Exploring Macrobotanicals of Tenehaha from the Cotahuasi Valley, Peru

Summary

In this paper we present macrobotanical data from the Peruvian archaeological site of Tenehaha in the Cotahuasi Valley. Soil samples from archaeological excavation areas were recovered by Justin Jennings and his field crew from the Tenehaha site. These soil samples were floated in order to sieve out the botanical remains of the ancient past lives of Peruvians at a ritual and ceremonial burial site of Tenehaha. Our analysis revealed new insights into site use and the distribution of botanical staples of the Andean past. The local plant staples of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) and corn (Zea mays) were found in high densities in concentrated areas of the site. Local plants such as Echinocactus (Echinocactus sp.), tubers, and the Peruvian Pepper Tree (Schinus molle) were also recovered in abundance. These remains provide insights into changing cultural practices, as they present in different densities throughout time. The occurrence of sprouted Zea mays and Schinus molle in certain areas of the site seems to indicate ritual and or ceremonial usage of chicha during the Middle Horizon (550-1000 CE). The analysis of these macrobotanical remains gives us a glimpse into the past economic and culinary practices of people in the Ancient Andes.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Like Frejoles in a Pod: Examining the Current State of Paleoethnobotany in Peru   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage