A groundbreaking new study by archaeologist Xingtao Wei and his team, published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, has revealed remarkable evidence of early human ingenuity in processing bones into powder for cooking. This practice, dating back nearly 8,000 years to around 6,085 to 6,369 BC, offers vital insights into survival strategies during the transition from hunting-gathering to agricultural societies. The discovery was made at the Xielaozhuang (XLZ) site in the Henan Province of North China, an area associated with one of the earliest and most influential Neolithic cultures in China—the Peiligang culture.
The Peiligang Culture: A Cornerstone of Early Chinese Civilization
The Peiligang culture, which thrived between 9,000 and 7,000 years ago, is considered one of the founding cultures of Neolithic China. This period marked pivotal developments in human society, with the Peiligang people contributing some of the earliest known innovations in various fields such as agriculture, music, and technology. They were pioneers in producing fermented beverages, creating some of the oldest-known tonal flutes, developing basic textile weaving and sewing techniques, and possibly using early forms of written symbols, laying foundational elements for subsequent Chinese cultures.
The XLZ site, excavated in 2017 and 2018, provided a wealth of materials including a settlement area, a cemetery, and significant archaeological artifacts, particularly a set of three Ding-style tripods (鼎). These pottery vessels, characterized by three-legged stands, were vital to understanding the Peiligang people’s daily practices, including their cooking methods. While such tripods are well-known throughout Chinese history and were initially made from ceramic, they evolved later into bronze versions in more advanced stages of Chinese civilization.
The Archaeological Discovery
Dr. Tianxing Cui, one of the key researchers on this project, explains that the initial goal of the team’s investigation was to explore the temperatures involved in alcohol production during this early period. “At first, our real research’s goal was about the temperature of alcohol-making in prehistory,” Dr. Cui notes. However, the investigation revealed something unexpected—fine bone powder mixed into the residues found on the ancient pottery.
By applying a multidisciplinary suite of advanced techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and starch analysis, the research team examined the chemical, mineral, and microscopic composition of the residue. Through this analysis, they identified significant bone compounds such as hydroxyapatite, magnesium whitlockite, phosphate (PO43-), and carbonate (CO32-) groups, along with key elements like carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium—all of which are primary components found in bones.
This extraordinary discovery suggests that the Peiligang people were processing animal bones into powder, likely for inclusion in food preparation.
Bone Powder: A Key Survival Strategy
What is particularly fascinating about this discovery is the method in which bones were utilized. Unlike prior archaeological findings that only uncovered bone fragments, the bone powder at the XLZ site was exceptionally fine. This suggests a level of refinement and processing that had not been previously identified in prehistoric cooking practices. The research points to the possibility that sandstone rollers, also discovered at XLZ, were used to grind bones into fine powder—an essential process for releasing nutrients, particularly calcium, which is locked in bones.
As part of the larger subsistence strategy, the bone powder would likely have been mixed with boiling water, which could extract the fat, or “grease,” from the bones, enriching the liquid with nutrients and minerals that were otherwise difficult to obtain through wild plant foods alone. This nutritional supplement would have been especially important in a time when agriculture was still in its early stages and domesticated animals made up a small portion of the diet.
This combination of bone powder with wild plant foods, including acorns and Job’s tears, which are both high in carbohydrates and protein, suggests that the Peiligang people were creating highly nutritious meals that helped them adapt to sedentary life during the early phases of farming. Given that the remains at XLZ showed no domesticated crops in the food residues, it’s likely that this strategy filled a gap in their diets, especially in the absence of more easily cultivated crops.
Limited Use of Domesticated Resources
Although the Peiligang culture was clearly aware of agriculture, particularly the cultivation of millet, rice, and the domestication of pigs, evidence indicates that the XLZ community still relied heavily on wild food resources. In fact, previous zooarchaeological studies from the XLZ site suggest that domesticated animals like pigs constituted no more than 10% of the remains found in the archaeological layers.
The emphasis on wild plants and bone powder processing reflects the Peiligang people’s adaptive strategies during a time of agricultural experimentation and transition. While some communities may have been fully transitioning to farming, others, like those at XLZ, continued to hunt, gather, and rely on the bounties of nature. This reliance on bone powder processing, in addition to plant resources, may have represented a critical supplement to their diet and was a vital way to overcome the gaps in nutrition that could result from a slowly evolving agricultural system.
The Role of Bone Grease in Prehistoric Diets
The practice of extracting grease from bones may seem unusual, but it is not unique to the Peiligang culture. Archaeologists have long hypothesized that earlier Paleolithic societies used bone grease extraction as a method to provide extra fat and nutrients from animal bones. However, evidence of this practice is sparse, primarily due to the organic nature of earlier tools and vessels, such as wooden and leather containers, which would not have survived as readily as ceramic or stone objects.
In contrast, the discovery of fine bone powder residues in ceramic Ding tripods from XLZ provides direct archaeological evidence of this practice during the Neolithic period. Bone grease extraction involves grinding bones to a fine powder, which was then mixed with water to extract the valuable fatty acids, phosphates, and calcium that would help maintain physical health. At XLZ, the fine bone powder appears to have been incorporated with plant-based foods, forming a balanced and nutritious supplement, aiding in the survival of this population during an otherwise unpredictable transitional era.
The Significance of the Discovery
This discovery, while remarkable, also provides new insight into the diet and subsistence strategies of Neolithic societies during one of the most crucial periods in human history—the shift from hunting-gathering to agriculture. The Peiligang people were not simply foraging or relying on cultivated crops alone; they had developed a sophisticated system for processing food to extract maximum nutritional value, providing evidence of complex strategies that allowed them to adapt and thrive in a changing environment.
The multidisciplinary approach used by the researchers—combining various chemical and microscopic methods—has allowed for an unprecedented look at early culinary techniques. It not only enriches our understanding of ancient cooking practices but also illustrates the impressive adaptability and resourcefulness of the Peiligang culture.
Further studies, including ongoing research at other sites such as the Cishan site, will allow researchers to continue exploring and potentially confirm whether similar practices were used across broader regions during the same period.
Reference: Xingtao Wei et al, Bone Powder and Wild Plants: Subsistence Strategies of Early Neolithic Settlers in North China, International Journal of Osteoarchaeology (2024). DOI: 10.1002/oa.3376