According to Paul Kirchoff: Mesoamerica and the Transition to Food Production
According to Paul Kirchoff, Mesoamerica was the main area of influence among the Mexican cultures in the pre-Columbian area. The region spans from Mexico all the way to Panama. The shift from cultivating food to producing food is thought to have taken place in Mesoamerica during the Late Pleistocene period (50000-10000BC). The period also marked the beginning of the archaic period. It is widely held that it is during this period when there was transition from sustenance gathering to food production in other areas such as Southwest Asia, East Asia among others. The change from sustenance gathering to food production was both a matter of chance and planned. Initially the Mesoamerica people led nomadic lifestyles, which were characterized, with hunting and gathering. They began cultivating wild plants, which provided them with security during periods of starvation. Evidences on this transition, is obtained from archaeological and paleobotanical evidences. The evidence of the domestication is constructed from plant remains, which were discovered in different archaeological sites in the wide Mesoamerica area. The three sisters: maize, squash and beans are some of the plants in which there remains have been used to explain the transition from sustenance gathering to food production in Mesoamerica (Scheffler, Hirth & Hasemann, 2012). In this paper by inferring to both archaeological and paleobotanical evidences, we explain the transition from sustenance gathering to food production in Mesoamerica. The paper also studies the impacts of the transition on the different plant and animal species in Mesoamerica. Additionally the essay explores the effect of this transition on the Mesoamerica people way of life.
Archaeological and Paleobotanical Evidence
Archaeological and paleobotanical evidence
The transition from sustenance gathering to food production in Mesoamerica occurred during the late Pleistocene period (50000-10000BC). Before this most of the Mesoamericans had nomadic lifestyles. They did not have permanent residences. They were predominantly hunters and gatherers and occasionally moved in searched for wild animals and plants (Rosenswig, 2015). Sufficient evidence is not available explaining the transition from sustenance gathering to food production in Mesoamerica because most of the archaeological sites are unexplored. The most important crops during the development from sustenance gathering to food production in Mesoamerica are beans, maize and squash. However, there exists evidence pertinent to other crops such as cotton, rubber, and cacao, which formed a vital part of the Mesoamerican culture.
The Domestication of Maize
Archaeological records show that maize was initially domesticated in Mexico before it was spread into other areas. The transition from the collection of maize was not a sudden process. It took some time for the Mesoamericans to understand the ecological patterns pertinent to the growth of maize. Maize (Zea mays) is thought to have evolved from its old variant, teosinte (Kennet, et al, 2017). In some caves in Tehuacan valley in Puebla, maize cobs dating 5000BC were discovered. However, subsequent carbon dating showed the cobs to have dated back to 3500BC. Again, in the highland region of Oaxaca, maize cobs dating back to 4300BC were found in the Guila Naquitz caves. Maize was an essential crop among the Mesoamericans. It could be ground to flour to make some of the native dishes. The surplus was usually stored, which triggered the shift to sedentary lifestyles among the Mesoamericans. Again, because of its starch and sweet nature it was used in the making of alcoholic drinks that were prominent among the Mesoamerican people rituals. Additionally archaeological evidence in the form of stone figures, wall paintings depicts the ‘Maize God’ (Rosenswig, et al, 2014). It is evident this underlies the importance of the maize plant to the Mesoamerica people.
The Domestication of Squash
Archaeological records suggest squash was the first plant to be domesticated in Mesoamerica. The domestication of Squash (Cucurbit pepo) in Mesoamerica traces back to 8000BC. Different squash variants are understood to have then diffused from Mesoamerica to other regions of the world. Some remains of squash were found in Guila Naquitz caves in the Oaxaca region. Other remains of squash were found in caves in the region of Puebla and Tamaulipas during excavations, which were conducted in the period between the 1950S and 1970S. Direct carbon dating of the squash seeds and the caves in which they were excavated shows the origin of squash to 10000BC. Another variant of squash that was domesticated during this period is the bottle gourd. Its origin is also traced back to the late Pleistocene period. The bottle gourd formed a vital component of the transition from sustenance gathering to food production among the Mesoamerica people. The gourds were used for storing the harvested seeds and the grounded flour. They were also used for storing the seeds that would be later planted. It was also used for storing water. The seeds from some of the squash were an excellent source of proteins among the Mesoamericans. The importance of the squash in the transition from sustenance gathering to food production is captured in that it was the principal storage medium for the Mesoamerican people.
