Cynthia M. Bellacero

PhD candidate, advisor Dr. Mary Pohl; BA (2001) & MA (2004) in Anthropology, East Carolina University

In previous research I focused on subsistence-settlement patterns of the Coastal North Carolina Algonquin population in the Late Woodland, looking at plant remains, animal bone remains, and features such as hearths, storage pits and structures, to interpret regional mobility patterns for the area. In doing this research I became interested in archaeobotanical remains. My research interest here at Florida State University lies in studying the interaction between the concepts of food, social identity, and symbolism in Ancient Mesoamerica through the analysis of archaeobotanical data. My dissertation research focuses on recovering and analyzing the archaeobotanical remains present in soil samples collected from Canton Corralito, an Early Formative Period Olmec colony on the Pacific Coast of Chiapas, Mexico to study the interaction between social identity, symbolism and ancient foodways. While at FSU, I have also attained a certification in Museum Studies. My advisor is Dr. Mary Pohl.