Abstract
WHILE accepting the American origin of maize, the question of its existence in Europe before the days of Columbus has been revived by recent archæological finds in Yoruba territory. Goodwin (ref. 1, 13) states that pots decorated by rolling a maize cob over the wet clay have recently been found at Ife. “As vast numbers of specimens were collected from a pavement of potsherds that provided a clear-cut dating line for certain sites, it became important to note whether or not the maize cob decoration occurred. It did, and it is abundantly clear that this particular paving is subsequent to the introduction of maize.”
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Goodwin, A. J. H., S. Afr. Arch. Bull., 8, No. 29 (1953).
Burton, R. F., “Abeokuta and the Cameroon Mountain” (London 1863).
Moore, E. O. O., “History of Abeokuta” (London, 1916).
Babalola, A., West African Rev., 23, No. 292 (1952).
Burns, A., “A History of Nigeria” (London, 1929).
Talbot, P. A., “Southern Nigeria” (Oxford, 1926).
Meek, C. K., “Tribal Studies in Northern Nigeria” (Oxford, 1931); “A Sudanese Kingdom” (London, 1931).
Monod, T., Teixeira, da Mota and Mauny, T., “Description de la Côte Occidentale d'Afrique par Valentin Fernandez” (Bissau, 1951).
Soares de Sousa, G., “Tratado descriptio do Brazil em 1587” (Rio de Janeiro, 1879).
Jeffreys, M. D. W., Scientia, Juillet–Août (1953).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
JEFFREYS, M. Pre-Columbian Maize in Africa. Nature 172, 965–966 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1038/172965a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/172965a0
- Springer Nature Limited