Ancient maize from Chacoan great houses: Where was it grown?

Authors

Larry Benson, U.S. Geological SurveyFollow
Linda Cordell, University of Colorado-Boulder
Kirk Vincent, U.S. Geological Survey
Howard E. Taylor, U.S. Geological SurveyFollow
John Stein, Chaco Protection Sites Program
G. Lang Farmer, University of Colorado
U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Geological Survey

Date of this Version

10-28-2003

Citation

PNAS (100)22 (October 28, 2003)

Abstract

In this article, we compare chemical (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and elemental) analyses of archaeological maize from dated contexts within Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, to potential agricultural sites on the periphery of the San Juan Basin. The oldest maize analyzed from Pueblo Bonito probably was grown in an area located 80 km to the west at the base of the Chuska Mountains. The youngest maize came from the San Juan or Animas river floodplains 90 km to the north. This article demonstrates that maize, a dietary staple of southwestern Native Americans, was transported over considerable distances in pre-Columbian times, a finding fundamental to understanding the organization of pre-Columbian southwestern societies. In addition, this article provides support for the hypothesis that major construction events in Chaco Canyon were made possible because maize was brought in to support extra-local labor forces.