Digging into Beijing's birth

Decoding lives

History is not only about kings and nobles. The job of archaeologists is also to shed light on the ordinary lives that may be absent in historical records.

A graveyard of 33 small-scale tombs for commoners dating to the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty was found north of the city. Ning Chao, a researcher at Peking University, and his team are conducting DNA analysis of the bones.

Those buried there belonged to two families related by marriage, and the cemetery contains the remains of at least four generations. Consanguineous marriage between cousins has been proven through the samples.

"We were able to draw a family tree through the studies," Ning says. "It vividly explains how clans were organized at the time."

Lab research has also provided clues to diet and livelihoods. Plant remains found at Liulihe mainly consist of millet and sorghum, supplemented by soybeans and red beans with occasional traces of wheat.

"The agricultural structure reflects the typical dryland farming practices of northern China," Wang says.

According to animal archaeology studies, the diet of ancient inhabitants mainly consisted of meats like pork, beef and lamb, with fish and shellfish also consumed.

"Findings provided valuable information on the dietary differences among different social classes, as well, such as the population of migrants during the early Western Zhou period," Wang says.

After the Shang Dynasty was toppled, its descendants continued to live under their former adversaries. Studies indicate that some even emigrated to settle in the Yan state.

"Research method at the Liulihe Site could set an example for the adoption of new technology in the study of large-scale archaeological sites," Lei says. "It creates a paradigm for future work."

Contact the writer at wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn