KATHERINE L. CHIOU, PhD

 Department of Anthropology, University of Alabama

Chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) are one of the extremely rich and varied crop genetic resources of the Americas. The independent domestication of five chili pepper species across the Neotropics beginning around 10,000 BP was an intricate co-evolutionary process between these piquant plants and humans. As the predominant spice in pre-Columbian cuisines, an important medicinal ingredient in Indigenous pharmacopoeias, and a frequent participant in ancient rituals, prehispanic remains of chili pepper have been recovered from archaeological sites throughout North, Central, and South America. Beginning in 1492 CE, while demographic collapse, forced relocation, and changes in land tenure disrupted existing agricultural practices in the New World, chilies traveled to Europe, Africa, and Asia via the Columbian Exchange, revolutionizing cuisines and impacting chili pepper genetic diversity in ways that we are only beginning to comprehend.

In this talk, I present an overview of my research on peppers, demonstrating the potential contributions of archaeobotanical and other lines of data to broader discussions on plant domestication and agrobiodiversity. Pulling from archaeological case studies, I address the complexities surrounding the question of origins and change over time, highlighting stories of resilience and ingenuity in peoples’ enduring romance with this much beloved plant.