Dr. Shuai Lei (Postdoctoral Fellow, Fudan University)
 

After the agricultural revolution, a unique pattern of human life history was established, and the early childhood life history is biologically and culturally important as the most crucial part of an individual's life history. The unique cultural and biological attributes of the Central Plains populations, which were distributed in Zhengzhou and its surroundings as the hinterland during the late Yangshao culture, determined their crucial role in the development history of human beings in China and even in the whole of East Asia.

In view of this, the present study reconstructs the early life history of the ancestors of the late Yangshao culture in the Zhengzhou region, represented by the sites of Qingtai and Shuanghuaishu (5300–4900 cal. a B.P.), based on the construction of a model for reconstructing individual life histories by multi-organization joint stable isotope analysis and revolving around the weaning event, the feeding pattern, the living condition, and the physiological stress. And the influence of their unique early life history characteristics on different populations of the succeeding generations in China is revealed, especially the role they played in the process of the establishment of the cultural norms for the upbringing of young children in ancient China.

The Archaeology Webinar Series aims to provide a platform for scholars, students, and enthusiasts to discuss and share knowledge about archaeology, its importance, recent discoveries, research methods, and its significance in understanding the past. The series aims to promote awareness, education, and appreciation for archaeology among academia and the general public and foster a sense of curiosity and interest in exploring our shared human history.