Mapping Heat: Pinpointing Early Human Interactions with Chili Pepper in Mexico

Summary

This is an abstract from the "The Archaeobotany of Early Peopling: Plant Experimentation and Cultural Inheritance" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Our project investigates the origins and domestication pathways of the Mesoamerican chili pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum L.). Undertaken by an interdisciplinary team and relying on a tripartite methodological framework, this study employs morphometric analyses of extant and archaeological Capsicum seeds, ecological niche modeling across a temporal span of 20,000 years, and diachronic geospatial analyses of archaeological sites in contemporary Mexico. These methodologies converge to assist in the identification of potential loci of initial human interaction with the wild progenitor, C. annuum var. glabriusculum L. The results of this work contribute to the broader discourse on early human-plant interactions, colonization of novel ecosystems, and the complex processes underpinning plant domestication. Moreover, our research approach underscores not only the importance of archaeobotanical analyses but also the utility of integrating diverse skillsets to elucidate the intricate relationship between cultural practices and environmental adaptation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Archaeobotany of Early Peopling: Plant Experimentation and Cultural Inheritance   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38671.0