The Ancient Paddy Fields at the Shi’ao Site in Yuyao, Zhejiang

Abstract From 2020 to 2021, excavations of the Shi’ao site revealed large-scale paddy fields, field ridges, channels, and irrigation/drainage outlets dating to the early and late Hemudu culture as well as the Liangzhu culture periods, along with pottery and stone artifacts. Among the late Hemudu and Liangzhu period paddy fields, a developed system made up of field ridges, irrigation, and drainage facilities was discovered. Natural sediment layers separate paddy fields from different periods, reflecting the impact of environmental changes on rice farming. These ancient paddy fields are the largest, earliest, and most substantiated large-scale ones discovered in the world so far. The Shi’ao site is thus a significant discovery in the fields of prehistoric and agricultural archaeology.