Maize, better known as corn, is the basis of New World agriculture and thus American civilization. Yet its origins and domestication remains one of the most difficult problems of American archaeology. The late Duccio Bonavia was the assistant director of the National Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Lima, Peru, and the author of 14 books.
In this comprehensive study, he explores the origins of maize, its domestication, distribution, and role in New World cultures. An appendix by Alexander Brobman gives a rather technical description of the genetic evolution of the plant.
The section on the archaeological evidence of maize traces its use by various cultures from Canada to Chile. Balanced and up-to-date, Bonavia offers us the best summary of the latest research on corn agriculture, some of which may be very controversial, including his interpretation of its origins. Everything you want to know about ancient maize is found in this extraordinary study.