Subsistence strategies in the eastern Taihang foothills
Isotopic evidence for differentiated pig management at Wangjiagang (770–221 BCE)
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7514711 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Wuyu Zhou (0009-0000-3921-1954, Jilin University), Puyu Chen (Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology), Wenyan Li (0000-0003-1861-6383, Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province), Zongyu Li (0000-0002-9015-1384, Jilin University), Shu Wang (0009-0009-1730-2316, Jilin University), Lin Ban (0009-0008-5603-2251, Jilin University), Chunxue Wang (0000-0003-3154-0985, Jilin University, corresponding author), Zhanhu Zhao (Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province, corresponding author), Xiaofei Ma (0000-0001-9456-0065, Cultural Relics Institute Hebei Province, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 71 |
| Pages | 105671 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Archaeological Science Reports (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2352-409X • E-ISSN: 2352-4103 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105671 |
| OpenAlex | W7133307225 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 15 |
Zooarchaeological and isotopic data were integrated at Wangjiagang (770–221 BCE). • Domestic pig dominance was identified using mortality and skeletal indicators. • Two pig δ 13 C clusters indicate high-input C4 and low-input C3 feeding pathways. • Comparative data reveal regional variability in Zhou-period pig management. • Pigs supplied most biomass, with cervid hunting remaining supplementary. This study integrates zooarchaeological analysis, stable isotope evidence, and quantitative meat-yield estimation to reconstruct differentiated pig management and animal exploitation at the Eastern Zhou site of Wangjiagang in the eastern Taihang foothills (northern China). Zooarchaeological indicators-taxonomic abundance, mortality profiles, and epiphyseal fusion—suggest a suid assemblage dominated by domestic pigs managed primarily for meat. Pig collagen isotopes show marked inter-individual δ 13 C variability with two clusters: a C 4 -enriched group consistent with pen/yard feeding on millet byproducts and household waste, and a C 3 -dominated group indicating a lower-input pathway relying mainly on C 3 resources (e.g., local forage and/or C 3 -dominated household waste). Historical and archaeological records document pig-keeping practices from penning to outdoor keeping in northern China, offering a broader interpretive framework for diversified management. Meat-yield estimates indicate domestic pigs provided the largest share of mammalian biomass (≈58%), while wild cervids contributed ∼ 26% as supplementary resources. Together, these results point to a mixed economy integrating millet agriculture, pig management, and opportunistic hunting, and show how pig isotope variability can illuminate adaptation in ecotonal landscapes
Biomass (ecology · Domestic pig · Dominance (genetics · Foothills · Isotope analysis · Pig farming · Subsistence agriculture · Zooarchaeology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |