An Ethnoarchaeological Approach to Understanding the Role of Root-crops in Ancient Lowland Maya Subsistence.

Summary

Dr. Scott Fedick’s research goals have always emphasized the importance of understanding the diversity and ingenuity of lowland Maya subsistence. Through his guidance and mentorship my dissertation focus was developed to explore the role of root-crops in ancient Maya subsistence. Recent paleoethnobotanical research has demonstrated that the ancient Maya diet included a wide array of plant foods.Currently lacking is enough evidence for the role of roots-crops.To begin to acquire an understanding of how to best recover evidence of root-crops it is important to understand all the biases that may affect their visibility and patterning in the archaeological record.

Cultural and natural processes transform material remains morphologically, quantitatively, spatially and relationally, thereby transforming the archaeological record. My doctoral study examines the presence and significance of root-crops for the ancient lowland Maya by using a multifaceted approach.One such facet is an ethnographic study to document the cultural value of root-crops and the behaviors that would lead to the incorporation of root-crop starch into the archaeological record. Observing their use-history from cultivation through discard in modern communities may provide an understanding of the relationship between these behaviors and the location and condition that root-crop starch might enter the archaeological record.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Managed Mosaic: Papers in Honor of Scott L. Fedick   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage