COMAL · Cuisine(s) of the Ancient Maya across the Lowlands: Reconstructing Plant Diets through Molecular and Imaging Approaches
Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2023-09-01 → 2025-08-31
- EU contribution
- €188,590
- Participants
- 5
- Scheme
- HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Cuisine(s) of the Ancient Maya across the Lowlands: Reconstructing Plant Diets through Molecular and Imaging Approaches
The transformation of plants into foodstuffs can be regarded as a form of cultural expression, and the culinary practices that accompany this transformation have the capacity to serve as indicators of social and cultural identities within the archaeological record. The COMAL project (2023-2025) sought to employ innovative methodologies to ascertain the plants consumed by the ancient Maya, who inhabited present-day Mexico and Guatemala, during the Classic period (AD 250-900) and to determine the methods by which these plants were processed. The objective of this study was to examine the microstructure of remains in order to reconstruct the transformation processes that could potentially lead to the reconstruction of ancient recipes. This approach had never before been attempted on materials from this region. Two sets of data were considered. The first are amorphous carbonized objects (ACOs), macrobotanical remains collected by flotation that may be leftovers from complex, multi-ingredient foods. The second set of data are microremains (i.e., biomolecules), which are expected to be found on the active surfaces of tools (e.g., grinding stones and ceramics) used to prepare and serve food. In both cases, a reference collection of individual plants and more complex foods had to be prepared in a laboratory setting. Different types of imaging and chemoprofiling analyses were then performed. Then, the archaeological samples were tested and compared to the reference collection. These reference collections, specifically the identification of features and markers that remain after carbonization, are invaluable for future analyses. This research highlights the potential of using other lines of evidence to reconstruct ancient diets. This makes it particularly useful for archaeologists working in the Maya region and across the Americas. Furthermore, the data will be important for current Maya populations in Mexico and Guatemala who have maintained their traditions despite the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
COMAL aims at using an analytical approach never applied before on archaeological materials from Central America to bring to light the plants that were consumed and the different ways they were processed by the ancient Maya that inhabited the tropical forests of the Maya Lowlands in what is now Mexico and Guatemala. The investigated periods are the Classic and Terminal Classic periods (AD 250-900). Accordingly, two types of archaeological remains will be considered: amorphous carbonized objects (ACO) and (bio)molecules. ACO’s are visible to the naked eye and are usually investigated with different microscopies, while to characterize the (bio)molecules, a range of spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques will be applied at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice to both archaeological residues and proxies derived from raw (unmodified) modern plants and plants processed under laboratory conditions (experimental archeology). Further analyses by means of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) will be performed during the secondment at the Elettra Synchrotron in Trieste, aiming at revealing the internal structure of ACOs through a non-destructive examination. The applicant, an experienced scholar in both the recovery and identification of macro- and microbotanical remains and starch grains, will enhance her competences by learning cutting-edge techniques seldom employed in the field of archaeology, and in turn bridging the STEM and Humanities, a highly relevant issue at Ca’ Foscari. Likewise, COMAL will increase the knowledge on Maya culinary preferences, including the direct descendants of the ancient Maya living today in Guatemala and Mexico, by bringing information on their dietary heritage and traditions. At a broader level, the project will also shed light on ancient diets. COMAL will expand the applicant’s experience, professional networks, positioning her as a skilled and capable independent scholar.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
Links
- View on CORDIS
- DOI: 10.3030/101106909
- https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e509542ec0&appId=PPGMS
- https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e523f341f8&appId=PPGMS
Data: CORDIS, © European Union