Genomics and Archaeological Survey: Elucidating Ancient Mesoamerican Human-Plant Interactions

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Regional and Intensive Site Survey: Case Studies from Mesoamerica" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeogenetics, a term coined by Colin Renfrew in 2000, is a relatively new line of inquiry into the archaeological past. Archaeogenetic techniques use ancient DNA and genomic sequencing to reveal population-level data that may be used to elucidate processes central to archaeological research, such as group migrations and domestication events, among others. This paper explores the potential for genomic data and regional archaeological survey to complement each other. Building on recent collaborative research, it examines interactions between humans and plants —specifically cycads (cycadales) and maize— throughout Mesoamerican history. Genomic evidence, based on genotype covariance of transcriptome-derived microsatellites, reveals patterns in cycad evolutionary dynamics that suggest human-induced dispersal of these plants. When compared with archaeological survey data ranging from Tamaulipas to the Tehuacán valley, several correlations between cycad evolution— particularly Dioon spp.— and cultural processes are evident. Dispersal and population split events parallel the spread of certain shared linguistic terms, episodes of demographic migration, the development of specific cultural practices (e.g., nixtamalization), and possibly the domestication of maize. The paper concludes with a discussion of how genomic data may productively inform archaeological survey, in terms of identifying areas or regions in which crucial evidence for specific human activities may be encountered.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Regional and Intensive Site Survey: Case Studies from Mesoamerica   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 22882