Table of Contents -- Contributors -- An Introduction to the Histories of Maize -- Part I: Histories of Maize: Genetic, Morphological, and Microbotanical Evidence -- 1: Differing Approaches and Perceptions in the Study of New and Old World Crops -- Introduction -- Different Emphases in New and Old World Agriculture -- Reasons for the Difference in Emphasis -- Outcomes of the Difference in Emphasis -- Different Perceptions of the Role of Science -- 2: Maize in the Americas -- Purpose and Scope of Review -- Introduction -- Genetic Evidence of Teosinte Domestication -- Genetic Evidence of Population Manipulation -- Archaeological-Macrobotanical-Evidence of Teosinte Domestication and Maize Agriculture -- Pollen Evidence for Use of Zea and Climate Change and Phytoliths Document Neotropical Plant Domestication -- Juxtaposing the Archaeological and Genetic Evidence for Early Maize -- 3: Origin of Polystichy in Maize -- Abstract -- Introduction: The Origin of Maize -- The Maizoid Eve- An Emphatic Restatement -- The Maizoid Eve Concept Is Useful and Should Not Be Rejected -- First for Sugar, Then for Grain: Reflections on Corn Domestication Chronology -- The Cupulate Fruitcase and the Ear Cluster: Adaptive Marvels of Coordinated Sequential Maturation -- The Origin of Polystichy in Maize -- An Abbreviated History -- The "Twisted Cob Hypothesis" of Collins: Its Merits and Follies -- What Happened After Tga 1 Caused the Maizoid Revolution? -- Collins' Figure, With All of Its Faults, Is a Classic Illustration -- The Origin of Polystichy in Maize: The "Second Bifurcation"-A Reappraisal -- The Shank and Its Husks - The Key to Maize Ear Polystichy -- Maize Polystichy-With Its Roots in the Shank to Its Glory in the Ear -- On the Inexcusable Neglect of the Shank and Its Husks -- A Note on Twisting, and the Basic Bilateral Dorsiventrality of Zea.

Edgar Anderson and the Shank-The Story of an Unconsummated Love Affair -- The Condensation in the Maize Shank and Its Husks and Preconceived Notions -- From Teosinte Distichy to Maizoid Polystichy: Or How to Study Husk Phyllotaxy in Nine Easy Steps -- Iltis and His Gigantic Footnote -- S. G. Stephens and the Shank Condensation Theory - Sharp-Eyed, Unsung, Uncited, and Unequivocally Correct -- Postscript -- 4: Dating the Initial Spread of Zea mays -- Introduction -- Temporal Frameworks for Zea Mays' Early Dispersal -- Direct Dating of Maize -- On the Indirect Dating of Maize -- Dating the Early Distribution of Zea Pollen -- Dating the Early Distribution of Maize Phytoliths -- Dating the Early Distribution of Moderate-to-High Stable Carbon Isotope Ratios -- Comparing the Different Lines of Evidence -- Discussion of the Social Implications of Maize's Early Spread: Initial Uses of Maize -- 5: El Riego and Early Maize Agricultural Evolution -- Introduction -- Domestication and Agriculture -- Methods -- Results: Calibrating and Averaging AMS Dates -- Results: Morphological Trends and Rates -- Results: Morphological Trends and Rates -- Results: Stable Isotope Determinations -- Discussion and Summary -- 6: Ancient DNA and the Integration of Archaeological and Genetic Approaches to the Study of Maize Domestication -- Introduction -- Morphological and Molecular Approaches to Documenting the Early History of Maize -- Molecular Level Analysis of Archaeological Maize: A Case Study -- Monitoring for Selection of Preferred Attributes in Ancient Maize -- The Archaeological Maize -- Tb1: Maize Plant Architecture 4400 Years Ago -- Pbf and Su1: The Development of Starch and Protein Properties -- Population Substructure in the Sugary-1 Gene -- The Timing and Sequence of Selection for Key Attributes in Maize: Combining Morphological and Molecular Evidence.

Loss of Natural Seed Dispersal Mechanisms -- Fewer Larger Seed "Packages" -- Loss of Germination Dormancy -- Terminal Seed Clusters and Uniform Ripening -- Improved Starch and Protein Quality -- Future Directions in Ancient DNA Analysis of Crop Plants -- 7: Ancient Maize in the American Southwest -- Introduction -- Archaeological Context -- Chronology -- The Sites -- Analysis of the Maize: Methods and Materials -- Results -- Discussion -- Conclusions -- 8: Environmental Mosaics, Agricultural Diversity, and the Evolutionary Adoption of Maize in the American Southwest -- Introduction -- The Simplistic Paradigm -- Proto-Agriculture -- Diversity in Early Water Management -- Agricultural Niches in an Environmental Mosaic -- Maize Varieties and Crop Complexes -- Conclusion -- 9: Toward a Biologically Based Method of Phytolith Classification -- Introduction -- The Raw Data and Its Presumed Meaning -- Exploring Genetic Versus Nongenetic Variation -- Conclusions -- Part II: Stable Isotope Analysis and Human Diet -- 10: Isotope Analyses and the Histories of Maize -- Isotope Definitions -- History of Isotope Studies -- Sample Preparation and Isotopic Analysis -- Interpretation and Signifcance of Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Data -- Oxygen and Strontium Isotopes -- Isotope Studies in this Volume -- 11: Social Directions in the Isotopic Anthropology of Maize in the Maya Region -- A Brief History of Isotopic Anthropology in Mesoamerica -- Ideology -- Social Structure -- Rise of Social Differentiation -- Socioeconomic Status -- Intraelite Differentiation -- Gender -- Trade -- Identification of the "Other" in Sacrifices -- Conclusion -- 12: Diet in Prehistoric Soconusco -- Introduction -- Sample Selection -- Sample Preparation and Analysis -- Plant Results -- Animal Results -- Human Results -- Conclusions.

