From Birdseed to Superfood: Chenopodium Cultivation and Management across the Globe

Seeds of the genus Chenopodium are often ubiquitous and abundant in archaeological sites across the globe, yet our understanding of their role in human societies varies from region to region. Cultivation of chenopods has long been recognized in the Andes and Mexico, yet their diversity and unique histories of domestication are still being investigated. Through years of morphological and genetic work, researchers have demonstrated that the Native Americans of Eastern North America independently domesticated their own chenopod species. Building on these advancements, researchers working across Eurasia and in other regions of the Americas are re-assessing the status of the chenopods found in their sites. This session will highlight recent discoveries of both cultivated and intensively managed chenopod populations, shedding new light on a genus whose important role in human history has long been overlooked.