Experimental harvesting of wild peas in Israel: implications for the origins of Near East farming

Previous evaluations of the potential advantage of farming over foraging have been based on experimental harvesting of wild cereals in Near Eastern ecosystems. The highly successful combination of cereals and legumes, “the Near Eastern crops assemblage”, is considered a natural choice due to the complementary nutritional value of the two crop types. Yet, legumes were rarely referred to in models describing early farming and the transition from foraging to farming. Wild legumes differ from wild cereals in several attributes pertaining to domestication, including population density (patchy vs. dense), growth habit (indeterminate vs. determinate), dispersal units (camouflaged seeds vs. awned spikelets), seed dormancy (90–80% vs. 50%), and year to year establishment (erratic vs. regular). We have analyzed the yield potential of three wild pea species (Pisum elatius, P. humile, and P. fulvum) in several ecosystems in Israel. All three pea species have patchy distribution patterns and the yield potential of the wild populations is highly variable. A harvest rate of 0.6–610 grams (calculated per collector) of clean dry grain per hour of harvest time was estimated. Among the three species studied the one adopted for domestication appears to be the least productive. This suggests that the potential productivity of wild peas was not the only or even the major consideration for domestication.     

Quantitative computerized tomography for the diagnosis of osteopenia in prehistoric skeletal remains

In this study, we examine the value of bone density assessed by computed tomography (QCT) of the right tibia in the diagnosis of low bone mass in prehistoric bones. Trabecular bone mass (TBM) was assessed by histomorphometry in undecalcified bone sections of a small part of the proximal epiphysis of the right tibia of 78 prehispanic individuals. Bone density was also assessed in the proximal epiphysis of the right tibia, in an area of cancellous bone immediately adjacent to the wedge which was destined to histomorphometry, with the aid of a Tomoscan 60 TX™ (Philipps Medical System, Eindhoven, The Netherlands) using a phantom of hydroxyapatite included in plastic resin at three known concentrations (50, 100 and 200 mg/cc) and ethanol as fat equivalent. Bone density (as bone hydroxyapatite concentration in milligram per cubic centimeter) was calculated by means of a specific software tool (QCT Bone Mineral Analysis System, Image Analysis, California). We compared bone density assessed with QCT with TBM in these individuals, and also, with the results obtained from a modern control group. We calculated the median TBM of the prehispanic sample and tested the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of QCT in diagnosing TBM values below the median. We later performed the same analyses on 24 more prehispanic individuals. Both QCT (t = 5.61, p < 0.001) and TBM (t = 3.79, p < 0.001) were significantly lower among the prehispanic individuals than among the control ones. QCT showed a significant relationship with TBM (r = 0.41, p < 0.001). QCT values below 100 mg/cc serve to establish a diagnosis of low TBM values with a sensitivity of 82.1% and a specificity of 41%. In the test group sensitivity was 83.3% and specificity, 50%.     

Wild lentil and chickpea harvest in Israel: bearing on the origins of Near Eastern farming

Several small seeded plants were domesticated as grain crops in the Near East and other domestication centers. In this study we investigate the potential of small seeded wild lentils, and chickpea as a food source for hunters-gatherers. The yield potential and the return in terms of grams of seeds per hour of collection time were evaluated in several wild populations in Israel. The yield figures never exceeded 50 g/h, and in most cases were below 20 g/h. These data reaffirm Ladizinsky's claim that wild lentils are unlikely to have been a staple resource for hunter-gatherers prior to plant domestication. The result presented herein may be significant vis-a-vis the role attributed to small seeded (‘inefficient’) plants in the Broad Spectrum hypothesis concerning late Paleolithic, pre-agricultural societies. It may also contribute to a more careful interpretation of plant remains recovered from pre-agricultural sites.     

