POLLEN ANALYSIS OF FIVE ADDITIONAL TERRACES AT MACHU PICCHU, PERU

Previous testing on five terraces at Machu Picchu yielded a wide variety of pollen
representing grasses, cloud forest plants, and agricultural crops. Previously, pollen samples were
examined from three depths on five terraces to assess the quality of pollen preservation, provide
a pollen record of plants growing on and near the terraces, and identify the presence of any
agricultural crops (Cummings 2000). That study yielded sufficient pollen preservation and a wide
variety of pollen representing plants growing on the terraces, as well as in areas nearby. Evidence
for agriculture was recovered at all levels, indicating that at some point these terraces were used
to grow maize and a variety of other crops including potatoes at some or several times in the past.
In addition, this sampling design carried the benefit of identifying a depth range for future sampling
to begin examining smaller quantities of time. The middle depth range (5-15 inches) was selected
for analysis this time. The original sampling design was to collect three samples at depths of 0-5
inches, 5-15 inches, and 15-25 inches below the surface. Once a depth range was selected for
future analysis (for instance the 5-15 inch depth range), this depth range would be divided into
three samples, resulting in field sampling at depths of 5-8, 8-11, and 11-14 inches. In this manner,
samples would reflect accumulation of sediments over less time and become more accurate
retrodictors of vegetation and agriculture on the terraces. Five samples from depths of 5-15 inches
below the surface were examined from five additional terrace locations in this study.