河南省洛陽漢墓出土のコメについて

Abstract

Fragments of rice spikelets found in a grave of the Han dyrtasty (location LS. M 82:59) are studied. The fragments consist of the outer glume, the inner glume and the rachilla of rice spikelets, and all the kernels vanished even inside the closed flowering glumes. The fragments have become white, and seem to have a waxy structure. The microscopical texture of the glumes are well preserved. The spikelets do not bear awns. The length of spikelet is 8.5 mm (one perfect sample) and 8.8 mm (a mean of four samples), 3.9 mm in width 2.2 in the ratio of length and width. These figures are examined in comparison with those found in many places in Asia. The author concludes that the rice in the Han period was more similar to that of present day southern'Asia (India) than to that of Japan, Okinawa and Korea. The Han rice seems to belong to Oryza sativa Var indica.