Cradle of Civilization: Paddy-field remains dating back 8,000 years discovered in China

Paddy-field remains dating back over 8,000 years have been discovered at the Lijiagang relics site in Lixian County, Hunan Province, during an archaeological excavation at the site in 2024. The remains, which belong to the period of Pengtoushan culture are believed to be the earliest paddy-field remains found so far in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The new finding provides new archaeological evidence for the origin of rice farming and early rice cultivation behavior in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.