Handbook of East and Southeast Asian Archaeology by Junko Habu Peter V. Lape & John W. Olsen

Author:Junko Habu, Peter V. Lape & John W. Olsen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer New York, New York, NY

23.8 Regional Problems and Conclusion

The recent archaeological investigations of the 10,000–6000 BP period in the Ningbo-Shaoxing Plain have raised many new issues regarding the emergence of agriculture in this region. First, the Kuahuqiao culture exhibits a form of agriculture indicated by environmental management and the shift of rice to a phenotypically domesticated type. The culture preceding Kuahuqiao is the Shangshan Culture. They are located in the interior basins at higher elevations and are relatively dry compared to Kuahuqiao. Unfortunately, little substantial analysis has been accomplished so far. The rice remains unearthed there are the earliest archaeological record of rice in the Lower Yangzi . Zheng et al. (Zheng and Jiang 2007; Zheng et al. 2007) report that the rice belongs to a domesticated japonica population. However, considering the habitat of annual (domesticated) rice, it would be hard to understand how the annual rice would have been productive at these locations without seasonal flooding or irrigation. Was it cultivated first in local lowlands and brought to the uplands? Did it diffuse from elsewhere? Or was it obtained by exchange? Until these sites are examined further, there is little we can conclude.

Is there a connection between the Kuahuqiao and Shangshan rice ? If so, what could the connection be? If not, there might be yet unknown waterlogged sites with rice remains showing an earlier stage of domestication than that of Kuahuqiao. The lowland region is difficult to access because of changing sea levels. A general comparison of several cultural components of Kuahuqiao and the cultures preceding and following it show ambiguous continuity among them, although a developmental tendency is present to some extent (Table 23.8). The behavioral development in question is difficult to trace in terms of cultural continuity. This uncertainty in continuity leads to another important question regarding the habitat of rice domestication . Was rice domesticated inland at first and then integrated into wetland management? Or was rice domestication a result of management?Table 23.8General comparison of the Shangshan, Kuahuqiao and Hemudu cultures

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