A STUDY BY THE JOINT ARCHAEOLOGICAL TEAM OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CHINA, NANJING MUSEUM AND SIHONG COUNTY MUSEUM HAS FOUND EVIDENCE OF RICE CULTIVATION AT A NEOLITHIC SITE FROM 8,000 YEARS AGO.
The researchers conducted a microscopic analyses of macro and micro-plant remains, food residues and the rice-field like features from the mid-Neolithic site of Hanjing in the Huai River region of China.
Charred rice grains and spikelet bases recovered by floatation confirmed that domesticated rice and wild rice co-existed, and a direct radiocarbon date of charred rice grains revealed a a date from between 8400-8000 cal. BP. The rice-field-like archaeological features suggest some initial forms of management of local hydrology at Hanjing which would have facilitated irrigation and drainage.
