Wheat might be first grown in Xinjiang

时间：2007-12-18 05:46:46

（单词翻译:单击）

Chinanews, Beijing, Dec. 18 – A recent accidental discovery made by builders of the No. 312 national highway from Hami to Turpan in Xinjiang revealed the traces of a wheat road, which might have existed even earlier than the world renowned1 Silk Road. With the discovery, archeologists presumed that wheat might first be grown in the Xinjiang Uygur Autunomous Region, the Guangming Daily reported.

 

The wheat was discovered at one of an ancient tomb group located in a place called Jinkou. When construction workers reported their discovery to local cultural relic2 bureau, archeologists started their excavation3 work near the tombs. During the excavation, archeologists accidentally found some wheat remains4. The wheat, golden in color, was said to be the most fresh wheat that had been ever found in Xinjiang. It was also the best-preserved wheat that had been ever unearthed5 in China so far.

 

The tomb group was built between the Warring States period (475 BC – 221 BC) and Qin Dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC), or some 2,400 years ago. With the discovery, the developmental history of Xinjiang, from ancient civilization to modern times, has thus become complete. The wheat ears were well linked with the straw and they weighed 1-2 kilograms.

 

Archeologists said the wheat looked so fresh as if “they were just harvested.”

 

The wheat showed that they were in the early stage of development, not like the wheat grown today. The wheat was also rather smaller in size than today's wheat and they also weighed lighter6. The wheat straws were placed on some wooden racks. There were no weeds mixed with the wheat straw, which demonstrated that agriculture there had developed in a relatively7 advanced stage, said Jiang Hong'en, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

 

Archeologists also found some food made by wheat inside the tombs and they presumed that the potteries8 scattered9 there were used for cooking or holding the food. Archeologists had not found anything that could reveal the food-making process. However, one thing, they felt sure, is that wheat growing had become quite popular in Gaochang, Turpan at that time and local agricultural production had reached a relatively advanced level. The discovery also showed that 2,400 years ago, social classes had appeared in Gaochang. The wheat discovery has produced evidence for scientists who once presumed that in China, wheat was first grown in Xinjiang.

 
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1 renowned okSzVe     
adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的
参考例句：
  • He is one of the world's renowned writers.他是世界上知名的作家之一。
  • She is renowned for her advocacy of human rights.她以提倡人权而闻名。
2 relic 4V2xd     
n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物
参考例句：
  • This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。
  • He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。
3 excavation RiKzY     
n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地
参考例句：
  • The bad weather has hung up the work of excavation.天气不好耽误了挖掘工作。
  • The excavation exposed some ancient ruins.这次挖掘暴露出一些古遗迹。
4 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
5 unearthed e4d49b43cc52eefcadbac6d2e94bb832     
出土的（考古）
参考例句：
  • Many unearthed cultural relics are set forth in the exhibition hall. 展览馆里陈列着许多出土文物。
  • Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。
6 lighter 5pPzPR     
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
  • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
  • The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
7 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地，相对地
参考例句：
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
8 potteries 0e451794cedbd47601e9411a30462382     
n.陶器( pottery的名词复数 )；陶器厂；陶土；陶器制造（术）
参考例句：
  • Almost all potteries found in the tomb were sacrifices. 几乎所有在这个墓里找到的陶器都是祭品。 来自互联网
9 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

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