Abstract

SUAREZ, Diego; DEL PUERTO, Laura  and  INDA, Hugo. Biometric and expedrimental studies of Butia odorata and Syagrus romanzoffiana nuts: implications for the archaeological record. Rev. Mus. Antropol. [online]. 2020, vol.13, n.2, pp.45-56. ISSN 1852-060X.  http://dx.doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31048/1852.4826.v13.n2.28034.

Abstract The presence of native Arecaceae charred nuts has been widely reported in archaeological sites from eastern Uruguay. In such contexts, the recovery of these remains together with stone tools aimed at the obtention of the inner pulp (nutcrackers, locally known as “rompecoquitos” or “piedras con hoyuelos”) were interpreted as evidences of palm nuts processing by prehistoric inhabitants of the region. Native palm nuts, particularly from Butia, have been referred as a key subsistence resource for mound builders societies that occupied the area since middle Holocene. Nevertheless, the taxonomic attribution was not supported by any specific study on the matter. In this work we addressed the biometric chracteristics of the fruits of both native Arecaceae species, including seeds and endocarps. Experimental studies were also performed considering the mechanical fracture and flotation of natural and charred remains. Results showed that both palms exhibited distinctive eccentricity values as well as differential flotation and mechanical properties of endocarps and distinctive endocarp and seed mass values. These findings highlighted that palm nut remains from archaeological contexts can be identified with a high degree of confidence.

Keywords : Arecaceae; Carpology; Biometrics; Mounds; Paleoethnobotany.

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