Publications
Archaeological findings show the extent of primitive characteristics of maize in South America
Archaeological research at the Peruaçu River Canyon has uncovered maize samples with primitive morphological characteristics that challenge previous understandings of maize domestication and spread in South America. These findings represent the earliest and most distant records from Mexico's center of origin, dating between 1010 and 570 years before present, and demonstrate an unexpected longevity of primitive traits in the region. The study integrates archaeological samples, native races, and teosinte (maize's wild ancestor) to provide evidence for a prolonged history of maize diversification in lowland South America, suggesting that maize arrived partially domesticated but retained primitive features longer than previously thought.
Rising water flow as a factor of organic material importation into caves
Research at Carlúcio Cave, situated in the Peruaçu River Canyon within Brazil's semiarid Minas Gerais region, reveals that episodic rises in river water levels—triggered by natural barriers—facilitate the transport and accumulation of organic material into caves. The study identified at least four Holocene flood events responsible for depositing 1,399 mollusk shells (70% Drymaeus sp.), bones, plant remains, charcoals, a palm fruit, and a corncob in the cave. Using carbon-14 and uranium-series dating, along with taphonomic analysis, scientists established the deposit's chronology and demonstrated that material was carried upward by flooding waters before being retained as water levels receded. This mechanism challenges traditional assumptions about cave sediment deposition and sheds light on fluvial geomorphological processes in arid environments.
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