12,000-Year-Old Cultivated Rice Discovered in China

Several grains of cultivated rice at least 12,000 years
old have been found during an archaeological dig in Hunan
province in China.

Yuan Jiarong, chief of the Archaeology Research Institute
of Hunan province, said the rice and a piece of pottery
were found at the Yuchanyan ruin site in Dao county of
Hunan province.

Six grains of rice and one piece of pottery were found.
This rice was imbedded in the layer beneath the pottery,
about one meter deep. It has been ascertained that the
rice is ancient. It is estimated that the date for the
cultivated rice could be from about 12,000 years ago,
the transition period from the Paleolithic Period to the
Neolithic Age, and could be from even earlier.

He said it is a significant archaeological achievement
in the study of archaeology research of the origins of
ancient Chinese rice. This is the earliest known sample
of cultivated rice in the world, and is an important
resource for research on the origin of agriculture.

Besides the Archaeology Research Institute, organizations
participating in this research include the College of
Archaeology of Peking University, Harvard University &
Department of Anthropology, China Agricultural University,
Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, Boston University
and U.S. Bishop Museum, among others.

The Epoch Times
http://english.epochtimes.com/news/5-2-12/26388.html