Title

Early isotopic evidence for maize as a staple grain in the Americas

Alternative Title

Science Advances

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Contributor

Robinson, Mark; Trask, Willa; Buckley, Gina; Moes, Emily; Kate, Emily; Harper, Thomas; O'Donnell, Lexi; Ray, Erin; Hill, Ethan; Alsgaard, Asla; Merriman, Christopher; Meredith, Clayton; Edgar, Heather; Awe, Jalme; Gutlerrez, Said

Publication Date

6-3-2020

Abstract

Maize is a cultigen of global economic importance, but when it first became a staple grain in the Americas, was unknown and contested. Here, we report direct isotopic dietary evidence from 52 radiocarbon-dated human skeletons from two remarkably well-preserved rock-shelter contexts in the Maya Mountains of Belize spanning the past 10,000 years. Individuals dating before ~4700 calendar years before present (cal B.P.) show no clear evidence for the consumption of maize. Evidence for substantial maize consumption (~30% of total diet) appears in some individuals between 4700 and 4000 cal B.P. Isotopic evidence after 4000 cal B.P. indicates that maize became a persistently used staple grain comparable in dietary significance to later maize agriculturalists in the region (>70% of total diet). These data provide the earliest definitive evidence for maize as a staple grain in the Americas.

Type

Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba3245

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science

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