Anthropology, Department of
Date of this Version
1991
Abstract
Four coprolites were excavated with Burial 5 at Ventena Cave, a partially mummified five-year-old child. Two coprolites were granular and dark in color and two were fibrous and light in color. The coprolites are remains of the child's intestinal contents and were submitted for dietary and parasitological analysis. No parasites were found. The fibrous coprolites proved to be remains of highly masticated mesquite pods (Prosopis). The granular coprolites consist of seeds of saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). Pollen analysis reveals two dietary pollen types, both derived from cactus. No evidence of cultivated plants except for a trace amount of corn pollen was found.
Spanish abstract: Cuatro coprolitos fueron excavadas con el Enterramiento 5 en Ventana Cave. Un niño de cinco años de edad parciaImente momificado. Dos coprolitos eran granulares y obscuros, los otros dos fibrosos y de color claro. Los coprolitos son restos del contenido intestinal del niño y fueron sometidos a análisis parasitológico y de dieta. No se encontró parasito alguno. Los coprolitos fibrosos demostraron ser restos de vainas de mezquite (Prosopis) sumamente masticadas. Los coprolitos granulares consisten en semillas del cacto saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). El análisis polínico revela dos tipos de polen en la dieta, ambos derivados de cactos. No se encontraron evidencias de plantas cultivadas, con excepción de una mínima cantidad de polen de maíz.
Comments
Published in KIVA (1991) 56(3): 319-325. Copyright 1991, Rowman & Littlefield. Used by permission.