Morphometric analysis of seeds of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in pre-Hispanic Peru

Abstract

The importance with which ají peppers (Capsicum spp.) were handled by the inhabitants of pre-Hispanic Peru is evidenced by the good preservation of the fruits and seeds of this plant in the archaeological record, and this abundance requires a methodology to determine taxonomy. This study presents the morphometric characteristics of domesticated Capsicum seeds, which can serve as a reference for comparisons with seeds of archaeological origin. A predictive model was developed from descriptive and morphometric data of seeds from five modern Capsicum species using the gradient boosting regression model (GBM) algorithm. The variables with the greatest contributions to prediction in modern and archaeological seeds were seed length, beak height, and hilum length. We found that 22.13% of archaeological seeds from the Huaca Pucllana site (Lima, Peru), associated with the Early Intermediate period (555-650 AD), are similar to modern seeds of C. baccatum L. (yellow ají pepper). This information suggests that the genetic variability of this species was managed at Pucllana, the result of intensified cultivation and cultural consumption preferences. One example is its recurrence in contexts of a ceremonial nature, in which association with other sites could refer to a ‘tradition’ of coastal consumption.

Costa peruana
Archaeobotany; Morphometry; Capsicum ; Peruvian coast