Palynological investigations during the colonial reducciones at Magdalena de Cao Viejo, Peru

Sarah Ann Williams

This thesis presents data regarding the impacts of the Colonial reducciones, a period of Colonial upheaval and forced migration of Andean native populations during the sixteenth century, on native's use of plants at the site of Magdalena de Cao Viejo, Peru. Palynological data generated from various contexts of the 2008 and 2012 excavations at Magdalena de Cao Viejo are reviewed. Specifically, I employ a human ecological approach to examine the pattern of plant use before and after Spanish conquest, in an effort to shed light on if and how the establishment of the Colonial reducciones changed the way the natives utilized their environment. I provide characterizations of plant taxa found in contexts including adobe bricks (Moche and Colonial era), fills and floors, and a stratigraphic profile. I have tested two specific areas at the site to see if there was a difference in pollen present from the Colonial church and the domestic compound area. A palynological analysis was conducted on thirty-five sediment samples from Magdalena de Cao Viejo. Pollen records are typically used to record fluctuations in pollen taxa and can be used to determine if there was a change in economic plant use. Pollen analysis may shed light on vi human economics, as well as providing insights into anthropogenic and natural changes in environmental conditions on a local and regional scale. The identification of pollen from Magdalena de Cao Viejo has offered a view of plant use, both for consumption and architectural purposes. Twenty-nine non-arboreal and three arboreal taxa were identified, including many economic types. These identifications show similar plant types continued to be utilized during the Spanish Colonial Period. Thus, interpretations of the pollen present at Magdalena de Cao Viejo create a better understanding of how native lifeways changed or did not change under Spanish influence. There has been a dearth of palynological research on Colonial Period archaeology in this region. Therefore, this study provides informative data for the interpretation of the Colonial reducciones.

Palynological investigations during the colonial reducciones at Magdalena de Cao Viejo, Peru

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