Fossil Maize from the Valley of Mexico

Abstract

Within the past decade studies on the origin, antiquity and evolution of maize have received new stimulus from archaeological and palynological discoveries in the southwestern United States and Mexico (Deevey, 1944; Mangelsdorf and Smith, 1949). It now appears well established that a maize culture developed and flourished in the presently semi-arid basins of New Mexico during a period ranging from approximately 3600 B. C. , or earlier (Libby, 1951), to approximately 1000 A.D. The morphologically primitive structure of this prehistoric corn, in contrast to its surprisingly recent geologic age, is strong presumptive evidence, though not necessarily proof, that maize originated in the New World and was here developed from its wild state by aboriginal migrants into the American subtropics. Recently, additional paleontological evidence has been obtained from the Valley of Mexico which indicates a far greater antiquity for the existence of maize in the New World than has yet been revealed by archaeologi-