Stable isotope palaeodietary study of humans and fauna from the multi-period (Iron Age,Viking and Late Medieval) site of Newark Bay,Orkney

We report here on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements of human and faunal bone collagen from the Iron Age, Viking Age, and Late Medieval site of Newark Bay, Orkney, Scotland. We found a wide range of results for humans in both δ¹³C (−15.4‰ to −20.3‰) and δ¹⁵N (8.6‰–15.6‰) values. The enriched carbon and nitrogen values indicate the consumption of significant amounts of marine protein, which is very unusual for post-Mesolithic (e.g. 4000 cal BC) UK and European populations. Also of interest is a statistically significant difference in δ¹³C (t = −2.48, p = 0.011) and δ¹⁵N (t = −2.44, p = 0.011) values, and therefore diets, between adult males and females at this site, with males (δ¹³C = −17.8 ± 1.2‰, δ¹⁵N = 13.2 ± 1.6‰) having, on average, a higher proportion of marine protein than females (δ¹³C = −18.9 ± 1.1‰, δ¹⁵N = 11.8 ± 1.8‰). The weaning age of the sub-adults was difficult to interpret due to the large isotopic variation in the adult females, but nearly all individuals between birth and 1.25 years have elevated δ¹⁵N values indicating that they were breastfed to some extent.     

Ancient Iberian horses: a method to recover DNA from archaeological samples buried under sub-optimal conditions for preservation

Existing methods to extract, amplify, and sequence ancient DNA (aDNA) from horse bone and teeth were optimized to recover DNA from a depositional environment of highly permeable acidic soil. DNA was successfully retrieved using 0.10g of bone powder from horse (Equus sp.) remains dating to 25 K years utilizing the methods optimized for this archaeological material. The genetic analyses were performed in a facility that is dedicated to ancient DNA research (Paleo-DNA Laboratory, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada) and has not been previously used to analyse modern or ancient horse DNA. Research was replicated to obtain reliable sequencing results for six samples from the Iberian Peninsula that were consistent with published sequences of Equus caballus. The archaeological sequence data obtained support hypotheses that promote the significance that the Iberian Peninsula has had to the multi-focal centres of origin for horse domestication and distribution of modern horse breeds. The data presented may provide evidence of the existence of an Iberian refugium for Equus during the last glacial period, 10 K years BP. Further molecular data analyses will enhance the ideas presented by this data and our understanding of horse domestication and phylogeny. The optimization of molecular techniques to successfully obtain DNA using minimally destructive, cosmetically sensitive techniques from archaeological remains endeavours to foster further cooperation between museums and researchers.     

A Study of African Wild Ass Behavior Provides Insights into Conservation Issues, Domestication Processes and Archaeological Interpretation

African wild asses (Equus africanus) were the wild ancestors of the donkey and are now critically endangered. Ethological and middle range research on Somali wild asses (E. a. somaliensis) at the Saint Louis Zoo provides insights into social behavior in captive setting and domestication processes. We observed a group of three young female Somali wild asses to develop an ethogram of social behavior in the first phase of a longer-term study of social, sexual, and maternal/infant behavior. The most unexpected finding was the frequency and extent of aggressive interactions, yet they also displayed a preference for close proximity. As the first quantitative study of the social behavior of wild asses, these results provide insights into domestication processes, suggesting that in captivity African wild asses are behaviorally plastic. These findings regarding the behavior of captive wild asses further the goals of both archaeology and conservation biology.     

Identification of fragmentary bone from the Pacific

We explore bone microstructure for taxonomic identification of archaeological bones too fragmentary to permit secure identification on morphological grounds. Backscattered electron (BSE) imaging is used to observe bone tissue types and the arrangement of vascular canals, and to facilitate quantification of osteonal canal dimensions. Examination of known examples of relevant taxa (humans [n = 8], pigs [n = 4] and dogs [n = 4]) shows significant differences among them. When the results of this examination are applied to a blind test of modern and archaeological specimens (humans [n = 8], pigs [n = 2]), 100% of specimens are identified correctly. The approach is applied to 13 morphologically unidentifiable fragments from Hawai’i and Fiji to evaluate its potential for identifying bone tools and to increase the number of samples available for dietary analysis. Potential applications of the approach for other contexts are discussed.     

