Philosophy
A new study suggests that people living along the coast of northern Peru were eating popcorn 1,000 years earlier than previously thought.
Researchers say corncobs found at an ancient site in Peru suggest that the inhabitants used them for making flour and popcorn.
Scientists from Washington's Natural History Museum say the oldest corncobs they found dated from 4700BC.
They are the earliest ever discovered in South America.
Ancient food
The curator of New World archaeology at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, Dolores Piperno, says maize was first domesticated in Mexico nearly 9,000 years ago from a wild grass.
Ms Piperno says that her team's research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that only a few thousand years later maize arrived in South America, where it evolved into different varieties now common in the Andean regions.
Her team discovered the maize in the archaeological sites of Paredones and Huaca Prieta.
"This evidence further indicated that in many areas corn arrived before pots did, and that early experimentation with corn as a food was not dependent on the presence of pottery," Ms Piperno explained.
She says that at the time, though, maize was not yet an important part of their diet.
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Philosophy
Peruvian Indians and good ole POPCORN
"Study suggests ancient Peruvians 'ate popcorn'"
January 18th, 2012
BBC NEWS
January 18th, 2012
BBC NEWS
A new study suggests that people living along the coast of northern Peru were eating popcorn 1,000 years earlier than previously thought.
Researchers say corncobs found at an ancient site in Peru suggest that the inhabitants used them for making flour and popcorn.
Scientists from Washington's Natural History Museum say the oldest corncobs they found dated from 4700BC.
They are the earliest ever discovered in South America.
Ancient food
The curator of New World archaeology at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, Dolores Piperno, says maize was first domesticated in Mexico nearly 9,000 years ago from a wild grass.
Ms Piperno says that her team's research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that only a few thousand years later maize arrived in South America, where it evolved into different varieties now common in the Andean regions.
Her team discovered the maize in the archaeological sites of Paredones and Huaca Prieta.
"This evidence further indicated that in many areas corn arrived before pots did, and that early experimentation with corn as a food was not dependent on the presence of pottery," Ms Piperno explained.
She says that at the time, though, maize was not yet an important part of their diet.
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"Meet the newly discovered dinosaur that even tyrannosaurs were afraid of" by Lance Tillson November 23rd, 2013 National Monitor Researchers from The Field Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) and North Carolina State University...
- Solar Towers Of Chankillo
"Ancient Solar Observatory Discovered" by Sara Goudarzi March 1st, 2007 Space.Ref The oldest solar observatory in the Americas has been discovered in coastal Peru, archeologists announced today.The 2,300-year-old ceremonial complex featured the Towers...
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An interesting story. I often wondered how many lives were lost before ancient man realized which plants were poisonous, medicinal, and tasty and the same with hunting technology or even sex and communication. "Neanderthals cooked and ate vegetables"...
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Well, it isn't too late. The mistletoe may have to be put away but there is always an occasion for indulging in some fermented and distilled brews...New Year's Eve for example. "Eight ancient drinks uncorked by science" by John Roach msnbc.com...