the most primitive as well as among some of the more 
advanced tribes. The raw materials chewed for fermented 
beverages have been reported to be mandioca in lowland 
Ecuador (Flornoy, 1945); mandioca and maize in central 
Brazil (Roquette-Pinto, 1938); maize and sweet potatoes 
in coastal Brazil (Métraux and Nimuendajti, 1946); al- 
garroba (Prosopis spp.), tusca (Acacia aroma Gill.) and 
chanar fruits (Gourleia spinosa (Mol.) Skeels) in the 
Chaco of Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina near the Pil- 
comayo River (Métraux, 1946); and maize in the high- 
lands of Peru (Zarate, 18538). 
Malting (soaking grain in water and then allowing it 
to germinate) is another method of introducing diastase. 
Garcilaso de la Vega‘ (1800), José de Acosta (1940), 
Bernabé Cobo (1890-1893) and Hipélito Ruiz (1981) 
briefly mention malting. The early writers did not give 
detailed information on native foods and were generally 
scornful of indigenous customs. They left no complete 
account of chicha-making. It is probable, however, that 
malting is a pre-Columbian development. 
Malting is common in most of Bolivia and Peru, es- 
pecially in the highlands, but it is not common in other 
regions. It is probable that maize and quinoa were first 
domesticated in Bolivia and Peru, and mandioca in east- 
central Brazil. The roots of mandioca could not be 
malted, but they are very well suited to mastication. 
Where seed crops had been cultivated for a long time 
there would have been ample opportunity to develop 
malting and still continue the chewing methods which 
had been found to be adapted to the pods of algarroba 
and similar uncultivated raw materials. 
‘The dates given are those of the editions consulted, and are not 
the dates when written, nor necessarily the dates of the respective 
first editions. The references to Acosta and Cobo were suggested by 
Dr. John Rowe. 
| 85 | 
