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

CAPPARELLI, A.

Bariloche

Congreso; V International Congress of Ethnobotany (ICEB); 2009

Cyted, Dr. Papoport, Dra Pochettino, Dra Ladio

Archaeobotanical recognition of food products derived from the algarrobo (Prosopis flexuosa DC and P. chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) charred remains and its application to the case of El Shincal, Hualfín Valley, Argentina Aylen Capparelli CONICET- National University of La Plata, Argentina e-mail: aylencapparelli@fcnym.unlp.edu.ar   Experimental approaches are used here to: a) characterize qualitative morphological attributes of the food products and residues that may reach the archaeological record as macrobotanical remains; b) evaluate transformations of these attributes after charring; c) Apply this studies to the case of the Inka site El Shincal. Unrefined and refined flour, añapa, aloja and arrope were elaborated following traditional techniques registered by the author along the Hualfín Valley, Catamarca Province, Argentina, during previous works. It was observed that analysis of dessicated Prosopis macrobotanical remains potentially allows the identification of different stages in the preparation and processing of algarrobo. Distinguishing between black and white algarroba is essential to interpret them correctly. The proportion of fragmented seeds, seeds with fissured testa, and endocarps may help to distinguish the production of unrefined and refined flour. Añapa (beverage) and aloja (alcoholic beverage) residues are characterized mainly by rolling, folding or loosening of the testa, while the arrope (syrup) residues are identified by the presence of closed endocarps and large pieces of epicarp. Patay (bread) and ulpo (lye) do not leave residues. However, the manufacture of patay can be confirmed if the bread itself is recovered. Although charring may affect some of the described patters, these studies allowed confirming, for example, that seeds with intact testa and mesocarp-epicarp fragments still persisted after carbonization. This assemblage is registered at a central hearth of the R10 room of the Sinchiwasi structure at El Shincal, where it can be interpreted as derived from the coarse fraction of unrefined flour manufacture.