Resumen

BRUNO, Maria C. DOMESTICATED OR WILD? RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF CHENOPODIUM SEEDS FROM CHIRIPA, BOLIVIA (1500 B.C.- 100 B.C.). Textos Antropológicos [online]. 2005, vol.15, n.2, pp. 39-50. ISSN 1025-3181.

In thispaper, the authorpresents the results ofa morphological study ofcarbonized Chenopodium seeds found in excavations at Chiripa - Bolivia, conducted by the Taraco Archaeological Project (TAP). Previous studies show - through the use of scanning electron microscopy - that it is possible to distinguish domesticated Chenodopium seeds from wild Chenopodium by characteristics of the seed coat or testa, particularly its thickness. Through the application of this methodology on Chenopodium seeds from Chiripa, it is found that the people of Chiripa began to cultivate domesticated Chenopodium (Chenopodium quinoa) around 1500 B.C