2: Maize Monoculture on Drained Savannas in Pre-Hispanic Amazonia, 700 BP
- Page ID
- 46505
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- It was long believed that Amazonian cultures did not develop into urban societies because forest coverage and seasonal flooding would have prevented any subsistence agriculture. But new discoveries show that the ancient Casarabe culture (500-1400 CE) had developed both urbanism and a maize monoculture supported by water engineering.
- 2.2: Classroom Activity
- This Classroom Activity analyzes the drainage network of the Casarabe savanna, specifically the hierarchical structure with three canal size orders and non-linear scaling of cross-sectional area with length. It encourages examination of the network's dimensions in relation to natural stream patterns, while underscoring the unique characteristics that distinguish the manmade Casarabe canals from natural systems.
- 2.3: Assignment
- This Assignment includes questions examining the water management infrastructure of the Casarabe culture, focusing on monumental mounts, and farm ponds that enabled multiple maize harvests, as well as scientific techniques for landform investigation and forest land uses.