Early Maya Planted Cassava Plant

It looks like one of those science days.

Also ScienceDaily, a new dig in El Salvador by a University of Colorado team has discovered evidence of the cultivation of the cassava or manioc plant by early Mayan farmers. Covered by volcanic ash from a 600 AD eruption, the field was literally planted just hours before the volcano buried the field in ash. The Maya have long been known to cultivate corn and beans, but evidence of other plants has been sketchy. The village, known today as Ceren, was discovered in 1978.

"Archaeologists had suspected ancient Mayans had cultivated and consumed manioc for its high-energy value, he said. Also known as cassava, manioc provides one of the highest yields of food energy per acre per day of any cultivated crop in the world."

This find helps to explain how the Maya developed and supported the high population densities found in many of their major urban centers. The manioc bushes were cut down and the tubers harvested, then the stalks were replanted horizontally with a growth node pointing upward to restart a new bush. The ash left a sizable number of well preserved organic rremains, giving an excellent view of early Maya life.