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Identification of Benincasa hispida (wax gourd) from the Kana archaeological site, Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea
Author(s) -
Matthews Peter J.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
archaeology in oceania
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1834-4453
pISSN - 0728-4896
DOI - 10.1002/j.1834-4453.2003.tb00544.x
Subject(s) - lagenaria , new guinea , gourd , bottle gourd , kana , archaeology , geography , botany , biology , ethnology , history , horticulture , linguistics , philosophy , kanji , chinese characters
Rind and seeds of a gourd discovered at the Kana site in Papua New Guinea are identified as remains of Benincasa hispida . The origins and dispersal of this species are discussed, with reference to the bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria , another cucurbit that is widespread in Asia and the Pacific. The possible domestic status of B. hispida at the Kana site is discussed.