Data from: Late Neolithic phytolith and charcoal records of human activities and vegetation change in Shijiahe culture, Tanjialing site, China

There is significant archaeological evidence marking the collapse of the Shijiahe culture in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China during the late Neolithic Period. However, the causes for this cultural collapse remain unclear. Our sedimentary records from a 3.3 m long profile and 76 phytolith and charcoal samples from the Tanjialing archaeological sites provide records of interactions between an ancient culture and vegetation change. During the early Shijiahe culture (c, 4850-4400 cal BP), the climate was warm and humid. Fire was intensively used to clear the vegetation. In the mid-period of the Shijiahe culture (c, 4400-4200 cal BP), the climate became slightly dry-cold and this was accompanied by decreasing water, leading to settlements. From c, 4200 cal BP, severe drought eroded the economic foundation of rice-cultivation. These conditions forced people to abandon the Shijiahe ancient city to find water in other regions, leading to the collapse of the Shijiahe culture.

中国长江中游地区新石器时代晚期的石家河文化（Shijiahe culture）消亡事件，已有大量考古证据佐证。然而，该文化消亡的具体动因迄今仍未明晰。本研究通过采集谭家岭（Tanjialing）考古遗址的76份植硅体（phytolith）与炭屑样品，以及一处3.3米长剖面的沉积记录，为探讨古代文明与植被变迁的相互作用关系提供了实证数据。石家河文化早期（约4850-4400校准距今年（cal BP）），区域气候温暖湿润，当时人类曾大规模用火清理植被；至石家河文化中期（约4400-4200校准距今年（cal BP）），气候逐渐转为小幅干冷，伴随水体面积缩减，区域定居聚落逐步成型；约自4200校准距今年（cal BP）起，严重的干旱彻底动摇了稻作农业的经济根基。上述环境压力迫使先民弃守石家河古城，前往其他区域寻找水源，最终直接导致了石家河文化的消亡。