Pre-colonial Griddles in Central Nicaragua: An Archaeometric and Archaeobotanical Approach to Foodways at the Barillas Site, Chontales

Summary

Since 2007, the Proyecto Arqueológico Centro de Nicaragua, directed by Alexander Geurds, has excavated several archaeological sites in Chontales, Nicaragua, northeast of Lake Cocibolca. This papers reports on fragments of ceramic griddles recovered in layers dated to cal AD 1275 and 1290 at the Barillas site - unprecedented find challenging our views on ancient foodways in the region. The paucity of these comales has hitherto co-determined narratives on human mobility from Mesoamerica, due to the debatable assumption that this type of artifact necessarily entangles consumption of maize tortillas.

In this paper, we present results on paleoethnobotanical and archaeometric analyses, discussing technological and provenance aspects related to the ceramic fragments and interpretations of the ancient starch remains attached to the earthenware retrieved during the excavations. Also, we will review techno-functional and use-wear aspects related to chipped stone artifacts found in the same context. The interdisciplinary approach to this dataset will shed light onto the ways people prepared and consumed food in Central America. Studying foodways is vital to understanding socially learned practices. This research on cooking dynamics will help expose the unique Central Nicaraguan perspective of food practices.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22027