EVIDENCE OF MAIZE (ZEAMAYS L.) EXPLOITATION AROUND AN ANCIENT CROSSROAD LINKING DIFFERENT ABORIGINAL AMERICAN CIVILIZATIONS

Abstract

A historic net of pathways referred to as Peabiru was constructed connecting the southern of Brazil with the Peruvian Andes. The path disappeared during the Colombian era but was an important testimony of the Brazilian preColombian epoch. To understand the human migrations during the preColombian around Peabiru we examined the genetic relationship of modern landraces and archaeological maize considering the ADH2 gene.Peabiru sequences were grouped with archaeological Andine specimens suggesting an early exploitation of maize around this historic path, involving preColombian Andian people and Guarany natives, and endorsing the debate regarding the presence preColombian human populations nearby the transition area around BrazilParaguay border.