BETWEEN SERI, CAHITA AND TEPIMA: PALEOETHNOBOTANICAL RESEARCH ON THE CENTRAL COAST OF SONORA, MEXICO

Summary

The sixteenth century Spaniards that arrived at the Central Coast of Sonora described the region between the Río Sonora and the Río Yaqui, as a transitional territory between the Comcáac (Seri) nomadic bands of the coast, and the farmers of the river Yaqui (Yoeme) and Pima. Unfortunately, the archaeology of this region is very little known and very little is known about the prehistoric history of the area. Recent investigations at several sites in this area, have yielded a variety of macrobotanical remains obtained from roasting pits and ashy sediments, as well as, dehydrated plant parts collected during our excavations at the Tetabejo Cave. Here we present some preliminary result of the plant use as food and implements at several sites. Agave fibers and spines were used as needles and ropes; mesquite seeds, cacti (e.g. saguaro, barrel cactus and pitahaya) and weeds are very well represented and appear to be an important food stuff, corn and beans are also present and probably represent a commodity that was exchange between the farmer and the Seri bands of the coast.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15219