Crossing the Borders: New Methods and Techniques in the Study of Archaeological Materials from the Caribbean

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Starch Residues on Lithic Artifacts from Contrasting Contexts / 145 At present we have assembled a comparative reference collection of starch grains obtained from modern economic plants. It includes 40 specimens that have been formally described, along with 20 others informally described, together representing 30 genera and 51 species that encompass wild, domesticated, and cultivated species from the Antilles, continental tropical America, and some from the Old World (Pagán Jiménez 2004, 2005b [Appendix B]). The detailed bidimensional description of the morphological traits of the modern starch, through comparison, allows us to identify the taxon of the archaeological starch— so long as these grains exhibit the necessary and sufficient diagnostic traits. The latter are previously established from the descriptive analysis of the modern samples in the reference collection. If these conditions are not met by the archaeological starch gains, then the taxonomic identification is deemed less secure. In such cases we use the categories “cf.” (in reference to the closest tentative classification) and “unidentified.” A reliable or secure identification will not be established if archaeological starch grains exhibit traits that are not documented in our reference collection or in the published literature (Pearsall et al. 2004; Perry 2002a, 2002b, 2004; Piperno and Holst 1998; Piperno et al. 2000; Ugent et al. 1986). The identification of archaeological starch grains was effected through an IROSCOPE PT-3LIT (with polarizer) employing a 10x eyepiece and a 40x objective. The principal diagnostic (but not exclusive) element to discern starch gains from other residues is the presence of the extinction or Maltese cross observable under polarized light. The slides with the archaeological samples were comprehensively examined and their X, Y coordinate positions noted to facilitate location and perspective in later inspections. After the analysis, the slides were sealed with varnish and stored in standard cardboard slide holders. Results The results of the identification of the plants and organs through starch signatures obtained from the archaeological tools (Tables 11.2–3) show the existence of a dynamic “ phyto- cultural” scenario in the Utuado- Caguana region. This is the first time that several of these plants have been identified for late pre- Columbian contexts in Puerto Rico. Los Muertos Cave (SR-1) is a nonresidential site, whose most overt functions relate to religious activities having to do with burial and postburial rituals and/ or ceremonies related to the numinous petroglyphs (Oliver 2005; Oliver and Narganes Storde 2005). The preliminary archaeobotanical data (Table 11.2, Figure 11.3) indicate that the three sampled tools were utilized to process Zamia; guáyiga, or marunguey (Zamia amblyphyllidia); maize, or maíz (Zea mays); sweet potatoes, or batata; boniato (Ipomoea batatas); yams, or ñame (Dioscorea sp., possibly domesticated); lerén (Calathea allouia); yautía (Xanthosoma sp., possibly two spe- You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
Table 11.2. Total Distribution of the Identi¤ed Taxa from Lithic Implements at Cueva de Los Muertos (SR-1). Taxa/ Artifact Artifact 1 Concavity Artifact 1 Faceted section Artifact 1 Lateral facet Artifact 2 Concavity Artifact 3 pecked surface Peripheral sediment Artifact 1 Peripheral sediment Artifact 2 Peripheral sediment Artifact 3 Total grains Ubiquity 1 (%) Zamia amblyphyllidia 19 1 4 1 1 26 62.5% cf. Zamia sp. 1 1 2 25% Zamia sp. 1 2 3 25% Calathea allouia 4 1 2 7 37.5% cf. Calathea allouia 1 1 2 25% Zea mays 2 2 2 5 1 12 62.5% cf. Zea mays 1 1 1 2 1 6 62.5% cf. Xanthosoma undipes 1 8 2 ca. 480 cluster in cellulosic tissue ca. 491 50% Xanthosoma sagittifolium 1 2 3 25% Ipomoea batatas 2 2 4 25% cf. Ipomoea batatas 1 1 2 25% cf. Ipomoea sp. 1 1 12.5% Manihot esculenta 1 3 4 25% cf. Manihot esculenta 4 1 5 25% Dioscorea sp. (poss. domestic) 1 1 12.5% cf. Acrocomia media 1 1 2 25% cf. Bixa orellana 1 1 12.5% You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
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Crossing the Borders New Methods an
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Contents List of Illustrations 1. C
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Contents / vii References Cited 233
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List of Illustrations FIGURES 2.1.
