Archaeobotany; Buddhism; sesame; Thousand Buddha Grottoes; Turpan
摘要
A cache of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seeds, discovered in the Thousand Buddha Grottoes at Boziklik, Turpan, China, dating to ca. 700 years before present (BP), is hard evidence of their use in China since that time. Morphological and anatomical features suggest a white sesame cultivar. The sizeable quantity unearthed implies that sesame was a valued commodity that could provision the monks and enrich the diet of ancient inhabitants as an oil source.
Key Words 255 Introduction 255 Botanical Description 255 Archaeological Study Area 258 Materials and Methods 259 Results 259 Sesame in the Buddhist Economy 260 Conclusions and Discussion 260 Acknowledgments 261 Literature Cited 261
