XVI International Botanical Congess

Distinctive morphological features of archaeological plant remains often constitute the evidence for tending and domestication in the past. Such definitive morphological criteria for distinguishing between the remains of wild and cultivated agave have not yet been identified in the southwestern United States. Nevertheless, archaeological context documents agave cultivation on a remarkable scale among the ancient Hohokam of southern Arizona. This contextual evidence includes specialized field sites associated with harvesting tools and processing facilities. These archaeological elements provide quantified estimates for evaluating and comparing the role of agave cultivation in Hohokam subsistence and economy.