Ancient Rice Found in Guam

A recent discovery in Guam has unveiled rice remains dating back 3,500 years, marking it as the earliest known evidence of rice in remote Oceania. Archaeologists made this significant find at the Ritidian site complex, which is at the northernmost part of Guam.

Michael T. Carson, an archaeology professor at the University of Guam, has shared his insights through a publication in the Journal Science Advances. During an interview, he mentioned that the rice remnants were primarily found as plant material. “Pytris is essentially fossilized parts of ancient plants,” Carson explained.

The rice was found embedded in ancient pottery made of earthenware. Carson remarked that this link is very strong since plant fragments weren’t found in other artifacts like stones or shells, nor in the surrounding sediment. He emphasized that the original plant material had largely silica and had remarkably preserved its anatomical features for thousands of years, as verified through microscopic examination.

Moreover, the rice samples contained several examples of rice shells and leaves. Carson also noted that other caves in the region lack similar evidence of rice, suggesting that this grain was likely brought by Guam’s first settlers over 3,500 years ago.

Experts believe that the rice may have been significant in rituals conducted within the cave, which also features rare rock art and formal burial pits. Carson pointed out that the discarded shells found near the rice were different from those typically seen in the area’s shellfish diet.

Interestingly, it’s likely that ancient inhabitants cooked this rice elsewhere rather than in the cave itself. Carson suggested that the cave’s environment was not conducive for storing rice and that any cooking would have left traces in other locations, reinforcing the idea of where rice was processed.

These findings shine a light on the remarkable achievements of ancient people, who navigated 2,300 km across open ocean, setting a record for long-distance ocean travel at that time. These settlers transported rice, managed to maintain it, and eventually cultivated crops in their new island homes.

Overall, while the discovery of ancient rice in Guam is certainly remarkable, it’s worth noting that it’s part of a broader pattern in archaeology where ancient foods have provided insights into past cultures, although such discoveries are somewhat rare.