Identifying maize in neotropical sediments and soils using cob phytoliths

Deborah M. Pearsall; Karol Chandler-Ezell; Alex Chandler-Ezell

doi:10.1016/S0305-4403(02)00237-6

Identifying maize in neotropical sediments and soils using cob phytoliths

Deborah M. Pearsall, Karol Chandler-Ezell, Alex Chandler-Ezell

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	611-627
Number of pages	17
Journal	Journal of Archaeological Science
Volume	30
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-4403(02)00237-6
State	Published - May 2003
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Archaeology
Archaeology

Keywords

Blind testing
Ecuador
Jama river valley
Paleoethnobotany
Phytoliths
Zea mays

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10.1016/S0305-4403(02)00237-6

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@article{23e304c168a64278bc621367072b3556,

title = "Identifying maize in neotropical sediments and soils using cob phytoliths",

keywords = "Blind testing, Ecuador, Jama river valley, Paleoethnobotany, Phytoliths, Zea mays",

author = "Pearsall, {Deborah M.} and Karol Chandler-Ezell and Alex Chandler-Ezell",

note = "Funding Information: We thank volunteers from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and Washington University, St. Louis, Paleoethnobotany Labs who participated in the two blind test sessions, and Dr. Gayle Fritz, who helped organize the Washington University tests. Special thanks go to MU graduate student Shawn Collins, who helped us refine the cob phytolith types, and Dr. Dolores R. Piperno, for many stimulating conversations about identifying maize in the Neotropics, and ideas concerning which grasses should be tested as potential {\textquoteleft}confusers{\textquoteright}. Comparative specimens were provided in part by the Missouri Botanical Garden Herbarium and the University of Missouri Herbarium. Tom Ezell spent many hours researching chemical questions regarding the extraction of phytoliths from charred remains. Dr. Robert A. Benfer, Jr., gave us valuable advice concerning the design of the blind tests; Megan McCullen provided valuable help with table editing; and the idea for the tests grew out of conversations with Dr. Edward Buckler. This study was carried out over a 2-year period, ending in October 2001. Support for phytolith research at MU during that time was provided by an NSF grant (Archaeology) to Hector Neff, Barbara Arroyo, and D.M.P., and an NSF grant (Archaeometry) to D.M.P. Research at the Pechichal site was undertaken as partof joint archaeological research in the Jama River valley by James A. Zeidler and D.M.P., and was supportedby NSF grants to them. The authors alone bearresponsibility for the results reported here. ",

year = "2003",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/S0305-4403(02)00237-6",

language = "English",

volume = "30",

pages = "611--627",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Identifying maize in neotropical sediments and soils using cob phytoliths

AU - Pearsall, Deborah M.

AU - Chandler-Ezell, Karol

AU - Chandler-Ezell, Alex

N1 - Funding Information: We thank volunteers from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and Washington University, St. Louis, Paleoethnobotany Labs who participated in the two blind test sessions, and Dr. Gayle Fritz, who helped organize the Washington University tests. Special thanks go to MU graduate student Shawn Collins, who helped us refine the cob phytolith types, and Dr. Dolores R. Piperno, for many stimulating conversations about identifying maize in the Neotropics, and ideas concerning which grasses should be tested as potential ‘confusers’. Comparative specimens were provided in part by the Missouri Botanical Garden Herbarium and the University of Missouri Herbarium. Tom Ezell spent many hours researching chemical questions regarding the extraction of phytoliths from charred remains. Dr. Robert A. Benfer, Jr., gave us valuable advice concerning the design of the blind tests; Megan McCullen provided valuable help with table editing; and the idea for the tests grew out of conversations with Dr. Edward Buckler. This study was carried out over a 2-year period, ending in October 2001. Support for phytolith research at MU during that time was provided by an NSF grant (Archaeology) to Hector Neff, Barbara Arroyo, and D.M.P., and an NSF grant (Archaeometry) to D.M.P. Research at the Pechichal site was undertaken as partof joint archaeological research in the Jama River valley by James A. Zeidler and D.M.P., and was supportedby NSF grants to them. The authors alone bearresponsibility for the results reported here.

PY - 2003/5

Y1 - 2003/5

KW - Blind testing

KW - Ecuador

KW - Jama river valley

KW - Paleoethnobotany

KW - Phytoliths

KW - Zea mays

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U2 - 10.1016/S0305-4403(02)00237-6

DO - 10.1016/S0305-4403(02)00237-6

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SN - 0305-4403

VL - 30

SP - 611

EP - 627

JO - Journal of Archaeological Science

JF - Journal of Archaeological Science

IS - 5

ER -

Identifying maize in neotropical sediments and soils using cob phytoliths

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

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