Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
05:38
Using Ustilago maydis as a Trojan Horse for In Situ Delivery of Maize Proteins
Published on: February 8, 2019
Summary
The discovery of ancient maize in an Ohio burial mound provides the first solid proof of early maize farming by the Adena people. This finding dates back to approximately 280 B.C., shedding light on prehistoric horticulture.
Area of Science:
- Archaeology
- Paleoethnobotany
- North American Prehistory
Background:
- The Adena culture, flourishing in the Ohio River Valley, has been a subject of archaeological interest regarding their subsistence strategies.
- Previous evidence for Adena horticulture was indirect, lacking definitive proof of crop cultivation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the first indisputable evidence of maize (corn) cultivation by the Adena people.
- To establish the timeline and context of early maize horticulture in Ohio.
Main Methods:
- Excavation of an Adena burial mound in Athens, Ohio.
- Identification and analysis of a carbonized maize ear.
- Radiocarbon dating of associated charcoal samples.
Main Results:
- A carbonized ear of maize was discovered in a middle Adena mound.
- The maize ear represents the first concrete evidence of Adena maize horticulture.
- Charcoal from the mound yielded a radiocarbon date of 280 B.C. +/- 140 years.
Conclusions:
- The findings confirm that the Adena people practiced maize horticulture.
- This discovery significantly advances our understanding of Adena subsistence and agricultural practices.
- The dated maize provides a crucial chronological marker for middle Adena culture.
