An Asian origin for a 10,000-year-old domesticated plant in the Americas

PNAS ^ | 2005-12-13 | David L. Erickson , Bruce D. Smith , Andrew C. Clarke, Daniel H. Sandweiss, and Noreen Tuross

[Lessismore]

New genetic and archaeological approaches have substantially improved our understanding of the transition to agriculture, a major turning point in human history that began 10,000-5,000 years ago with the independent domestication of plants and animals in eight world regions. In the Americas, however, understanding the initial domestication of New World species has long been complicated by the early presence of an African enigma, the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria). Indigenous to Africa, it reached East Asia by 9,000-8,000 before present (B.P.) and had a broad New World distribution by 8,000 B.P. Here we integrate genetic and archaeological approaches to address a set of long-standing core questions regarding the introduction of the bottle gourd into the Americas. Did it reach the New World directly from Africa or through Asia? Was it transported by humans or ocean currents? Was it wild or domesticated upon arrival? Fruit rind thickness values and accelerator mass spectrometer radiocarbon dating of archaeological specimens indicate that the bottle gourd was present in the Americas as a domesticated plant by 10,000 B.P., placing it among the earliest domesticates in the New World. Ancient DNA sequence analysis of archaeological bottle gourd specimens and comparison with modern Asian and African landraces identify Asia as the source of its introduction. We suggest that the bottle gourd and the dog, two "utility" species, were domesticated long before any food crops or livestock species, and that both were brought to the Americas by Paleoindian populations as they colonized the New World.

[TaxRelief]

What is BP? Do they mean BC?

[Lessismore]

BP is "Before Present".

[KellyAdmirer]

What is BP? Do they mean BC?

BP is Before Present. So 8000-9000 BP is roughly 6000-7000 BC. At least that is better on my eyes than the screwy BCE that some pc scholars have used.

[Abathar]

Its PC talk for "Before Christ", lefties can't handle our calender starting with Christ.

[dsc]

Yes, since this is the year of Our Lord Jesus Christ 2005, he's trying to say circa 7,000 to 6,000 before Christ.

[tallhappy]

it reached East Asia by 9,000-8,000 before present (B.P.)

What present?

A Christmas present?

[Verginius Rufus]

I remember seeing B.P. in museum exhibits long before B.C.E. started to be more widely used by the politically correct crowd.

It doesn't work well when you get down to historic times where more exact dating is possible...if you expressed the date of the battle of Marathon in B.P. terms you'd have to revise the number every year.

[Drammach]

Actually B.P. has a base timeline...

I believe it is 1950 A.D. ( or C.E., or whatever )

[BenLurkin]

B.C. ping

[blam]

"We suggest that the bottle gourd and the dog, two "utility" species, were domesticated long before any food crops or livestock species, and that both were brought to the Americas by Paleoindian populations as they colonized the New World."

Here's the dog:

The Dixie Dingo

[BenLurkin]

Goggie ping.

[SunkenCiv]

Just adding this to the GGG catalog, not sending a general distribution, as we've had a similar topic.

I think Drammach may right about the 1950 baseline for B.P. in RC dating. Rings a bell anyway. Bibby pioneered his method of RC dating about 1950.

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[SunkenCiv]

Ancient Humans Brought Bottle Gourds To The Americas From Asia
Harvard University/Eureka Alert | 12-13-2005 | Steve Brandt
Posted on 12/13/2005 11:12:17 AM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1539683/posts

Genetic Marker Tells Squash Domestication Story
Eureka Alert | 01-07-2002 | Oris Sanjur
Posted on 01/10/2002 5:23:02 AM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/605421/posts

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[GreenHornet]

BP = “Before Political Correctness”