History Maize

guilá naquitz cave in oaxaca, mexico site of domestication of several food crops, including teosinte (an ancestor of maize).



cultivation of maize in illustration 16th c. florentine codex

most historians believe maize domesticated in tehuacan valley of mexico. recent research in 21st century has modified view somewhat; scholars indicate adjacent balsas river valley of south-central mexico center of domestication.

an influential 2002 study matsuoka et al. has demonstrated that, rather multiple independent domestications model, maize arose single domestication in southern mexico 9,000 years ago. study demonstrated oldest surviving maize types of mexican highlands. later, maize spread region on americas along 2 major paths. consistent model based on archaeological record suggesting maize diversified in highlands of mexico before spreading lowlands.

archaeologist dolores piperno has said:

a large corpus of data indicates [maize] dispersed lower central america 7600 bp [5600 bc] , had moved inter-andean valleys of colombia between 7000 , 6000 bp [5000-4000 bc].

since then, earlier dates have been published.

according genetic study embrapa, corn cultivation introduced in south america mexico, in 2 great waves: first, more 6000 years ago, spread through andes. evidence of cultivation in peru has been found dating 6700 years ago. second wave, 2000 years ago, through lowlands of south america.

before domestication, maize plants grew small, 25 millimetres (1 in) long corn cobs, , 1 per plant. in spielvogel s view, many centuries of artificial selection (rather current view maize exploited interplanting teosinte) indigenous people of americas resulted in development of maize plants capable of growing several cobs per plant, several centimetres/inches long each. olmec , maya cultivated maize in numerous varieties throughout mesoamerica; cooked, ground , processed through nixtamalization. believed beginning 2500 bc, crop spread through of americas. research of 21st century has established earlier dates. region developed trade network based on surplus , varieties of maize crops.

maize grown grain crop throughout americas, 361 million metric tons grown in united states in 2014 (production table). approximately 40% of crop—130 million tons—is used corn ethanol. genetically modified maize made 85% of maize planted in united states in 2009.

columbian exchange

after arrival of europeans in 1492, spanish settlers consumed maize , explorers , traders carried europe , introduced other countries. spanish settlers far preferred wheat bread maize, cassava, or potatoes. maize flour not substituted wheat communion bread, since in christian belief wheat undergo transubstantiation , transformed body of christ. spaniards worried eating indigenous foods, did not consider nutritious, weaken , risk turning indians. in view of europeans, food ate, more environment in lived, gave amerindians , spaniards both distinctive physical characteristics , characteristic personalities. despite these worries, spaniards did consume maize. archeological evidence florida sites indicate cultivated well.

maize spread rest of world because of ability grow in diverse climates. cultivated in spain few decades after columbus s voyages , spread italy, west africa , elsewhere. sugar-rich varieties called sweet corn grown human consumption kernels, while field corn varieties used animal feed, various corn-based human food uses (including grinding cornmeal or masa, pressing corn oil, , fermentation , distillation alcoholic beverages bourbon whiskey), , chemical feedstocks.