The Domestication of Beans
Beans are considered to have first been domesticated in the Andes region and Lerma-Santiago basin in 6000BC. After that, the different beans species are considered to have diffused to the different regions of the world. Among the Mayans, beans ranked second in importance. It used to be consumed together with maize. It was also grown together with maize. Beans were the chief source of proteins for the Mesoamerican people. The other essential crops produced by the Mesoamerican people include cotton, rubber and cacao. Rubber and cacao are particularly crucial to the Mayan people. Archaeological evidence shows that the famous ball game of the Mayan, which was a sacrifice ritual, used a ball made of either rubber or cotton. Archaeologists obtained remains of cacao seeds in Guila Naquitz caves. The seeds were grounded to form an intoxicating drink that was drunk during ceremonies in Mesoamerica.
The Transition to Animal Rearing
The transitioning from hunting to rearing among the Mesoamericans occurred much later after plant cultivation. The Mayans first domesticated dogs and turkeys around 2500BC. Paleobotanical evidence shows that the Andeans first domesticated the Llamas and Alpacas in 2500BC. They were tamed to be a source of meat for the Andeans. The late domestication of these animals is because the Llamas and Alpacas were hunted differently compared to other animals such as goats and cows in the old world.
Effects of the Transition on Plant and Animal Species
The change from sustenance gathering to food production had a profound impact on both plants and animal species. The transition led to the extinction of some plant species. During the domestication, some communities such as the Mayans would burn vast chunks of forests. On these burnt areas then they would later plant the domesticated plants. Because the early communities were selective in their domestication process, this led to a situation where the plants which were deemed inappropriate were wholly gotten rid off (Dimbleby, 2017). The above scenario can be explained by the decline in the plant and animal species over the years.
The transition from sustenance gathering to food production also led to the different use of the plant and animal species. While initially plants were used as a source of food, the shift made some of the Mesoamericans begin using some of the plants as medicine. It is observed that the sedentary lifestyles led to an increase in the number of diseases. Thus, the use of the plant as medicine was a matter of necessity. Again, because of the increased need for labor, some of the animals were used for other purposes such as cultivation (Zeder, 2015). The Andean people in cultivating their lands used the bison. Again, the dog, which was previously eaten by the Mayans, became a hunting partner. The shift also led to the improvement of both plant and animal species. The Mesoamericans saw a need for increasing the plant and animal produces. To achieve this, they invested in selective breeding practices. Selective breeding is credited with the evolving of Zea mays from teosinte. The over 55 species of beans are thought to be an effect of the selective breeding process. The selective breeding also led to the growth of more big and fatty animals such as turkeys and the pigs (Casas, Blancas, & Lira, 2016).
Effects of the Transition on Human Life ways in Mesoamerica
As earlier mentioned, before the domestication of crops and animals, most of the Mesoamericans led nomadic lifestyles. They were always moving in search of food. However, after the domestication of crops such as maize, villages emerged during the early formative period in 3800BC. The villages consisted of the members of the extended families and comprised of the parents and their children. The villages are thought as the first territorial units among the Mesoamerican people after the transition from sustenance gathering to food production. The village units later evolved into formative groups such as Olmec (Casas, et al, 2016). These developmental groups then expanded into larger territorial units known as empires. Some of the empires that developed during this period include the Mayan, Aztec and Toltec empires. The empires, which were large urban centers, were supplied by food from neighboring agricultural areas. The empires and territorial units brought with them social stratification among the Mesoamerican people. There was the ruling class and the laborers. The laborers were made up of children, women and weaker men. They were tasked with working in the fields to provide food for the urban centers. On the other hand, the ruling class was mandated in upholding law and order in their areas (Fitzpatrick, 2018). During the time, different villages were required to provide a part of their produces to the ruling families as a form of taxes. There was also an increase in reliance on spirits and gods. For instance, the Mayan ball game earlier mentioned was one of the religious ceremonies. The ceremony was used to invoke the spirits. Human sacrifices were provided to the gods to give them rain to help their crops grow.
The transition also led to an increase in the reliance on a small portion of crops. As opposed to the old form of hunting and gathering, the Mesoamericans placed much emphasis on the three sisters. These crops were the one that was thought to be the most beneficial to the health of the Mayans. The Mesoamericans also began embracing activities such as food storage. Storing of food was necessitated by the sedentary lifestyles adopted after the transition. Because of the reduced variety of the diet of the Mesoamericans, their health was affected. There was a decrease in the fertility of the women (Bennet, 2017).
From the essay, we observe that different plant and animal remains form the principal piece archaeological and paleobotanical evidence explaining the transition of the Mesoamerican people from sustenance gathering to food production. The remains help us construct the shift of the Mesoamerican nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary lifestyle. We have also observed that the domestication affected plants, animals, and human beings in different ways. The selective breeding led to the emergence of superior plant and animal species.
References
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