13: Early to Terminal Classic Maya Diet in the Northern Lowlands of the Yucatán (Mexico) -- Introduction -- Methods -- Isotopic Studies of the Maya -- Yaxuná -- Chunchucmil -- Discussion and Conclusion -- 14: The Importance of Maize in Initial Period and Early Horizon Peru -- Introduction -- Archaeological Sites Tested -- Pacopampa -- The Manchay Culture Sites of the Lurin Valley -- Mina Perdida -- Tablada de Lurin -- Stable Isotope Analysis -- Result and Discussion -- Pacopampa -- Cardal -- Mina Perdida -- Tablada de Lurin -- Conclusion -- 15: Maize on the Frontier Isotopic and Macrobotanical Data from Central-Western Argentina -- Introduction -- Zea Mays on the Frontier: A South American Case -- The Study Area -- Domesticates: Maize and Other Resources in the Late Holocene -- Isotopic Ecology and Human Diet: 813C and 815N Information -- Late Holocene Human Diet and the Use of Maize -- The Zea Mays Frontier Adoption Model -- Final Remarks -- 16: Dietary Variation and Prehistoric Maize Farming in the Middle Ohio Valley -- Introduction -- Late Woodland and Late Prehistoric Subsistence Records -- Theory and Method -- Theoretical Framework -- Generating Dietary Data -- The Isotope Record of Dietary Change -- Multiple Populations? -- Recent Efforts to Account for Dietary Change -- Geographic Variation in Maize-Based Farming Systems -- Recent Efforts to Account for Geographic Variation in Diet -- Evaluation -- Conclusions -- Future Directions -- 17: A Hard Row to Hoe: Changing Maize Use in the American Bottom and Surrounding Areas -- Introduction -- Models of Maize Adoption in the American Bottom -- Types of Analysis Used -- Paleoethnobotany and Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis -- Pottery Residue Analysis -- Early Emergent Mississippian -- Late Emergent Mississippian -- The Mississippian Lohmann Phase (CAL AD 1050-1100).

Middle Mississippian Phases (CAL AD 1100-1350) -- Stirling Phase (CAL AD 1100-1200) -- Moorehead Phase (CAL AD 1200-1300) -- Discussion -- Conclusions -- 18: Evidence for Early Use of Maize in Peninsular Florida -- Introduction -- The Natural Setting of Pennisular Florida -- Historic Evidence for Plant Foods in Florida -- Stable Isotope Studies in Florida -- Human Skeletal Samples in this Study -- Site Background -- Cross Creek and Melton Mound I (Inland Sites) -- Crystal River (An Estuary Environment) -- Dunwoody, Pillsbury, Bay Pines, Horr's Island, Weeden Island, and Bayshore Homes (Coastal Sites) -- Processing and Analyzing Skeletal Material -- Stable Isotope Results for All Sites -- Cross Creek and Melton Mound I (Inland Sites) -- Crystal River (Estuarine Site) -- Bay Pines, Dunwoody, Pillsbury, Bayshore Homes, Weeden Island, Horr's Island (Coastal Sites) -- Discussion -- Inland Sites -- Crystal River -- Coastal Sites -- Conclusion -- 19: Prehistoric Maize in Southern Ontario Contributions from Stable Isotope Studies -- Introduction -- Previous Studies -- Stable Isotope Analysis of Faunal Remains: Earlier Study and New Data -- Refining Estimates of the Introduction of Maize in Southern Ontario from Human Collagen Samples -- Conclusions -- 20: The Stable and Radio-Isotope Chemistry of Eastern Basketmaker and Pueblo Groups in the Four Corners Region of the American Southwest: Implications for Anasazi Diets, Origins, and Abandonments in Southwestern Colorado -- Introduction -- Overview of Basketmaker II Research -- Site Descriptions -- Talus Village -- Sites 22 and 23 -- Site 22 -- Site 23 -- Unnamed Sites -- Methods -- Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis -- Stable Nitrogen Isotope Analysis -- Laboratory Procedures -- Results -- Discussion -- Talus Village -- Sites 22/23 -- Pueblo II-III Burials -- Radiocarbon Chronology -- Conclusion.

21: The Agricultural Productivity of Chaco Canyon and the Source(s) of Pre-Hispanic Maize Found in Pueblo Bonito.