Abstract
The genus Capsicum is New World in origin and represents a complex of a wide variety of both wild and domesticated taxa. Peppers or fruits of Capsicum species rarely have been identified in the paleoethnobotanical record in either Meso- or South America. We report here confirmation of Capsicum sp. residues from pottery samples excavated at Chiapa de Corzo in southern Mexico dated from Middle to Late Preclassic periods (400 BCE to 300 CE). Residues from 13 different pottery types were collected and extracted using standard techniques. Presence of Capsicum was confirmed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/MS-MS Analysis. Five pottery types exhibited chemical peaks for Capsicum when compared to the standard (dihydrocapsaicin). No peaks were observed in the remaining eight samples. Results of the chemical extractions provide conclusive evidence for Capsicum use at Chiapas de Corzo during a 700 year period (400 BCE–300 CE). Presence of Capsicum in different types of culinary-associated pottery raises questions how chili pepper could have been used during this early time period. As Pre-Columbian cacao products sometimes were flavored using Capsicum, the same pottery sample set was tested for evidence of cacao using a theobromine marker: these results were negative. As each vessel that tested positive for Capsicum had a culinary use we suggest here the possibility that chili residues from the Chiapas de Corzo pottery samples reflect either paste or beverage preparations for religious, festival, or every day culinary use. Alternatively, some vessels that tested positive merely could have been used to store peppers. Most interesting from an archaeological context was the presence of Capsicum residue obtained from a spouted jar, a pottery type previously thought only to be used for pouring liquids.
Highlights
Upon reaching the New World, Christopher Columbus was one of the first Europeans to encounter the fruits of Capsicum species, calling them ‘‘peppers’’ because they had a spicy hot taste unlike anything else in Europe at the time
Thereafter chili peppers were being added to dishes prepared in Spain and Portugal and their culinary use soon spread across Europe and into Asia
The ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/MS-MS analyses of Chiapa de Corzo samples clearly shows a presence of peak at 5.47 min (Figure 5c) that matches well with the standard dihydrocapsaicin (Figure 5a)
Summary
Upon reaching the New World, Christopher Columbus was one of the first Europeans to encounter the fruits of Capsicum species, calling them ‘‘peppers’’ because they had a spicy hot taste unlike anything else in Europe at the time. Thereafter chili peppers were being added to dishes prepared in Spain and Portugal and their culinary use soon spread across Europe and into Asia. While these peppers likely had significance in the culinary culture of the New World at the time of Columbus’ voyage [1], the occurrence of cultivated chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) in earlier times, especially in Mesoamerica, is limited. Our knowledge of the use of chili peppers among Mesoamerican groups, such as the Maya, Olmec, and Zoque is limited at best In these areas, Capsicum rarely has been identified in the paleoethnobotanical record compared to the presence of other foodstuffs like beans, maize, manioc, and squash. While archaeobotanists and archaeologists today have a much clearer picture of the range of foods used by ancient peoples of Mesoamerica in their daily subsistence and dietary practices, the information on the nature, extent, structure, and timing of chili pepper use or consumption in the archaeological record remains scant
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