The early domestication of plants in south and southeast Asia - a critical review

Vishnu-Mittre; Statira Guzder

doi:10.54991/jop.1973.928

Authors

Vishnu-Mittre Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow 226007, India
Statira Guzder Deccan College, Poona

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1973.928

Abstract

The paper reviews both the palynological and palaeobotanical evidences that have been put forward to suggest early domestication of plants in the Indian sub-continent, Thailand, Taiwan and China.

It appears that the distinction between cereal and non-cereal pollen grains has been based upon insufficient data, and stages of the earliest occupation phase have not been judiciously inferred from the pollen diagrams.

A careful sifting of all the evidences from India suggests that the domestication of plants commenced around 3,000 B.C.

The alleged earliest records of domestication described from the Spirit Cave in Thailand and radio-carbon dated to 11,500 B.P., on scrutiny suggest a more advanced and discriminating stage in food-gathering, rather than domestication. This paper suggests a more detailed botanical identification of the plant remains and a careful evaluation of ethnographic information towards the inference of early domestication.

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