Reevaluation of the Identification of Ancient Maize Pollen from Alabama

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2576483
AutoresMary Eubanks (Duke University, autor correspondente)
Ano1997
Volume62
Fascículo1
Páginas139-145
Data de publicação1997-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAmerican Antiquity (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0002-7316 • E-ISSN: 2325-5064
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/282385
OpenAlexW1993315530
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas5
Referências citadas8

Fearn and Liu (1995) reported positive identification of a large Poaceae pollen grain recovered from a lake bed core in Alabama dating to 3500 B.P. as Zea mays. Reinterpretation of old data and new data reported here indicate this identification is questionable. Review of the evidence at hand indicates the most likely identification of the pollen grain in question is Tripsacum, although it could be primitive maize, teosinte, or Zea 'indiana,' a hybrid between Tripsacum and teosinte. Until the sample size is expanded and a firm identification can be made, caution is urged in interpretations about the significance of this find for early maize agriculture in eastern North America

Agronomy · Biology · Botany · Geography · Identification (biology) · Poaceae · Pollen · Reinterpretation · Zea mays · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology