A wealth of information on the patterns of human subsistence and plant domestication has been generated from studies on maize (Zea mays) starch granules. However, very little work has been conducted on how the size and morphology of those granules might change as a function of water stress during the growing season. In the arid Southwest, the role of irrigation in growing maize is an essential parameter in many foraging models. Our study seeks to determine if there are significant changes in the size and other morphological attributes of starch granules from maize planted at Range Creek Canyon under two different irrigation regimes ranging from little water (once every three weeks) to ample water (once a day). Our results provide data on the effects of irrigation on Z. mays starch granules and, therefore, have implications for identifying archaeological maize and possibly determining past water regimes at Range Creek Canyon.

Starch-rich plants have played an important role in human evolution and societal development. Collected, grown, and consumed to support ever-increasing populations, such plants are integral to understanding past human diets. With the advent of starch granule analysis, plant resources that were invisible in the archaeological record can now be revealed in the cracks and crevices of artifacts. Widespread application of this technique, however, has stalled due to a lack of rigorous and standardized protocols. For example, taxonomic identification of starch granules using consistent diagnostic characteristics is still a challenge as there are no comprehensive surveys across important (i.e., dietary) plant taxa, especially at the levels of families, genera, and species. This study provides characteristics for identifying starch granules of seven major North American plant families (Amaranthaceae, Apiaceae, Fagaceae, Liliaceae, Pinaceae, Poaceae, and Solanaceae) based on systematic, morphometric studies of modern reference materials. A dichotomous key to starch granules of the seven families was also generated to aid in identification of those from archaeological contexts. Although we have focused on plants from western North America, these families occur across the globe and have had dietary significance throughout prehistory.

No abstract

No abstract