Discovery of the Earliest Rice Paddy in the Mixed Rice–Millet Farming Area of China

Abstract

Neolithic rice remains were recovered from a mixed rice–millet farming area in China outside the original centers of rice farming. Whether the rice remains were the result of local cultivation or obtained through trade remains unclear. Rice paddy fields are direct evidence of local cultivation. In this study, phytolith samples from the Zhangwangzhuang site were analyzed. The discriminant function distinguished 17 of 30 samples in the suspected paddy field area as rice paddy fields with an average probability of 74%; The proportion of rice bulliform phytoliths with ≥9 scales indicated that rice (Oryza sativa) was still being domesticated and, moreover, six η-type phytoliths from broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) were identified. These results suggested that the suspected paddy field at Zhangwangzhuang might be the earliest rice paddy field (ca. 6000 cal. BP) in northern China and that mixed farming was practiced here since the early Yangshao period. This study adopted discriminant analysis methods to discover ancient rice paddy fields, observed rice paddy fields outside the core rice origin area, and provided the earliest evidence regarding the development of mixed rice–millet farming in the upper Huai River region.

New evidence supports the continuous development of rice cultivation and early formation of mixed farming in the Middle Han River Valley, China

“…Furthermore, even in the middle and late Yangshao samples, the proportions were generally lower than 50%, which contradicts the results of spikelet bases. Similar conditions were also observed at the Zhangwangzhuang site of the Huai River valley, where the proportions were lower than 40% in the early Yangshao period (Huan et al, 2022).…”

Wells, fields and the emergence of early-to-middle Holocene villages in the Huai River region, China: Contesting regional similarities and differences on prehistoric water management with new archaeological and palaeo-environmental evidence

“…Weisskopf et al, 2015) the early-stage rice cultivation at Hanjing was dominated by 'lowland rain-fed rice fields' drier than wild rice habitats, and that the condition in these 'fields' became wetter gradually, necessitating the 'manipulation' of the cycle of flooding and drainage for rice growth. Huan et al (2022)'s recent study of phytolith remains from Zhangwangzhuang provides further evidence of early rice farming practices. They applied discriminant functions to analyse phytolith assemblages from both the 'fields' and other archaeological contexts and identified different habitats where wild rice, domesticated rice and other non-rice plants grow.…”

“…(c) Distribution of rice-field-like structures and other archaeological features (see Supplemental Table S3 for details, available online). (b) and (c) modified after Huan et al (2022) with permission.…”

“…These features include notably the earliest wells at Xielaozhuang and the structures at Hanjing and Zhangwangzhuang that resemble the shape of early cultivated fields found in other prehistoric areas of China. Examination of macro- and micro-fossil plant remains from these features has provided evidence of early rice cultivation and domestication, which is further discussed below (Huan et al, 2022; Qiu et al, 2022).…”

Phytolith Production and Morphotypes in Modern Plants on the Tibetan Plateau

“…However, less attention has been paid to phytolith analysis ( Chen et al, 2008 ). Phytolithsr are micro silica bodies originating from plant cells ( Piperno, 1988 ), which are of high taxonomical value and have been applied in reconstructing the paleoenvironment ( Barboni et al, 2010 ; Gu et al, 2012 ; Stromberg et al, 2013 ; Zhang et al, 2020 ; Li et al, 2021 ) and prehistory agricultural activities ( Piperno et al, 2009 ; Deng et al, 2017 ; Wang et al, 2017 ; Zhang et al, 2017 ; Dunseth et al, 2019 ; Huan et al, 2022 ) in many regions. In contrast with pollen and charred seeds, the in situ deposition of phytoliths could provide more local information ( Rovner, 1971 ) and phytoliths are more durable in fire pits or environments where organic matter is hard to preserve ( Piperno, 2006 ).…”