Unlocking

THE ANCIENT RECIPES

Landscape in the vicinity of the Simagou site (ca. 8000BP) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Re

Our
Mission

We are not only what we eat, but also where, when, how, and with whom we eat.

Our
Themes

Our lab explores many aspects of foodways in ancient societies worldwide, with a focus on China.

Transitioning from foraging to agriculture under microscopes

China is one of the few centers in the world where plant domestication evolved independently, but its developmental trajectory is not sufficiently understood.

The Quest for Alcohol
in Ancient World

Fermented and alcoholic beverages played a pivotal role in feastings and social events in past agricultural and urban societies across the globe, but the origins of the sophisticated relevant technologies remain elusive.

Subsistence strategies and development of social complexity

Subsistence strategies are the essence of a political-economic system, and may predict other forms of behavior, such as population size, division of labor, and social structure.