The study, published in Nature, details how the Casarabe people of Bolivia's Llanos de Moxos, who inhabited the area between 500 and 1400 A.D., engineered an intricate agricultural system. Their innovation included an expansive network of drainage canals and farm ponds, transforming the flooded tropical savannahs into productive fields. This innovation facilitated the growth of maize, which became a key crop in the region and spurred the region's version of the "Neolithic Revolution" - a shift toward grain-based economies.
The region, characterized by alternating intense rainy and dry seasons, posed significant agricultural challenges. However, the Casarabe people overcame these obstacles by constructing drainage canals that drained excess water during the wet season. In addition, they built clusters of farm ponds to act as reservoirs, enabling irrigation during dry periods and ensuring that maize cultivation could continue year-round.
"This dual water management system allowed for at least two harvests of maize per year," explains Umberto Lombardo, the environmental archaeologist at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) who led the research. "This intensive agricultural strategy indicates that maize was not only cultivated but was likely the staple crop of the Casarabe culture."
Rather than relying on slash-and-burn techniques to clear fields, the Casarabe people preserved nearby forests for other resources, such as firewood and medicinal plants. Their system made efficient use of water and soil, promoting sustainable agricultural practices in an environment often considered inhospitable for large-scale farming.
The discovery was made possible by the team's fieldwork, which incorporated microbotanical analysis, remote sensing, and environmental archaeology. The team analyzed 178 phytoliths (microscopic plant fossils) and pollen samples from a farm pond to confirm maize cultivation and its importance to the diet of the Casarabe people. "The data shows the absence of other types of crops," Lombardo adds.
"This is the first grain-based agricultural economy documented in the Amazon," says Lombardo. "Until now, it was believed that agriculture in this region was based on agroforestry polyculture. We now know this was not the case in Llanos de Moxos." Lombardo emphasizes that this innovative system enabled the transformation of a challenging environment into a thriving agricultural landscape, supporting both food stability and a growing population.
The research provides not only new insights into the agricultural practices of pre-Columbian societies but also offers valuable lessons for modern agricultural sustainability. The Casarabe people's ability to create long-lasting, sustainable agricultural solutions in an unpredictable environment underscores their ingenuity and adaptability.
Research Report:Maize monoculture supported pre-Columbian urbanism in southwestern Amazonia
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