| Maize was domesticated in Mesoamerica about six thousand years ago, and the earliest evidence for it in the Eastern Woodlands of North America dates to between 170 and 0 B.C. Previous stable carbon isotope studies documented an increase in maize consumption in the Great Lakes area and the central Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland, and Black Warrior river valleys at around A.D. 1000. This dissertation uses two approaches to better understand the adoption of maize in the Eastern Woodlands. The first uses stable isotope analysis to determine differences in maize consumption between individuals from the Late Woodland Albee phase (A.D. 800-1300) at the Albee, Bucci, and Shepherd sites in western-central Indiana, and from the Riviere au Vase phase (A.D. 750-1000) at the Danbury and Riviere au Vase sites in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. No differences related to age or sex were detected. At the Riviere au Vase site, no consistent differences in maize consumption were detected between individuals with different mortuary treatments. Comparison of stable carbon isotope ratios with the temporal component in the Albee phase sites, and with corresponding radiocarbon dates from the Danbury site suggests that variation in maize consumption in the Late Woodland period is largely due to temporal differences.;The second approach involves an examination of material culture and the context of charred maize from Middle Woodland archaeological sites to determine if symbolic elements from Mesoamerica were transferred to the Eastern Woodlands along with the plant. Changes in material culture from the Middle Woodland period suggest that maize was adopted together with other cultural elements from Mesoamerica. These included a culturally constructed worldview of a four-corned world with three levels---the underworld, the earth, and the upperworld. The underworld, a watery place, with caves, was inhabited by creatures associated with water, including serpents. The upperworld was associated with birds. These elements are found in association with maize on objects from many cultures in Mesoamerica. Quadripartite designs with birds appear on objects from both Adena and Hopewell sites in the Eastern Woodlands. Serpents also appear on Hopewell artifacts. |
