Rice : Origin, Antiquity and History

Examining the mutual influence between rice and human social evolution over the past 9000 years, this book discusses man’s use of the rice plant and its various parts and the genetic and cultivative improvement of the plant by man to increase productivity. It looks at the variations in use from region to region and the drastic and sometimes riotous reactions of the population to rice scarcity. Additionally, this book studies rice as a form of currency, a ration for military conquest, and the impetus for fantastic feats of engineering.

During the last nine millennia or so, man has improved the rice plant, increased its productivity and has found various uses of its parts. The story of rice differs from region to region and has been different in different periods of time. There was a time when tax was collected in the form of rice in Japan, the Southeast Asian kingdoms created hydraulic feats for its cultivation and Ottoman armies advanced with rice as their ration. In recent years, there have been riots due to scarcity of rice and also international efforts to produce enough rice to avoid hunger. The book provides an interesting reading of all such events in the course of its 9000 years long history.