Pacific Voyagers Transported Rice Across Vast Ocean Stretch - Archaeology Magazine

Pacific Voyagers Transported Rice Across Vast Ocean Stretch - Archaeology Magazine

Rice husk phytoliths CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA—According to a statement released by The Australian National University (ANU), researchers have identified the earliest known evidence of rice in the Pacific Islands. Rice was originally domesticated in central China 9,000 years ago, but it took thousands of years for it to reach the Marianas Island in western Micronesia. Phytolith analysis of microscopic plant debris found on pottery from the Ritidian Be…

3,500 Years Ago, Navigators Crossed the Pacific Ocean Over 2,300 Kilometers… With Bags of Rice!

The steep cliffs and hidden coves of Guam have long been the setting for archaeological intrigue. For years, researchers have sought tangible evidence of how the first peoples crossed vast stretches of open water to settle the remote Pacific Islands. Now, a discovery in a sacred cave on the island’s northern coast is rewriting a chapter in the story of human migration. A 3,500-Year-Old Journey Across the Pacific In late June 2025, an internation…