Minute parts of silica in the cells of plants that are specific to certain parts of the
plants. Phytoliths survive even after the plant decomposes or burns, which allows them to
serve as efficient clues to archaeologists on harvesting periods and techniques, as well
as different characteristics of food production. Phytoliths can also help differentiate
between wild and domestic plant species.
-Hiroshi Fujiwara discovered phytoliths of rice in walls of Jomon pottery of Japan (c
500BC), which proved that rice cultivation existed at that time. He then analyzed the
phytoliths in soil samples and determined an estimated depth and areal extent of the
fields and the total yield of rice.
