Análisis de almidones en la cerámica Huapula del sito El Edén 1300–1400 d.C.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the plant resources processed in Huapula pottery (1300-1400 AD) from the El Edén site, Upano valley, to contribute to the understanding of their food practices and subsistence strategies. It is justified by the need to overcome the limitations of the macrobotanical record and obtain direct evidence of this culture's plant economy. For this purpose, 17 ceramic fragments from domestic contexts were processed using ultrasonic bath, separation with sodium polytungstate, and microscopic analysis of the recovered microremains. Sixty-seven starch granules were recovered, identifying eight botanical families and at least nine species, with maize (Zea mays) being the most frequent resource, along with sweet potato, cassava, bean, chili pepper, bijao, and lobster-claw. The results show a diversified diet and plant processing through grinding and cooking. It is concluded that Huapula subsistence was based on a flexible horticultural system, with active landscape management and a central role of maize, reflecting a complex plant economy adapted to the Amazonian forest. Keywords: subsistence, archaeobotany, microremains, Ecuadorian Amazon, plant economy