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Illustrations / xi 10.2. Use- wear
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1 Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries
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New Methods and Techniques / 3 Rous
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New Methods and Techniques / 5 cal
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New Methods and Techniques / 7 niqu
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New Methods and Techniques / 9 (Van
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New Methods and Techniques / 11 tur
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New Methods and Techniques / 13 inc
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New Methods and Techniques / 15 ect
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New Methods and Techniques / 17 Pal
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I PROVENANCE STUDIES You are readin
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2 In Tuneful Threefold Combining Co
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Archaeological Methods, Archaeometr
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Figure 2.5. Diagram showing the res
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Metal Objects and Indigenous Values
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4 Chert Sourcing in the Northern Le
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Geochemical Techniques in Discrimin
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Corbison Point (CP) Central Plain g
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Table 4.3. Antigua Formation Flints
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II FUNCTIONAL STUDIES OF ARTIFACTS
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5 A New Material to View the Past D
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Dental Alginate Molds of Friable Ar
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Figure 5.3. Weave pattern schematic
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Investigating Stone Bead Drilling T
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Lithic Technology / 91 Figure 7.1.
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Lithic Technology / 93 of researche
Page 110 and 111: Figure 7.2. a: Vivé, small bipolar
Page 112 and 113: Lithic Technology / 97 north. Red j
Page 114 and 115: Lithic Technology / 99 Figure 7.4.
Page 116 and 117: 8 Tool Use and Technological Choice
Page 118 and 119: Functional Analysis of Caribbean To
Page 124 and 125: Figure 8.3. Toolkit for the product
Page 130 and 131: 9 Understanding the Function of Cor
Page 132 and 133: Function of Coral Tools from Anse
Page 136 and 137: Figure 9.4. Matching experimental a
Page 140 and 141: 10 The Significance of Wear and Res
Page 142 and 143: Significance of Wear and Residue St
Page 148 and 149: Figure 10.5. a: starch grain with e
Page 152 and 153: 11 Starch Residues on Lithic Artifa
Page 154 and 155: Starch Residues on Lithic Artifacts
Page 156 and 157: Figure 11.2. Lithic tools from Los
Page 158 and 159: Table 11.1. Summary of Artifacts Se
Page 162 and 163: Fabaceae 2 6 1 1 10 50% Phaseolus v
Page 164 and 165: Figure 11.3. Archaeological starch
Page 166 and 167: Figure 11.4. Archaeological starch
Page 172 and 173: Dioscorea sp. (pos. domest.) 1 12.5
Page 174 and 175: 12 The Burén in Precolonial Cuban
Page 176 and 177: Plants and Ceramic Griddles / 161 p
Page 178 and 179: Table 12.1. Plant Identi¤cation by
Page 180 and 181: Plants and Ceramic Griddles / 165 I
Page 182 and 183: Plants and Ceramic Griddles / 167 m
Page 184 and 185: Plants and Ceramic Griddles / 169 t
Page 186 and 187: III NEW TRENDS IN PALEOETHNOBOTANIC
Page 188 and 189: 13 Caribbean Paleoethnobotany Prese
Page 190 and 191: Table 13.1. Selected Excerpts and C
Page 192 and 193: Table 13.2. Plant Taxa Indicated in
Page 194 and 195: Caribbean Paleoethnobotany / 179 19
Page 196 and 197: Caribbean Paleoethnobotany / 181 tu
Page 198 and 199: Archaic Age Early Ceramic Age Later
Page 200 and 201: Table 13.3. Continued Caribbean Pal
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14 New Evidence of Two Different Mi
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New Evidence of Two Different Migra
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Table 14.2b. Continued CEI CUD ECD
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Table 14.4. Continued CUD ECD CVR O
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Tracing Human Mobility with 87 Sr/
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Table 15.2. Strontium Ratios of Hum
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Epilogue / 227 cially apparent when
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Epilogue / 229 nore the diversity t
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Epilogue / 231 derstanding of prehi
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References Cited Abel, T. 1998 Comp
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References Cited / 235 1974 Archéo
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References Cited / 237 Bertouille,
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References Cited / 239 1964 The Arc
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References Cited / 241 Coomans, H.
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References Cited / 243 2005 Caribbe
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References Cited / 245 De Mille, C.
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References Cited / 247 Febles, J.,
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References Cited / 249 a Sicán Bur
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References Cited / 251 Haslam, M. 2
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References Cited / 253 Hofman, C. L
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References Cited / 255 Lange, H. S.
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References Cited / 257 Kennedy, M.
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References Cited / 259 columbian Go
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References Cited / 261 mental Micro
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References Cited / 263 Montgomery,
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References Cited / 265 Norr, L. 200
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References Cited / 267 1855 by J. A
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References Cited / 269 Peterson, L.
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References Cited / 271 of the State
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References Cited / 273 Roobol, M. J
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References Cited / 275 Schweingrube
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References Cited / 277 Sjøvold, T.
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References Cited / 279 Townsend, G.
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References Cited / 281 Site on the
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References Cited / 283 Walker, J. B
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Contributors Benoît Bérard is Ma
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Contributors / 287 Wales, U.K. sinc
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Contributors / 289 chaeology, Leide
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Index Aceramic Age: peoples of, 195
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Scanning electron microscope/ energ
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Crossing the Borders: New Methods and Techniques in the Study of Archaeological Materials from the Caribbean

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