Archaeobotanical recognition of food products derived from the algarrobo (Prosopis flexuosa DC and P. chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz, (FABACEAE)) charred remains and its application to the case of El Shincal, Hualfín Valley, Argentina.

CAPPARELLI AYLEN

Traditions and transformations in Ethnobotany

Cyted, Risapret

Lugar: San Salvador de Jujuy; Año: 2010; p. 105 - 109

Archaeobotanical recognition of food products derived from the algarrobo (Prosopis chilensis y P. flexuosa (Fabaceae)) charred remains and its application to the case of El Shincal, Hualfín Valley, Argentina. It is known from previous works that qualitative and quantitative morphological attributes of food products and residues may allow the identification of different food processing activities in desiccated algarrobo (Prosopis chilensis and P. flexuosa) remains (Capparelli, 2008). Experimental approaches are used here: 1- to evaluate if those diagnostic features persist even after charring, and -to use these results as a means of interpreting types of processing from one context of the Inka site of El Shincal. Experimentation was made on the base of traditional practices which were registered during previous ethnobotanical work developed in the area. It was observed that qualitative diagnostic characters used to distinguish different food processing between desiccated remains are also applicable to charred remains. In the specific case of El Shincal we were able to recognize, in the analysed context, residues derived from flour manufacture.