Remote Cave Discovery Shows Ancient Voyagers Brought Rice Across 2,300 Km of Pacific Ocean

Remote cave discovery shows ancient voyagers brought rice across 2,300 km of Pacific Ocean

In a new study published today in Science Advances, my colleagues and I have uncovered the earliest evidence of rice in the Pacific Islands—at an ancient cave site on Guam in the Mariana Islands of western Micronesia.

Cave Discovery Shows Voyagers Brought Rice Past 2,300Km Of Pacific Ocean

The domesticated rice was transported by the first islanders, who sailed 2,300 kilometres of open ocean from the Philippines about 3,500 years ago. The discovery settles debates and curiosity about the origins and lifestyles of Pacific peoples.

Remote cave discovery shows ancient voyagers brought rice across 2,300km of Pacific Ocean

Ritidian beach, Guam. Hsiao-chun HungIn a new study published today in Science Advances, my colleagues and I have uncovered the earliest evidence of rice in the Pacific Islands – at an ancient cave site on Guam in the Mariana Islands of western Micronesia. The domesticated rice was transported by the first islanders, who sailed 2,300 kilometres of open ocean from the Philippines about 3,500 years ago. The discovery settles long-standing academic…

Cave Discovery Shows Voyagers Brought Rice Past 2,300Km Of Pacific Ocean

How did rice end up on a remote Pacific island? In a remote cave on Guam, archaeologists have uncovered what may be one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for humanity’s early seafaring prowess: rice husks embedded in ancient pottery, dating back 3,500 years. The discovery, published in Science Advances, suggests that early voyagers intentionally carried domesticated rice more than 2,300 kilometers across open Pacific waters—from the Phil…

Ancient grains: oldest rice in Pacific found in remote cave

26.06.2025 - Traces of rice found in Guam date back more than 3,500 years, according to ANU researchers. The discovery of ancient traces of rice in a cave in Guam has changed what we know about the lives of the region's early inhabitants, according to experts from The Australian National University (ANU).

Pacific’s oldest rice found in remote cave

The discovery of ancient traces of rice in a cave in Guam has changed what we know about the lives of the region's early inhabitants, according to experts from The Australian National University (ANU). The remains of rice husks, which were found on pottery, are the earliest evidence of rice in the Remote Pacific, dating back 3,500 years, a discovery the researchers say offers new clues about ancient migration and culture.