Which kind of ancient crops were cultivated by prehistoric civilizations in eastern North America? Archaeologist Natalie Mueller pursues this question in her research on “lost crops”

Symposium: Presentation

When thinking about crops that have been domesticated by Native American cilivizations, typically maize, beans, and squashes come to mind. The cultures of prehistoric Northern America have however cultivated a wide range of crops that went extinct over the past centuries. Studying the domestication of these “lost crops” can not only reveal insights into the habits and ways of life of prehistoric civilizations, but also helps to shed light onto the role that animals play in the practice of crop cultivation.