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Reevaluation of the Identification of Ancient Maize Pollen from Alabama

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Mary Eubanks
Mary Eubanks*
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Box 90338, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
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Abstract

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.

Fearn y Liu (1995) reportaron la identificación positiva de un grano de polen de la familia Poaceae obtenido de los sedimentos del Lago Shelby en la costa de Alabama como Zea mays, datado a 3500 A.P. La informatión reportada aqui indica que esta identificatión es cuestionable. Una revision de la evidencia indica que la identificatión más probable de éste grano de polen es Tripsacum, aunque este podria ser el maíz primitive, teosinte о Zea “indiana,” un hibrido entre Tripsacum y teosinte. Hasta que el tamaño de la muestra se amplie y se haga una identification firme, se urge cautela en las interpretaciones con respecte al significado de este hallazgo para la agricultura del maíz en Norteamérica.

Type
Comments
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 62 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 139 - 145
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1997

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References

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