Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America

The fruit (pods) of Prosopis (Fabaceae) are frequently recovered from pre-Hispanic Argentinian archaeological sites; suggesting that this genus was of importance in ancient economies in this region. Yet it is only recently that archaeobotanists have begun to carry out systematic research into this g...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Red ArqBOT, IDACOR, Giovannetti, Marco, Lema, Verónica, Bartoli, Carlos, Capparelli, Aylen
Formato: Text
Publicado: Elsevier 2008
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://suquia.ffyh.unc.edu.ar/handle/suquia/6736
Aporte de:
id I10-R181-suquia-6736
record_format dspace
institution Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
institution_str I-10
repository_str R-181
collection Suquía - Instituto de Antropología de Córdoba (IDACOR, CONICET y UNC)
topic Archaeobotany
Arqueobotánica
Prosopis chilensis
Prosopis flexuosa
Prosopis sp.
algarrobo
el árbol
Fabaceae
vaina
granos almidón
Colección de referencia carbonizada
Material arqueológico; preservación carbonizada (sitio El Shincal)
El Shincal
spellingShingle Archaeobotany
Arqueobotánica
Prosopis chilensis
Prosopis flexuosa
Prosopis sp.
algarrobo
el árbol
Fabaceae
vaina
granos almidón
Colección de referencia carbonizada
Material arqueológico; preservación carbonizada (sitio El Shincal)
El Shincal
Red ArqBOT
IDACOR
Giovannetti, Marco
Lema, Verónica
Bartoli, Carlos
Capparelli, Aylen
Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America
topic_facet Archaeobotany
Arqueobotánica
Prosopis chilensis
Prosopis flexuosa
Prosopis sp.
algarrobo
el árbol
Fabaceae
vaina
granos almidón
Colección de referencia carbonizada
Material arqueológico; preservación carbonizada (sitio El Shincal)
El Shincal
description The fruit (pods) of Prosopis (Fabaceae) are frequently recovered from pre-Hispanic Argentinian archaeological sites; suggesting that this genus was of importance in ancient economies in this region. Yet it is only recently that archaeobotanists have begun to carry out systematic research into this genus. Therefore many questions remain to be addressed concerning the food value of Prosopis fruit; and its potential contribution. This paper examines starch from the pods of two species; Prosopis flexuosa and Prosopis chilensis; for the purposes of describing and classifying their morphological features and biometrical parameters. Pods of both species were gathered from two extremes (northern and southern) of the Hualfín Valley; Catamarca; Argentina. Starch abundance is estimated and compared with that of Zea mays; an economically important plant with high concentrations of starch. This paper reveals that Prosopis pods contain very low amounts of starch compared to starch-rich edible species. Despite this; the recovery of Prosopis starch grains can be successfully used to assess archaeological tool uses. Prosopis starch grains were found to be highly variable in shape. Grain size ranged between 10 and 20 ?m. Granule irregularity and the high birefringence under polarized light are two of the most important diagnostic features. No significant statistical differences were found in the structure (morphology; size and hilum) of the starch of the same species from both localities. Finally; the implications for the role of this plant in past societies are discussed.
format Text
author Red ArqBOT
IDACOR
Giovannetti, Marco
Lema, Verónica
Bartoli, Carlos
Capparelli, Aylen
author_facet Red ArqBOT
IDACOR
Giovannetti, Marco
Lema, Verónica
Bartoli, Carlos
Capparelli, Aylen
author_sort Red ArqBOT
title Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America
title_short Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America
title_full Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America
title_fullStr Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America
title_full_unstemmed Starch grain characterization of Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz and P. flexuosa DC; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in Andean South America
title_sort starch grain characterization of prosopis chilensis (mol.) stuntz and p. flexuosa dc; and the analysis of their archaeological remains in andean south america
publisher Elsevier
publishDate 2008
url http://suquia.ffyh.unc.edu.ar/handle/suquia/6736
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