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Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence Of Ancient Maya Agriculture At Tikal, Guatemala, Richard Lee Burnett
Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence Of Ancient Maya Agriculture At Tikal, Guatemala, Richard Lee Burnett
Theses and Dissertations
Stable carbon isotope analyses of the humin fraction of the soil organic matter were conducted on more than 160 soil profiles from Tikal, Guatemala. The profiles were collected from near areas associated with the earthworks of Tikal; an ancient ditch and parapet construction hypothesized to have formed ancient boundaries of the polity. In addition to the isotope analyses, the physical and chemical characteristics of the horizons were determined. Maize, a C4 plant, formed an integral part of the ancient Maya diet and is the only known C4 plant cultivated by the Maya. Prior to and subsequent to the ancient Maya …