Latest news with #UniversityOfGuam
Fox News
2 days ago
- Science
- Fox News
Archaeologists uncover 3,500-year-old rice remains in oldest part of remote region
The remains of 3,500-year-old rice were recently found in Guam — making it the earliest known evidence of rice in Remote Oceania. Archaeologists discovered the rice at the Ritidian Site Complex, located at the northernmost point of Guam. Michael T. Carson, an archaeology professor at the University of Guam in Mangilao, recently published his findings on the discovery in the journal Science Advances. The archaeologist told Fox News Digital in an interview that the rice remnants were found in the form of phytoliths. "Phytoliths are like fossils of ancient plant parts," Carson said. "The original plant materials were filled primarily with silica materials, lasting for thousands of years and preserving the detailed anatomy that can be observed and authenticated through microscope analysis." The phytoliths included multiple instances of the rice husks and leaves, Carson said. The rice was exclusively found on ancient pottery made from earthenware. "This direct association is extra confident because the phytoliths were 100% absent on other artifacts such as stone and shell tools, as well as 100% absent within the surrounding sedimentary matrix," he said. Experts believe that rice played a role in rituals that were performed in the cave, which also included fine pottery, shell pendants and ornaments. "Additionally, the cave included rare rock art and formal burial pits," Carson added. "The discarded shell remains here included different kinds of shellfish than otherwise comprised the majority of the daily shellfish diet." "People probably cooked the rice elsewhere, away from the cave, as grain processing and cooking undoubtedly would have left behind other traces." No other cave has the same evidence of rice — adding to the idea that the cave served a "highly specialized" cultural role, according to Carson. The rice must have been transported by the first settlers of Guam over 3,500 years ago, he noted. "These people traveled across 2,300 km of open ocean, setting a world record [for] long-distance ocean migration at the time," he said. "Among their accomplishments, they managed to transport and maintain the rice until they planted and produced successful crops in their new remote-distance island home." So how did ancient people cook this rice? Researcher Hsiao-chun Hung told Australian National University (ANU) they probably prepared the rice far away from the cave. The latest discovery isn't the first time ancient food has offered a window into the past. "People probably cooked the rice elsewhere, away from the cave, as grain processing and cooking undoubtedly would have left behind other traces," the archaeologist said. A damp environment like the cave would have been "unsuitable for storing unprocessed rice in pots," she added. "The ancient rice remains were found only on the surfaces of the pottery, ruling out ordinary food storage," Hung added. The latest discovery isn't the first time ancient food has offered a window into the past, though such finds remain rare. Earlier this year, archaeologists uncovered a well-preserved loaf of ancient bread, dating back 5,000 years. In the American Southwest, University of Utah researchers recently uncovered proof of historical food practices by analyzing bedrock "kitchens."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Micronesian canoe has maiden voyage on the Foyle
A canoe built using traditional Micronesian techniques has made its maiden voyage up the River Foyle. The 8ft (2.34m) canoe was made from a tree felled at the Brook Hall Estate in Londonderry during a winter storm. It was carved in just nine days by a team from the University of Guam Island Wisdom Micronesian Seafaring Programme. "I have had the pleasure of watching these master carvers turn what was a log into a canoe," David Gilliland from Brook Hall Estate told BBC News NI. Master navigator, Dr Melissa Taitano, one of the team of boat builders, said the Brook Hall Canoe Building and Research Project had taken shape over more than two decades. Twenty-two years ago and then a student, she said she "had an amazing and inspirational teacher, Prof Anne Gilliland, who is an OG Derry girl". Raised at Brook Hall, Prof Gilliland now teaches at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), specialising in the displacement of cultures. Two years ago, her son Tanner, a sculptor and woodworker, formed a friendship with a Micronesian boat builder while on a visit to Hawaii. They pledged to some day bring Micronesia's canoe building traditions to Northern Ireland's north west. When the tree came down at the Derry estate last winter, Prof Gilliland's nephew David gifted it to the group of traditional Micronesian boatbuilders. "We started the planning process, things came together, we were able to gain the funding for it… and so here we are," Dr Taitano said. Arriving on 24 June, the team – Dr Taitano, Larry Raigetal, James Beiuweilish and Willison Yarofaitir – set to work. Finishing in nine days, Dr Taitano said, may be a record. "At home it takes us two months," she said, adding that culturally the building of a canoe holds a deep significance. "We