ABSTRACT
The San Antonio data comprise the best pollen profile from an archaeological context so far recovered from the Maya area. Used within the limits of the technique, this information promises to yield significant insight into prehistoric Maya wetland cultivation, as well as agricultural practices in the area. Pollen destruction was probably chemical, instead of mechanical, since broken pine grains exhibited a distinctive thinning and pitting of the exine characteristic of oxidation or fungal degradation. Since the upper layers of the San Antonio fields experience a seasonally transgressive water table, the alternate wetting and drying of the sediments may have provided an unsuitable environment for pollen preservation. Archaeological pollen samples have ample time to be exposed to fungal spores during collection, and the looseness with which the samples are packed allows dispersal of spores within the sample bag, further enhancing degradation.
