An Archaeology of Milpa Cultures by Keitlyn Alcántara

An Archaeology of Milpa Cultures by Keitlyn Alcántara

Inside the farming traditions that have supported food sovereignty and community resistance in past and present Tlaxcala In this book, Keitlyn Alcántara draws on research from the state of Tlaxcala in Mexico to describe how its people resisted imperial domination and survived centuries of upheaval. Threatened by embargoes from the Aztec Empire and later colonial pressures, the Tlaxcalteca relied on the milpa—a maize-based agricultural system—and on the many wild plants within it that supported change and survival. Alcántara reveals the milpa as a living foodweb and philosophy of interconnection that sustained communities through terrace farming, household gardens, use of wild and domesticated fruit and nut trees, and the stewardship of rivers and wetlands. An Archaeology of Milpa Cultures bridges past and present to show how ancient strategies of interdependence continue to nourish contemporary campesino food sovereignty movements in Tlaxcala, even amid industrial pollution and monocropped landscapes. Incorporating bioarchaeological dietary isotope studies, Indigenous worldviews, and ethnographic research, this book illuminates how food sovereignty became a cornerstone of community resistance. Alcántara demonstrates that the lessons of the milpa inspire new visions for climate resilience, inviting readers to imagine a future rooted in collaboration, diversity, and care for the land.

Keitlyn Alcántara is assistant professor of anthropology at Indiana University Bloomington.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781683406600
ISBN 10	1683406605
Title	An Archaeology of Milpa Cultures
Author	Keitlyn Alcántara
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	University Press of Florida
Year published	2026-08-25
Number of pages	340
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.