Starch and Phytolith Analyses from Ceramic Residues in the Llanos de Mojos

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Llanos de Mojos in the Bolivian Amazon is a tropical savanna that saw increased archaeological attention beginning in the latter half of the 20th century. However, paleoethnobotanical research has been limited up until this decade despite significant results and great potential. Paleoethnobotanical inquiry in Mojos can enhance our understanding of human-plant interactions. Starch grains and phytoliths from economic plants recovered from ceramic residues provide a direct link to food preparation, consumption, and agriculture. This paper describes the results of analyses of 31 residue samples from ceramic food-processing graters and serving vessels recovered from Isla Santa Maria, a forest island near Santa Ana del Yacuma, during the 2018 field season. This presentation discusses how the methodology and preliminary results from the analyses are part of a larger investigation into the relationship of food and landscape in the West Central Mojos that combines GIS, landscape, and paleoecological approaches.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25600