Rice ( Oryza sativa L.): Seed–Size Comparison and Cultivation in Ancient Korea. The measurements of carbonized rice kernels from seventeen archaeological sites across Korea were compared to show a diachronic kernel-size change over the period of ca. 1500 BCE-600 CE. The assemblages that predated ca. 1 BCE consisted of short and narrow grains whereas those after ca. 1 CE consisted of long and plump grains. The observed pattern indicates the cultivation of new rice varieties in the later period, although it is not clearly understood whether the new varieties were introduced from elsewhere or whether they evolved locally. A sudden change in rice harvesting tools accompanied this change in rice kernel sizes. The semi-lunar stone knife, which reaps ripe rice ears individually, was replaced by the iron sickle, which cuts a bundle of rice stalks all at once. The changes in rice kernel-size and harvesting tools suggest that the short and narrow grains did not ripen in a synchronous manner and were selectively harvested in ears on multiple occasions over an expanded time span, whereas the long and plump grains ripened in a synchronous manner and were harvested in stalks over a shorter time span. The nearly concurrent appearance of large-grained rice in the Korean and Japanese sites indicates that the new varieties spread rapidly across the Far East Asia region.
한반도 유적 출토 탄화미의 형태 비교.
한반도에 소재한 17개소 유적에서 발견된 탄화미의 형태를 검토한 결과 기원전 1500년에서 기원후 600년까지 이르는 시기에 낟알의 크기 증가가 있었음을 알 수 있었다. 기원전인 청동기시대와 초기철기시대의 벼 낟알은 짧고 폭이 좁은 반면, 기원후인 원삼국시대와 삼국시대의 벼 낟알은 길고 폭이 넓었다. 이는 기원전후 시기에 새로운 벼품종이 등장했음을 알리는 것이다. 이와 동시에 벼 수확도구도 개별 이삭을 수확하는 반월형석도에서 줄기를 벌채하는 낫으로 변화한다. 이상을 종합해보면 이른 시기의 벼는 낟알이 작고 동시에 익지 않았지만 늦은 시기의 벼는 낟알이 크고 동시에 등숙했던 것으로 생각된다. 낟알 크기가 커진 이유는 자생적 발생과 외부로부터의 유입을 생각할 수 있지만 어떤 것에 해당하는지 현재로서는 확실하지 않다. 다만 대형의 벼 낟알이 한반도와 일본열도에서 거의 동시기에 출현한다는 점을 볼 때, 새로운 품종은 기원전후 시기에 동북아지역에서 비교적 빠르게 확산된 것으로 판단된다.
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This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant, which was funded by the Korean Government (NRF–2013S1A2A1A01033235). The authors would like to thank three anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions.
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Kim, M., Ahn, S. & Jeong, Y. Rice (Oryza sativa L.): Seed–Size Comparison and Cultivation in Ancient Korea. Econ Bot 67, 378–386 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-013-9253-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-013-9253-4