Maize phytoliths

Even in well documented archaeological excavations, however, the context and dating of archaeobotanical specimens may be problematic 14), and the identification of small numbers and certain forms of maize phytoliths has also been argued by some to be unreliable 15-16). In any event, even after its initial domestication, there was most likely considerable temporal and spatial variability in the incorporation of maize into existing subsistence patterns, and it is extremely difficult to measure its importance relative to other food resources since there is no way to balance the uneven representation and preservation of botanical and faunal remains in the archaeological record. The consumption of maize can, however, be quantified through stable isotope analysis of human skeletal remains 17-20). 

Holst, Irene, Jorge Enrique Moreno P., and Dolores R. Pipemo. 2007. Identification of teosinte, maize, and Tripsacum in Mesoamerica by using pollen, starch grains, and phytoliths. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104 17608-17613. 

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