Landscape Transformations of Early Rice Agriculture: Methodological Developments and New Results

1. Landscape transformations of early rice agriculture: methodological developments and new results in the archaeological identification of arable rice systems in prehistory Analogue study sites, crops andwild Alison Weisskopf, Dorian Q Fuller, Ling Qin Institute of Archaeology, University College London Wild Introduction: Investigating Weeds in the Early Rice Project Our current NERC-funded project aims to reconstruct early arable systems of rice cultivation, and to better establish how ancient arable rice systems be seen using archaeobotanical data. One method is by building modern analogues using the crop weeds found within each type of cultivation regime. Cultivation conditions can be determined by associated weed flora, diatoms and sponge spicules. Our current research programme based on analogue field studies and a database of rice weeds aims to refine methods for identifying the signature of different rice cultivation regimes through weed seed, phytolith and diatom assemblages. Archaeological samples from the Lower Yangtze from between 5000 and 1800 BC provide samples tracking the evolution of weed flora from Pre-Domestication cultivation (for example at Tianluoshan) to later intensive systems. Wild Crops Crops Wild Crops Rice Cultivation Systems, associated weeds, and phytolith morphotypes from each system Different cultivation systems produce different flora assemblages. Rice weeds and sediment samples have been collected from a variety of arable systems in India, China, Thailand and Laos, seeds added to a reference collection, and husks, leaves and culms processed for phytolith references. The sediments processed to modern analogues of phytolith assemblages for the various field systems. Harvested upland rice and weeds, Laos Rain fed inundated rice, Laos Table indicating reported presence of weeds (by genus) across 3 cultivation regimes in India and co-occurring with wild rices Harvested paddy fields and transplanted rice, Laos Deep water wild rice (Rufipogon) reserve, Laos Brachiaria husk phytoliths Heliotropium indicum Digitaria adscendans husk Cyperus compactus & Mimosa pudica Marsilea crenata Cyperus pilosus husk, from deep water rice at Pratchnaburi, Thailand Leersia hexandra leaf Ipomea aquatica Preliminary Results, modern field analogues, India Rain fed, transplanted rice, Western Ghats INDIA, Lowland, rain fed, Orissa Preliminary results suggest there are differences in the proportions of phytolith morphotypes that make up the modern field samples from India The samples can be grouped by site and to some extent by system – this should become clear when more samples have been analysed Preliminary Results: archaeological samples, China Phytoliths indicate increased weed vs. rice input Includes husk and culm throughout: not a major crop-processing bias Pytoliths indicate increase in weed diversity, especially grasses through time Reduction of sedges through time More rice Tianluoshan More panicoids Baligang More weedy grasses Maoshan Late Majiabang paddy field systems at Chuodun, photo (left), plan (right) Similar Caoxieshan field features sampled April. 2008. ~4000-3800 BC • Mutlivariates analysis: Canonical Corresponence Analysis of phytolith assemblages • Baligang (Yangshao-Longshan (3500-1800 BC)) • Tianluoshan (Hemudu Period (5000-4500 BC)) • Majiabang (Majiabang period 4500-3800 BC)) • Xiaodouli (Songze Period: 3800-3300 BC) • Maoshan (Liangzhu Period: 3300-2000 BC) Acknowledgements NERC Natural Environment Research Council UCL and PKU Peking University, Zhejiang Institute and Suzhou Museum & Indian Colleagues- Deccan College Pune, Allahabad University, Karnatak University NAFRI in LAOS and The Royal Rice Reserve, Thailand Professor Sato, Chikai Muto Melissa Tan Eleanor Kingwell Banham Professor Kajale Professor Mohanty Emma Harvey