Starch analyses reveal multiple functions of quartz "manioc" grater flakes from the orinoco basin, venezuela

summary the general consensus existing among archaeologists that bitter manioc was the key crop in prehispanic agricultural systems in the lowlands of south america is based upon the indirect evidence provided by archaeological ceramic and lithic assemblages rather than the preserved remains of bitter manioc itself. studies of microlithic grater teeth from the site of pozo azul norte-1 in the middle orinoco basin were designed both to recover the starchy remains of bitter manioc and to assess the reliability of the assumption that these artifacts are a dependable archaeological indicator of bitter manioc use. the data indicate that "manioc" artifacts are not necessarily indicative of manioc use by the prehispanic populations of the middle orinoco, and that archaeological data are a more reliable indicator of prehistoric subsistence activities than are modern ethnographic analogues