Overview of Paleoethnobotany of Eastern North America
Introduction -- The Three Sisters
The three sisters – maize, beans, and squash – were important in the diet of eastern North American Indians in the centuries just prior to contact by Europeans. Long domesticated in Mexico, these crops spread into the Southwest and eastern North
America. Their use is well documented in historic records. Less well known is that they did not spread together or evenly into the same areas. More surprising, for thousands of years prior to their introduction, Indians domesticated and cultivated local, North American crops. Some of these ancient, native crops are now extinct.
America. Their use is well documented in historic records. Less well known is that they did not spread together or evenly into the same areas. More surprising, for thousands of years prior to their introduction, Indians domesticated and cultivated local, North American crops. Some of these ancient, native crops are now extinct.
What's in a Name?
The italicized names you see in this text are the scientific names of plants. Whereas a plant may be named by multiple common names, it has only one scientific name. A scientific name consists of a genus (always capitalized) and a species (never capitalized). For example, one of the extinct domesticates formerly important to many ancient people in eastern North America is known by the common names of marshelder or sumpweed and the scientific name of Iva annua.
INDEX
Note: This text was written by Gail E. Wagner in celebration of South Carolina Archaeology Month, September 8 – October 7, 2000, and accompanied by a poster called Ancient Gardening in South Carolina. One section (Pollen and Phytoliths) was authored by Jamie Civitello.
© Gail E. Wagner, 2014. The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of the page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of South Carolina. Page last updated 13 Sept. 2014.