Scientists have identified the earliest evidence that people deliberately harvested rice grains. Archeonews reports this important finding.
Wild rice differs from its domesticated counterpart in how seeds stay on the plant when ripe. In domesticated rice, seeds often remain attached longer, and harvesting required tools. This shift toward seeds staying on the plant marks a key step in domestication, with scientists identifying that the process began in China around 10,000 BC. Researchers sought to uncover not just when domestication started, but how ancient growers harvested the grain in practice.
New archaeological work in the lower Yangtze Valley reveals many small, sharp-edged stone artifacts that align with plant harvesting tools from early Neolithic sites. A recent study confirms these items functioned as grain harvesters. Scientists examined 52 stone tools from the Shanshan and Hehuashan regions, associated with the Shanshan and Kuahuqiao cultures and dating to 10,000–8,000 BC. While stone scales are simple in appearance and lack fine workmanship, they possess sharp edges and measure about 4 centimeters in width.
examinations under a microscope uncovered wear patterns on 30 stones that resemble marks from cutting silica-rich plants, including rice. In addition, 28 specimens showed residues consistent with regular contact with brass. Rice husks and leaves produce different traces, enabling researchers to deduce two harvesting methods: one where a sharp edge cut the stalk like a sickle, and another where the stalk top was clipped by pressing it against a stone held in the hand. This dual evidence helps reconstruct how early growers gathered grains and how tools shaped their farming practices.