Micro-CT reveals a delayed trajectory of rice domestication in the south China coast: Evidence of pottery impressions from Hengyu site

The interaction between prehistoric humans and plant resources is key to understanding the origin and spread of agriculture. As a pivotal region for the transmission of East Asian continental cultures to the islands of Southeast Asia, the trajectory of rice ( Oryza sativa ) cultivation along the South China coast continues to be debated, largely due to the lack of direct evidence. This study employs micro-CT scanning to analyze Neolithic pottery sherds from the Hengyu site (6194–5582 cal a BP) in the lower Min River region of Fujian province. The findings reveal plant impressions composed primarily of rice chaff, accompanied by small quantities of minute weed seeds. The proportions of non-shattering rice spikelet bases (38%) and pedicels (33%) are significantly lower than those recorded in the contemporaneous lower Yangtze region. This indicates a lower degree of domestication and a delayed development of rice cultivation in this area. The findings suggest that within a mixed subsistence economy combining a broad-spectrum subsistence strategy with agriculture, the lag in rice domestication may have stemmed from the combined effects of low population pressure, a mobile lifestyle, and extensive rice management strategies. This pattern reflects a distinct prehistoric trajectory of rice cultivation in the coastal regions of South China. The study offers new evidence of localized agricultural adaptations in these areas and underscores the considerable potential of micro-CT scanning for advancing archaeobotanical research.