Archaeobotanical Realities at Yaxnohkah: A Pollen Grain of Truth on Preclassic Land Use

Summary

Examination of sediments from several reservoirs at the Preclassic site of Yaxnohkah Campeche, Mexico reveals less that stellar pollen preservation, but still useful botanical data. Thus far, pollen grains show varying degrees of degradation, requiring the use of exacting extraction methods. Cultigens and economic taxa are abundant in the samples demonstrating that we are sampling in the right place, but cyclic wetting and drying has resulted in the loss of fragile taxa, skewing the botanical record. Pollen data can still be obtained, but requires careful analysis and interpretation to identify past activities at this large, important site. Upcoming excavations will focus on the collection of sediments from additional reservoirs and wetlands rich in clay, where oxidation has been less damaging.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• The Dynamics of the Preclassic in the Heart of the Maya Lowlands

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15420