Maya Sweet Potato: The Secret Superfood of the Ancient World
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In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the overlooked role of the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) in Maya agriculture and cosmology. While maize often steals the spotlight, the sweet potato was a resilient, drought-resistant staple that helped sustain cities like Tikal through climate shocks. They trace its origins from South America to Mesoamerica, discuss its mention in the Dresden Codex as a food of the gods, and examine how its ability to grow on marginal soils may have delayed the Classic Maya collapse. The conversation also touches on modern archaeological experiments replanting ancient Maya sweet potato varieties in the Yucatán. A fresh angle on Maya food systems and resilience.
#Maya #SweetPotato #IpomoeaBatatas #MayaAgriculture #MayaDiet #DresdenCodex #Tikal #Palenque #Yucatán #ClassicMaya #MayaCollapse #Archaeology #Ethnobotany #Paleoethnobotany #MayaCosmology #Superfood #History #FexingoHistory
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