Fremont Dent Maize on the Northern Colorado Plateau

Abstract

Since prehistoric dent maize was reported in the extreme northern portion of the Colorado Plateau in the 1940s, multiple researchers have suggested that this dent maize, labeled Fremont Dent, represents a prehistoric maize landrace that originated on the northern Colorado Plateau and is a distinct cultural marker of the Fremont tradition. These hypotheses are rejected in light of a clearer understanding of the botanical characteristics that define maize landraces: a prehistoric dent landrace does not exist on the Northern Colorado Plateau. The denting of maize in this region is a phenotypic trait indirectly resulting from human selection of characteristics that created local agronomic benefits; it was not a purposefully selected trait of cultural identity.