believe the trees and all of nature carry spirit, and they are the spirit of our ancestors. We take the life of a tree but give it new life by transforming it into a canoe that helps to sustain the community. "Canoe culture is sustainable culture," she said. Micronesia consists of some 600 islands in the Western Pacific. Prof Anne Gilliland said those islands are among the most at risk anywhere in the world because of climate change. For the Micronesian people, she added, that poses "an existential risk". "As navigators they are aware of the tides, the winds, the movements of the fish and the sea creatures - these are all changing," she said. "They have really ancient knowledge that our western scientists don't have and that they can bring to bear on what's happening." She said the canoe project had shown how people must adapt to changes in the environment. When the boat builders came to Derry, she said, they had to work with materials they had never used before. "We had no idea what would happen – that is exactly what we have to take into account as the climate changes," she said. Prof Gilliland added: "How are we going to adapt to a future, without losing our past and identities? "This is a little capsule that talks about that and the importance of how you build bonds between communities and how they take us into the future." It was Willison Yarofaitir who paddled the canoe from Brook Hall to the Peace Bridge on Friday. "It was amazing. I am really happy, feeling great for the families that invited us to carve this canoe," he said. Mayor of Derry and Strabane Ruairí McHugh said the canoe was a "powerful symbol of connection between the ancient city of Derry and the islands of Micronesia." The medieval-era boats hiding in the River Foyle Micronesia country profile What lives in the River Foyle?
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Foyle: Micronesian canoe carved from fallen tree has maiden voyage
A canoe built using traditional Micronesian techniques has made its maiden voyage up the River 8ft (2.34m) canoe was made from a tree felled at the Brook Hall Estate in Londonderry during a winter was carved in just nine days by a team from the University of Guam Island Wisdom Micronesian Seafaring Programme."I have had the pleasure of watching these master carvers turn what was a log into a canoe," David Gilliland from Brook Hall Estate told BBC News NI. Master navigator, Dr Melissa Taitano, one of the team of boat builders, said the Brook Hall Canoe Building and Research Project had taken shape over more than two years ago and then a student, she said she "had an amazing and inspirational teacher, Prof Anne Gilliland, who is an OG Derry girl".Raised at Brook Hall, Prof Gilliland now teaches at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), specialising in the displacement of cultures. Two years ago, her son Tanner, a sculptor and woodworker, formed a friendship with a Micronesian boat builder while on a visit to pledged to some day bring Micronesia's canoe building traditions to Northern Ireland's north the tree came down at the Derry estate last winter, Prof Gilliland's nephew David gifted it to the group of traditional Micronesian boatbuilders. "We started the planning process, things came together, we were able to gain the funding for it… and so here we are," Dr Taitano on 24 June, the team – Dr Taitano, Larry Raigetal, James Beiuweilish and Willison Yarofaitir – set to in nine days, Dr Taitano said, may be a record."At home it takes us two months," she said, adding that culturally the building of a canoe holds a deep significance."We believe the trees and all of nature carry spirit, and they are the spirit of our ancestors. We take the life of a tree but give it new life by transforming it into a canoe that helps to sustain the community."Canoe culture is sustainable culture," she said. Micronesia consists of some 600 islands in the Western Anne Gilliland said those islands are among the most at risk anywhere in the world because of climate the Micronesian people, she added, that poses "an existential risk"."As navigators they are aware of the tides, the winds, the movements of the fish and the sea creatures - these are all changing," she said. "They have really ancient knowledge that our western scientists don't have and that they can bring to bear on what's happening."She said the canoe project had shown how people must adapt to changes in the environment. When the boat builders came to Derry, she said, they had to work with materials they had never used before."We had no idea what would happen – that is exactly what we have to take into account as the climate changes," she said. Prof Gilliland added: "How are we going to adapt to a future, without losing our past and identities?"This is a little capsule that talks about that and the importance of how you build bonds between communities and how they take us into the future." It was Willison Yarofaitir who paddled the canoe from Brook Hall to the Peace Bridge on Friday."It was amazing. I am really happy, feeling great for the families that invited us to carve this canoe," he of Derry and Strabane Ruairí McHugh said the canoe was a "powerful symbol of connection between the ancient city of Derry and the islands of Micronesia."
