College of Social and Behavioral Science
79 Gambel Oak Acorns as a Food Resource in the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, and Southwest
Sophia Dodge; Alexandra Greenwald; and Hayley Kievman
Faculty Mentors: Alexandra Greenwald (Department of Anthropology, University of Utah)
This project seeks to address the understudied presence of Gambel Oak acorns in the archaeological record of the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, and Southwest regions. While ethnographic data and historical records suggest that Native peoples in this area consumed some Gambel Oak acorns, their recognition in archaeological contexts has been limited. This study aims to assess the viability of methodologies for identifying macro-botanical acorn remains, shedding light on their use across different time scales, especially as fallback crops during resource shortages, such as climate shifts. Experimental methods like burning and parching help determine how these food processing methods impact the preservation and identifiability of acorns in the archeological record. Preliminary results indicate that burned acorns remain identifiable and intact up to 400 degrees Celsius at which point they begin to ash. However, these results do not account for other taphonomic processes that burned acorns are subject to during deposition, and post depositional changes. This research holds significance for our understanding of past human responses to climate change and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous food sovereignty, providing valuable insights into sustainable food sources for the future.
Bibliography
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Kievman, H., Burns, G., & Greenwald, A. (2023) Re-evaluating the significance of Gambel Oak acorns (Quercus gambelii) in the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, and Southwest: Evidence from experimental foraging and direct bomb calorimetry
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