells(OES) are the most common avian remains from Paleolithic sites in North China. They were used to manufacture the beads, and also, they were one of the most important dating samples of AMS- 14C technique for Upper Paleolithic sites in North China. However, at present, limited to the sample size and preservation status of OES remains, few studies have be carried out to discuss if ancient humans could consume the ostrich eggs or use relatively complete OES as the container. In this study, we present the AMS- 14C dating results, information of hatching and burnt levels of OES from Layers 3b and 4 of the Yujiagou site, Nihewan Basin. Based on the unhatched burnt OES, which were dated consistently with other animal remains, the strategies of obtaining and processing the ostrich eggs are discussed. It indicates that the human from Yujiagou not only collected the OES fragments to manufacture ornaments, but also gathered the eggs for food and might use the eggshells as heating containers.

Key words： Yujiagou; Ostrich Egg; Hatching; Heating; Consumption

Cite this article

Xiaomin WANG , Huijie MEI , Fei XIE , Xing GAO . Human use of ostrich eggshells at the Yujiagou site, Nihewan Basin[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2020 , 39(02) : 236 -248 . DOI: 10.16359/j.cnki.cn11-1963/q.2019.0073

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