Late Holocene plant use in the Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina: Evidence from phytoliths and starch grains

Abstract

Archaeobotanical studies carried out in the southern Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina (San Luis Province) are reported, which add new information about the presence of cultigens in the area during the late Holocene and the variety of wild species used in this period. The presence of starch grains of Zea mays (corn), Cucurbita sp. (squash), undifferentiated tubers, and Phaseolus sp. (beans), as well as phytoliths of Panicoideae, Chloridoideae, Arundinoideae, Bambuseae, Cyperaceae, Asteraceae, Arecaceae and woody dicotiledons are documented from analyses on knapped tools. The obtained data allow discussing the diversity of the resources utilized and the importance of cultigens in prehispanic times in a context that is currently considered the southern limit of prehispanic food production economies.