Foraging, farming and village formation in the American Southwest

Antiquity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (370) ◽  
pp. 1092-1095
Author(s):  
Robert W. Preucel
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
American Southwest ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Exchange Relationships ◽  
Mobility Strategies ◽  
Common Process ◽  
Local Integration ◽  
Trade And Exchange ◽  
Local Hunter

Over 30 years ago, Paul Minnis (1985) proposed the distinction between ‘pristine domestication’ and ‘primary crop acquisition’. The former refers to the initial domestication of wild plant resources and is characterised by only a dozen or so places in the world, most notably China, the Near East and Mesoamerica. The latter refers to the local integration of crops that were domesticated elsewhere and is the more common process. The American Southwest, here defined as the U.S. states of Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua, is a classic case of primary crop acquisition. Cultigens, first maize and then squash and beans, originally domesticated in Mesoamerica, were brought north by immigrant groups who joined with local hunter-gatherer communities. The introduction of these cultigens did not initiate major immediate changes in ecological or social relationships, instead the shift to agriculture as the central subsistence practice took millennia. Just why this is the case continues to be hotly debated. The two volumes under review offer new data and valuable syntheses relevant to scholars interested in the interrelationships between the adoption of cultigens, mixed mobility strategies, and trade and exchange relationships.

A Symmetry Analysis of Design Structure: 1,000 Years of Continuity and Change in Puebloan Ceramic Design

2010 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 743-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy K. Washburn ◽  
Donald W. Crowe ◽  
Richard V.N. Ahlstrom
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Structure Design ◽  
American Southwest ◽  
Agricultural Communities ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
15Th Century ◽  
Design Structure ◽  
Settlement Type ◽  
Ceramic Design

This paper postulates that cultural entities with long term structural integrity are characterized by symmetrical relationships between and among the constituent sectors of society. We demonstrate how such social relationships are embedded in the symmetrical arrangements of motifs in geometric design. We test this premise with an analysis of 1000 years of ceramic design from the northern American Southwest, AD 600-1600, with a description of the continuities and changes in the plane pattern symmetries that structure design. Two major points of change in symmetry use at c. AD 900 and AD 1300 correlate with changes in settlement type from pithouses to unit pueblos and from unit pueblos to multi-storied plaza oriented pueblos that accompanied adjustments to changes in environmental conditions. We propose that in the American Southwest the predominant use of bifold symmetry is a structural metaphor for the reciprocal social relationships basic to the organization of small puebloan agricultural communities and that the changes in these symmetries reflect the changing integration of the household into an increasingly complex social system. This interpretation of the meaning of design structure is derived from cosmological principles embedded in 20th century ritual songs of the Hopi, descendents of the prehistoric puebloans, as well as depicted in images in their 15th century kiva wall murals. We present this interpretation of the sequence of pueblo development in the American Southwest in terms of the changing symmetrical nature of the social relationships that integrated the agricultural communities as an example of the insights possible with this new approach to design analysis.

Sustainable use of wild plant species: A research bibliography

Social Change ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 204-221
Author(s):  
Ghazala Shahabuddin
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Nature Protection ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Field Methods

During the last few decades, there has been a growing realisation that biodiversity conservation cannot be successful without the active involvement of the people living close to and dependent on natural ecosystems for their survival and livelihoods. Consequently, there has been a gradual broadening of the global conservation agenda from strict nature protection to include the sustainable use of natural resources, which is now reflected in governmental policy the world over. However, as conservationists strive today towards the harmonisation of people's needs with biodiversity conservation, one of the most elusive, yet critical, goals for them has been the sustainable extraction of plant resources from the wild. Hundreds of plant species continue to be extracted from natural habitats for use as food, medicine, fuel and fodder in households and for commercial sale, both legally and illegally. As a consequence of unmonitored extraction and over-exploitation, many plant species populations are reported to be declining in the wild. In the face of increasing pressure on forest resources, it has become more important than ever before to devise quantitative management policies for sustainable plant use so that both forests and the livelihoods of millions of rural people who are dependent on them, can be sustained. One of the major stumbling blocks for conservationists in developing countries, who are attempting to design and implement sustainable forest management systems, is the lack of information on the state-of-the-art in this field, especially that relating to field methods, data analysis, data recording and monitoring systems. In order to fill this lacuna, a comprehensive bibliography of studies undertaken so far in the science of sustainable use from terrestrial ecosystems is presented here. The scope of this bibliography includes sustainable

