Chenopodium as a prehistoric domesticate in eastern North America; evidence from Russell Cave, Alabama
Smith BD. 1984. Chenopodium as a prehistoric domesticate in eastern North America; evidence from Russell Cave, Alabama. Science. 226(4671):165-167
Aprroximately 50,000 carbonized fruits of the species Chenopodium berlandieri recovereded from Russell Cave, Alabama, and dating to 1975 +/- 55 before the present, exhibit a set of interrrelated morphological characteristics refelcting domestication (thin testa, truncate margin, rectanguloid fruit cross section, ligulate cotyledons, and increased internal fruit volume). These morphological characteristics establish the presence of a domestic variety of Chenopodium in the eastern United States by 2000 years ago.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Smith, Bruce
- Units
- RUCA
- Keywords
- Absolute Age, Agriculture, Alabama, Angiosperms, Archaeology, Artifacts, C 14, Chenopodium, Dates, Dicotyledoneae, fossilization, Fruits, Geology, Holocene, Jackson county, Morphology, Paleoecology, Quaternary, Russell Cave, Seeds, Serial, Southern U.S., Stratigraphy