Paleoethnobotanical Analysis of Elite Households At Aventura
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Abstract
By Cameron Syner, Biological Sciences
Advisor: David Lentz
Presentation ID: 168
Abstarct: The archaeological site of Aventura, found in Belize, is home to remains of a Maya city, of which archaeologists and researchers have collected samples for study regarding various aspects of the Mayan way of life. This community flourished during the Late Classic period (600-900 CE), inhabiting a unique ecological region that led to their success, unlike other Mayan sites. One large component of the lifestyle in Aventura was the use of plant materials, whether it be in consumption as food, use in construction, or burning as firewood. Charcoal deposits can be found at this site with reasonable integrity due to the carbonization it experienced during burning. Samples collected from an elite household were analyzed and sorted into groups based on common characteristics. These samples were imaged using a scanning electron microscope, analyzed, and identified based on specific characteristics seen in the wood. Identification of these species allows us to have a better understanding of how people lived in Maya civilizations and can give insight into how they used and shaped the environment around them.