Preliminary insights into the use of pottery and culinary practices at Guijiabao site in southwest China

Mixed crops of millet and rice are thought to have been introduced to southwest China in the Neolithic period. Despite the recovery of both millet and rice grains, the varying proportions observed across the area underscore the complexity of the process of agricultural dispersal. Further investigation is needed to understand how new crops were integrated into southwest China, characterized by diverse environmental conditions and landscapes. This study explores pottery use in southwest Sichuan through a preliminary analysis of lipid residues in pottery from the Guijiabao site using organic geochemical analyses. The site, situated in the middle Hengduan mountain ranges, presents well-preserved stratigraphic records spanning from the Neolithic to the historical period, providing valuable insights into local subsistence practices in a highland environment. The results reveal that broomcorn millet was processed in a pot, with the majority of potsherds showing mixed sources including ruminant adipose fats. This suggests that animals might have played an important role in the local diet, alongside the consumption of millet. These culinary practices also indicate a subsistence strategy relying on hunting to a certain degree in the high-altitude region of southwest China, even after the introduction of crops.