More than 10,000 years ago, indigenous peoples in the southwestern united states transported a wild potato species across long distances, extending its range beyond natural habitats. A new study reveals evidence of this movement through archaeological tools and genetic analysis, suggesting early steps toward domestication. The findings highlight ongoing cultural significance for navajo communities.
In a study published on january 21, 2026, in plos one, researchers led by lisbeth louderback from the university of utah examined ground stone tools from 14 archaeological sites in the four corners region. These sites, dating from several hundred to thousands of years old, showed starch granules from the four corners potato (solanum jamesii) on tools from nine locations. The evidence dates back as far as 10,900 calibrated years before present (cal bp), with most sites near the modern northern edge of the plant's range along the borders of colorado, utah, arizona, and new mexico.
The four corners potato is a small, hardy, and nutritious wild species that naturally grows from southern utah and colorado into northern mexico. Genetic studies of living populations indicate that northern groups originated farther south, supporting the hypothesis that ancient people deliberately carried the plant northward. This transport, combined with repeated use for food, marks key indicators of early domestication processes.
To understand contemporary relevance, the team interviewed 15 navajo (diné) elders, who confirmed the potato's continued use in diets and spiritual practices. Lisbeth louderback stated: "By combining new archaeobotanical data and elder interviews with transport patterns identified by genetic sequencing of the four corners potato, we have defined an anthropogenic range distinct from its natural distribution. This reveals a unique cultural identity developed by ancient transport of this species -- one that continues into the present day."
Cynthia wilson added: "The mobility of indigenous foodways was driven by kinship-based practices across the landscape. Indigenous knowledge holders, especially matrilineal women, held on to these seedlings and stories across generations to sustain ties to ancestral land and foodways."
Funded by the national science foundation (award bcs-1827414) and others, the research underscores how indigenous communities shaped plant distributions and cultural traditions over millennia.