scholarly journals Diversity of wild edible plants traditionally used by the Galo tribe of Indian Eastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Padma Raj Gajurel ◽  
Tajum Doni
Keyword(s):  
Relative Frequency ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Wild Edible Plants ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Edible Plants ◽  
Arunachal Pradesh ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Edible Plant

Wild edible plants are found very useful in the fulfilment of food and nutritional requirements. Because of the availibity and cultural preference, the consumption of these plants among the tribes is high. To find out the diversity, utilisation pattern and sociocultural importance of the wild plants, a study was conducted in the state of Arunachal Pradesh selecting the Galo tribe, and accordingly the wild edible plants consumed are documented here. Data were collected through extensive field surveys and interviews with the community in the selected 12 villages in Upper Subansiri and West Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Overall, 125 wild edible plant species under 99 genera and 54 families are reported. These species are consumed mostly as leafy vegetables, fruits, medicine, spices and condiments and as a substitute to food grains. The Urticaceae with ten species is the most utilised family followed by Asteraceae, Moraceae and Lamiaceae with at least five species in each. Herbs with 47 species were found to be the most dominant growth form followed by trees with 44 species. Based on parts used leaves with 66 species were recorded to be the most used plant parts followed by fruits. The highest edibility index of 50 % was reported in Solanum americanum. The analysis of relative frequency of citation revealed that total 78 species exhibits more than 0.50 relative frequency of citation value with highest value in Pouzolzia hirta (0.95). It has been found that the wild plant resources play a vital role in the socio-economic aspects of the Galo tribe.

scholarly journals Edible Leafy Vegetables from West Africa (Guinea-Bissau): Consumption, Trade and Food Potential

Foods ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luís Catarino ◽  
Maria M. Romeiras ◽  
Quintino Bancessi ◽  
Daniel Duarte ◽  
Diana Faria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Nutritional Composition ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Adansonia Digitata ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Guinea Bissau

Wild Edible Plants are common in the diet of rural communities of sub-Saharan Africa. In Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, wild plant resources are widely used in human diet, but very few studies have addressed them. The aim of this study is to reveal: (1) the wild and semi-cultivated leafy vegetables consumed in Guinea-Bissau; and (2) the nutritional composition of those plants traded at the largest country market in Bissau. Our results revealed that 24 native or naturalized species with edible leaves are currently consumed by Guinea-Bissau population. Five of them were found at the market: dried leaves of Adansonia digitata, Bombax costatum and Sesamum radiatum, and fresh leaves and shoots of Amaranthus hybridus and Hibiscus sabdariffa. The analysis of the nutritional properties revealed that leaves contain a significant amount of protein (10.1–21.0 g/100 g, dry basis), high values of macronutrients and micronutrients, as well as of phenolic compounds (13.1–40.3 mg GAE/g) and a considerable antioxidant capacity (DPPH 111.5–681.9 mg Eq Trolox). Although price and availability vary among the leafy vegetables analyzed, these traditional foods appear to be a good dietary component that can contribute to food security in Guinea-Bissau and in other West African countries, as these species are widely distributed in this region.

scholarly journals Wild plant resources for studying molecular mechanisms of drought/strong light stress tolerance

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinya Akashi ◽  
Kazuya Yoshimura ◽  
Yoshihiko Nanasato ◽  
Kentaro Takahara ◽  
Yuri Munekage ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Light Stress ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Strong Light

Island Rhythms: The Web of Social Relationships and Interaction Networks in the Lesser Antillean Archipelago between 400 B.C. and A.D. 1492

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne L. Hofman ◽  
Alistair J. Bright ◽  
Arie Boomert ◽  
Sebastiaan Knippenberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Interaction Networks ◽  
Careful Study ◽  
Exchange Relationships ◽  
Caribbean Islands ◽  
Ceramic Age ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
The Web

