In the heart of Zhejiang Province, along the ancient banks of the Yangtze River, a team of Chinese researchers has unveiled a groundbreaking discovery that could rewrite the history of rice domestication.
Using advanced CT scanning technology, scientists from Zhejiang University’s School of Art and Archaeology have identified traces of rice embedded in two ceramic sherds dating back approximately 10,000 years. These ceramic pieces were unearthed from the Shangshan site, an archaeological treasure that dates back between 11,400 and 8,600 years.
“Tracing the evolution from wild to domesticated rice has always been a significant challenge,” explained An Ting, head of the research team. “The scarcity of macrobotanical remains like seeds, fruits, stems, and plant fibers makes it difficult. However, plant imprints on unearthed artifacts provide crucial evidence of ancient plant presence.”
The discovery, published in the international journal The Holocene, sheds new light on how early inhabitants along the Yangtze River may have begun cultivating rice. The utilization of CT scanning allowed the researchers to detect minute traces of rice within the ceramic sherds without damaging the precious artifacts.
This finding not only pushes back the timeline of rice domestication but also highlights the innovative methods ancient peoples used in agriculture and pottery. It offers invaluable insights for academics and researchers studying the origins of one of the world’s most important staple foods.
As rice remains central to the diets and cultures of billions across Asia and the world, understanding its domestication origins enriches our appreciation of human ingenuity and the interconnectedness of agricultural practices across millennia.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
