Overview
Marcos Ramos Valdés is a doctoral student in archaeological anthropology. Marcos came to Cornell after acquiring his B.A. with a double major in Anthropology and Political Science and his M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Florida. In addition, Marcos received a certificate in Tropical Conservation and Development from the same institution. Marcos hails from the magnificent metropolis of La Habana, Cuba, and as a Cuban, Marcos is intimately interested in the culture and history of Latin America and its people.
As a Latinamericanist paleoethnobotanist, Marcos is interested in the material culture of Mesoamerican contexts during pre-Columbian times. Marcos wishes to understand the complex interconnection between plant utilization and indigenous cultural practices that have historically been present in the region. More specifically, Marcos aims to highlight the role that medicinal and religious plants played in developing the complex societies of Mesoamerica – plants that continue to be utilized by both mestizo and descendants communities today.