The precolonial communities of the Caribbean archipelago were not insular. The discontinuous natural resource distribution, the maritime orientation of the Caribbean Amerindians, and the complexities of regional social interaction ensured that the precolonial Caribbean islandscape was dynamic and highly interconnected. This report explores the socicultural behavior and intercommunity exchange relationships of the inhabitants of the Lesser Antilles. It combines related archaeological case studies encompassing the procurement and exchange of: (1) raw materials and utilitarian goods with a wide spatial and social distribution, (2) goods with high stylistic visibility and presumed social function as markers of identity or status, and (3) prestige goods with profound ceremonial value. The study of these objects reveals overarching social and ideological dimensions to Caribbean life. Data suggest that social relationships manifest themselves at different levels and through distinct rhythms while taking on various material guises during the Ceramic age Amerindian occupation of the Caribbean islands (400 B.C. to A.D. 1492). While there is great potential in unraveling interaction networks through the careful study of distribution patterns, the incorporation of ethnohistoric and ethnographic information is imperative to elucidate the web of social relationships underlying these material manifestations.

scholarly journals Uses of Local Plant Biodiversity among the Tribal Communities of Pangi Valley of District Chamba in Cold Desert Himalaya, India

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawan Kumar Rana ◽  
Puneet Kumar ◽  
Vijay Kumar Singhal ◽  
Jai Chand Rana
Keyword(s):  
Wild Plants ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Fuel Wood ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Cold Desert ◽  
Tribal Communities ◽  
The World ◽  
Local Plant ◽  
Pangi Valley ◽  
First Time

Pangi Valley is the interior most tribal area in Himachal Pradesh of Northwest Himalaya. An ethnobotanical investigation is attempted to highlight the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants being used by the tribes of Pangi Valley. Various localities visited in the valley 2-3 times in a year and ethnobotanical information was collected through interviews with elderly people, women, shepherds, and local vaids during May 2009 to September 2013. This paper documented 67 plant species from 59 genera and 36 families along with their botanical name, local name, family name, habit, medicinal parts used, and traditional usage, including the use of 35 plants with new ethnomedicinal and other use from the study area for the first time. Wild plants represent an important part of their medicinal, dietary, handicraft, fuel wood, veterinary, and fodder components. These tribal inhabitants and migrants depend on the wild plant resources for food, medicines, fuel, fibre, timber, and household articles for their livelihood security. The present study documents and contributes significant ethnobotanical information from the remote high altitude and difficult region of the world, which remains cut off from rest of the world for 6-7 months due to heavy snowfall.

scholarly journals Medical ethnobotany of herbal practitioners in the Turkestan Range, southwestern Kyrgyzstan

2016 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Pawera ◽  
Vladimir Verner ◽  
Celine Termote ◽  
Ishenbay Sodombekov ◽  
Alexander Kandakov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Traditional Knowledge ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Folk Medicine ◽  
Cultural Value ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Plant Resources ◽  
Traditional Use ◽  
Medical Ethnobotany ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study recorded and analyzed traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in the Turkestan Range in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, where ethnobotanical knowledge has been largely under-documented to date. Data was collected through participant observation and both semi-structured and in-depth interviews with 10 herbal specialists. A total of 50 medicinal plant taxa were documented, distributed among 46 genera and 27 botanical families. In folk medicine they are applied in 75 different formulations, which cure 63 human and three animal ailments. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices were calculated to analyze traditional knowledge of the informants and to determine the cultural importance of particular medicinal plants. <em>Ziziphora pamiroalaica</em>, <em>Peganum harmala</em>, and <em>Inula orientalis</em> obtained the highest use value (UV). The best-represented and culturally important families were Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Apiaceae. Gastro-intestinal system disorders was the most prevalent ailment category. Most medicinal plants were gathered from nearby environments, however, species with a higher cultural value occurred at distant rather than nearby collection sites. The findings of this study proved the gap in documentation of traditional knowledge in Kyrgyzstan, indicating that further studies on the traditional use of wild plant resources could bring important insights into ecosystems’ diversity with implications to human ecology and bio-cultural diversity conservation in Central Asia.

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