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<p>While archaeobotanical research in South China has advanced our understanding of early historical plant utilisation, systematic studies of cities during the Southern Dynasties period (5th–6th century <span>ce</span>) remain unknown. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of plant remains recovered from the Yuezhou Ancient City, an important administrative center in Guangxi during the Southern Dynasties. The investigation of macro-botanical remains provides crucial insights into the agricultural strategies, resource exploitation, and socio-political dynamics of this frontier region. Our findings confirm the dominance of rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i>), with an assemblage characterised by a high proportion of the <i>japonica</i> subspecies alongside a minor presence of <i>indica</i>. This evidence supports the rice agriculture driven by both ecological factors and cultural tradition. The diverse assemblage of non-staple crops reveals a sophisticated horticultural economy, with the identification of <i>Citrus</i> fruit peel remains marking the first such documentation at a residential site in China, confirming its role as a daily consumable. Wood charcoal analysis indicates a strong preference for high-quality timber species, notably <i>Erythrophleum fordii</i>, suggesting the use of specialised woodworking technology. In terms of broader significance, the presence of high-value horticultural products in this administrative context suggests their role as politically controlled commodities integrated into a tribute system following the Han expansion. This evidence contributes significantly to our understanding of cross-regional circulation systems and how economic wealth was leveraged to reinforce political power in the frontier.</p>

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Evidence for plant resource utilisation from the Southern Dynasties period (5th–6th century ce) in South China: a study of macrobotanical remains from the administrative office of Yuezhou Ancient City, Guangxi, China

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月8日

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  • Zixian Jiang,
  • Chong Yu,
  • Xue Yan,
  • Weiyan Wei,
  • Junlei Zheng,
  • Qiang Lin,
  • Chuenyan Ng

摘要

While archaeobotanical research in South China has advanced our understanding of early historical plant utilisation, systematic studies of cities during the Southern Dynasties period (5th–6th century ce) remain unknown. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of plant remains recovered from the Yuezhou Ancient City, an important administrative center in Guangxi during the Southern Dynasties. The investigation of macro-botanical remains provides crucial insights into the agricultural strategies, resource exploitation, and socio-political dynamics of this frontier region. Our findings confirm the dominance of rice (Oryza sativa), with an assemblage characterised by a high proportion of the japonica subspecies alongside a minor presence of indica. This evidence supports the rice agriculture driven by both ecological factors and cultural tradition. The diverse assemblage of non-staple crops reveals a sophisticated horticultural economy, with the identification of Citrus fruit peel remains marking the first such documentation at a residential site in China, confirming its role as a daily consumable. Wood charcoal analysis indicates a strong preference for high-quality timber species, notably Erythrophleum fordii, suggesting the use of specialised woodworking technology. In terms of broader significance, the presence of high-value horticultural products in this administrative context suggests their role as politically controlled commodities integrated into a tribute system following the Han expansion. This evidence contributes significantly to our understanding of cross-regional circulation systems and how economic wealth was leveraged to reinforce political power in the frontier.