A recent study at the Maya site of Cer�n, in El Salvador, has identified well-preserved evidence of a ridged agricultural field where about 600 AD, the inhabitants grew manioc, an important root crop first domesticated in South America by at least 8,000 years ago.
Preserved Structure at Maya Site of Ceren. Photo by daggerquillCer�n is a Maya village in north central El Salvador that was destroyed (and preserved) by the ash fall from a volcanic eruption of the nearby Loma Caldera volcano. Nearly 3 meters of ash fell across the village, preserving much of what village life was like. The people were lucky and were able to walk away, but they left everything behind. One of the rooms reported in 2002 was a fully stocked kitchen, with dinner on the table.
Cer�n was discovered in 1978, and ongoing investigations there have revealed much about everyday life. The most recent research there, reported in the journal Ancient Mesoamerica in 2011, revealed a ridged agricultural field located about 500 feet from the village, where the Cer�n villagers raised manioc.
Sheets P, Dixon C, Guerra M, and Blanford A. 2011. Manioc cultivation at Ceren, El Salvador: Occasional kitchen garden plant or staple crop? Ancient Mesoamerica 22(01):1-11.
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