Evaluating the culinary significance of maize in the Araucanía, Southern Chile: Evidence from organic residue analysis of pre-colonial pottery

Abstract

Maize, one of the primary crops cultivated in South America, has achieved significant interest in regional archaeology. However, the study of maize in regions considered peripheral to major centres of agricultural production, such as Southern Chile, has received minimal attention. Southern Chile is the southernmost point for the dispersal of maize cultivation in the Americas, with archaeological evidence dating back ca. 1000 CE. Despite the manifest presence of maize, our knowledge of its culinary and economic importance for pre-colonial societies from Southern Chile is scarce. In this study, we extracted and analysed organic residues from 188 pottery sherds to explore the potential significance of maize in local foodways over the transition from the Early (ECP: 400–1000 CE) to the Late (LCP: 1000–1550 CE) Ceramic Period. Biomolecular and carbon-stable isotope (δ¹³C) analyses of lipids indicate that maize was not a staple. Instead, our findings suggest that maize had a potentially prominent role in preparing fermented beverages consumed in important socio-political gatherings and feasts.