Diverse life histories and childhood socialization during the middle and late Dawenkou period: incremental dentin isotope evidence from the Jiaojia site, China

Abstract

Investigating childhood socialization can enhance our comprehensions of families and the overall society in the past. Previous studies paid little attention to subadults, and the evidence on the intergenerational inheritance of wealth and status is still lacking. Stable isotope analysis of incremental dentin and bones enables the reconstruction of individual life histories and provides a new dimension to the study of social stratification and childhood socialization. We conducted stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis on incremental dentin, limb bones, and ribs of individuals from the middle and late Dawenkou period, the Jiaojia site. Results indicate that Jiaojia people have diverse weaning patterns and individual life histories. The 22 individuals in this study were divided into four groups: “typical” weaning, millet weaning, “stress”, and non-local groups. Comparisons among groups of different burial lavishness indicated that the elites consistently consumed more high-protein C₃ foods, from childhood to adulthood, while the ordinary people maintained a C₄-dominant diet. The dietary differentiation was related to the development of privatization of family wealth and social stratification. Both dietary and mortuary practices showed there are observable differences among subadults, and indicated the diversity and complexity of childhood socialization. This study demonstrates that multidimensional investigations including diet, health, and mortuary practices could provide critical evidence on the process of prehistoric social stratification and childhood socialization. Only by studying both subadults and adults can we piece together the whole picture of complex ancient societies.