Abstract: The Qin Dynasty was the first united centralized kingdom in Chinese history. To answer how the Qin people became prosperous after their migration to the Guanzhong area, a detailed investigation of their subsistence strategy is necessary. Pottery was the major container for ancestor to cook, serve and preserve food. The lipids analysis of pottery sherds represents a novel approach to investigating this issue. In this study, lipid extraction and analysis were performed on 45 potsherds from the Matengkong site. The results show that the pottery was used for the processing of non-ruminant animals which fed on C₃ plants and probably were wild animals. In addition, plant resources, including broomcorn millet, were also important in ancestors’ diets. According to the historical documents, under the strict hierarchy of Zhou Dynasty, commoners were prohibited from consuming large livestock such as pigs, cattle, and sheep. Instead, wild animals obtained from hunting constituted a certain source of meat for commoners. The superior natural environment and abundant natural resources of the Guanzhong area provided the foundation for this practice.

Key words: Guanzhong area, Qin people, lipid residue analysis, subsistence strategy, use of pottery