水稻遗存在陕西华县东阳遗址的发现与探讨

稻作的起源与传播一直是学术界关注的热点,然而水稻何时传入黄河中游并扩散至关中地区,则是需要进一步探讨的问题。华县东阳遗址是关中地区仰韶早中期的过渡性遗存(ca. 5900-5600 cal. BP)。本文借助植硅体分析,并结合炭化植物遗存,探讨了东阳遗址水稻的栽培和利用情况,并尝试分析水稻在关中地区出现的动因及传播过程。研究显示,东阳先民在以种植粟黍为主的同时,已经开始少量的栽培水稻,稻粟兼作的种植模式在此时出现。本研究发现的东阳遗址水稻遗存是目前关中地区最早的水稻遗存,指示了水稻至少在距今5800年时传入关中地区。仰韶晚期至龙山早期关中稻作获得较大发展,至龙山晚期则鲜少发现。该研究刷新了中国北方半干旱-半湿润区最早的水稻遗存记录,为进一步了解稻作起源与传播提供了基础数据。

The discovery and discussion of rice remains from the Archaeological Site of Dongyang,Huaxian County,Shaanxi Province

The origin and spread of rice has always been a hot topic in academia. However, it is still unclear regarding the time when rice was first introduced into the middle reaches of the Yellow River and then spread to the Guanzhong area, which should be studied further. Located in Guanzhong area and excavated in 2014, Dongyang site is a transitional site from the Early Yangshao Period to the Middle Yangshao Period, dating from ca. 5900 to 5600 cal. BP. Based on the analysis of the plant remains from the Dongyang site, we attempt to explore the cultivation and utilization of rice, and analyze the reason for its emergence and diffusion process along Guangzhong area. Phytoliths and macroremains studies indicate the earliest dating rice remains in Guanzhong area so far. Furthermore, it reveals that ancient people of the Dongyang site who mainly grow millets, had already begun to cultivate slight rice. Mixed rice and millets farming pattern also formed at that time. Under the combination of various factors, rice was introduced into Guanzhong area. In addition, by summarizing the prehistoric rice remains from the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River, it can be concluded that rice was imported at least 5800 years ago. The rice was then made great development from the Late Yangshao to the Longshan Period, and nearly disappeared there by the end of Longshan Period. Our study may refresh the earliest record of rice remains in the semi-arid and semi-humid region of Northern China and provide the basic data for further studying the origin and spread of rice.