Study of Qin State tombs reveals dietary patterns

New research from Chinese scientists offers a glimpse into the diets of individuals from birth to adolescence some 2,500 years ago, revealing insights into social hierarchies and cultural continuity of the era.

The study, published recently in the journal npj Heritage Science, focused on two noble tombs from the early to mid-Spring and Autumn Period between 770 BC to 541 BC.

"Utilizing multiple technological methods, we have studied two noble tombs ... reconstructing their life courses and showing how lifespan dietary shifts shaped by age, gender and sociocultural roles," said Shang Xue, a corresponding author of the study and an associate professor from the School of Humanities at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.