A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has shed light on the ancient origins of melons in East Asia, based on the analysis of ancient DNA from seeds found at a Song dynasty archaeological site in southeastern China. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis suggest that ancient melons in the region likely originated from South Asia rather than being developed from local wild plants. These early melons were not as sweet as today’s dessert varieties and had a light-green flesh with a yellow peel. Their color may have appealed to the aesthetic values of the Song dynasty, which is reflected in the jade-green celadon ceramics of the time, often shaped like melons. Biologist Susanne Renner, a co-author of the study, has spent over 25 years studying melons. In a 2010 study, she challenged the widely held belief that melons originated in Africa, arguing instead that they were more likely domesticated in Asia. The new research supports this view, suggesting that melons were domesticated independently in Northeast Africa, twice in India, and possibly in southeastern China as well. The study was inspired by the discovery of ancient seeds at the Gugang port in modern-day Wenzhou, a site that played a key role in connecting East Asia with the Pacific and Indian Ocean trade networks during the Song dynasty. An excavation in 2024 uncovered sunken shipwrecks containing large amounts of porcelain and imported fruits, including melons. The waterlogged conditions at Gugang helped preserve the plant DNA, allowing scientists to analyze the genetic makeup of the ancient melons. Genomic analysis of the melons, which date from the 10th to 13th centuries, shows they originated from South Asia rather than being locally grown in China. Two possible routes for their introduction into China were identified: a northern "Silk Road" through the Inner Asian Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau, or a southern "Tea Horse Road" through the Himalayas and southwest China. Archaeological evidence suggests the southern route was more likely, as the earliest melon remains in China were found in southern Han and pre-Han royal tombs, which are 800 to 1,000 years older than similar finds in the north. The study also highlights the cultural significance of melons during the Song dynasty. Their light-green color was in harmony with the fine tones of Chinese jade and the glazes of celadon porcelain, which were highly valued in East Asian art. Green celadon ceramics, often shaped like melons, were produced in the lower Yangtze region and were widely traded across East Asia, including in Korea and Japan. Many of these artifacts were recovered from Gugang. The research illustrates a unique example of cultural and genetic influence, where the selection of melon traits and the aesthetics of celadon ceramics evolved in parallel. It also notes that ancient DNA has been successfully retrieved for only a few crops, such as barley, wheat, cotton, maize, and beans. This is due to the challenge of identifying specific genetic changes linked to desirable traits, which often involve only a few substitutions in the genome.