Modeling skeletal traits and functions of the upper body: Comparing archaeological and anthropological material

The aim of this study is to look at upper body functional modifications caused by mechanical loading. We look at 4th lumbar vertebra as well as fibrous humeral musculoskeletal stress markers (MSMs). This study uses information provided by magnetic resonance images of living individuals from the University of Oulu Hospital data banks (N = 91), archaeological skeletons from Sweden (N = 54) and England (N = 61), and autopsied skeletal collection of early 20th century Finns in Natural History Museum, University of Helsinki (N = 48). The lumbar vertebrae and MSM are subjected to mechanical loading caused by the upper body weight and loads lifted and/or carried. We hypothesized that the vertebral size reflect body size, habitual mechanical loading and the overall skeletal robusticity as mechanical competence to withstand mechanical loading standardized to body size, which has decreased over millennia. For Helsinki material occupation, age and sex is known and the material was used in Niinimäki (2011). In the study by Niinimäki (2011) MSM were found to be affected by the intensity of muscular action as well as body size and age. This study is reviewed here in light of re-analysis of the data to follow the current anatomical understanding of the entheses as well as viewing MSMs as a part of upper body functional complex. Only fibrous entheses were included in the re-analysis. Furthermore, due to small number of females where activity intensity could be assessed, females were dropped from the re-analysis.     

Calculus,periodontal disease and tooth decay among the prehispanic population from Gran Canaria

In the prehispanic Gran Canaria there are some anthropological differences between the coastal inhabitants who buried their dead mainly in tumuli, and those from the central mountains, mainly buried in caves. Some data, as the prevalence of auricular exostoses, and a different bone Ba/Sr ratio support the view that there were differences in economy and diet between both groups of islanders. Moreover, the proportion of carious teeth was significantly higher among the population buried in caves. In the present study we analysed the prevalence of dental calculus, periodontal disease and antemortem tooth loss in remains of 791 individuals belonging to the anthropological collection of the Museo Canario (Las Palmas). Calculus deposition was very frequent (88.51%), no differences existing between men and women or between those interred in tumuli or in caves. Age at death was the only parameter independently related to calculus deposition by stepwise multivariate analysis. Periodontal disease was observed in 66.78% of the population, significantly more in men (χ² = 4.88, P = 0.027). No differences existed between individuals buried in tumuli and in caves. Antemortem teeth loss was observed in 64.73% of individuals, no differences existing between men and women or between those interred in tumuli or in caves. There was a significant association between calculus and periodontal disease (χ² = 18.07, P < 0.0001). Both caries (χ² = 8.40, P = 0.004) and periodontal disease (χ² = 44.96, P < 0.0001) were associated with tooth decay. However, the proportion of teeth with calculus deposition (in relation to observed teeth) was significantly higher among the population buried in tumuli (Z = 3.18, P = 0.001), although no differences were observed when the proportion of antemortem lost teeth and alveoli with periodontal disease were compared among people buried in tumuli and in caves, but women showed significantly lower proportions of alveoli with periodontal disease and antemortem tooth decay. These data suggest that the population buried in caves had a different dietary pattern to that of those buried in tumuli, since calculus deposition -more frequent in the latter-may be related to the consumption of proteins. The results also point to the existence of differences in diet between men and women.     

New ages for the post-Howiesons Poort,late and final Middle Stone Age at Sibudu,South Africa

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) measurements are reported for single grains of quartz from deposits within Sibudu rock shelter. Such measurements enable rejection of unrepresentative grains and application of the finite mixture and central age models to obtain the most reliable age estimates. Three types of single-grain equivalent dose (D_e) distributions were observed: one sample represented a single dose population, three samples indicated mixing between Iron Age (IA) and Middle Stone Age (MSA) deposits, and 10 samples (in addition to the three mixed samples) showed scattered distributions. The latter type resulted from differences in the beta dose received by individual grains. For these samples, the beta doses were modelled and adjusted accordingly. Ages for the 14 samples collected from MSA deposits post-dating the Howiesons Poort (HP) resulted in three age clusters, which are stratigraphically consistent with the three informally named cultural phases at Sibudu: namely, the post-HP, late MSA and final MSA. Weighted mean ages of 58.5 ± 1.4 ka, 47.7 ± 1.4 ka and 38.6 ± 1.9 ka were calculated for these phases, respectively. The three phases were separated by two occupational hiatuses with durations of 10.8 ± 1.3 ka and 9.1 ± 3.6 ka. We hypothesise that the punctuated presence of humans at Sibudu was determined by large-scale fluctuations in climate during oxygen isotope stage (OIS) 3, which resulted in alternating wet and dry periods. Phases of occupation correspond to wet periods when fresh water was available in the Tongati River, whereas intervals of site abandonment correspond to dry periods when people were forced to migrate in search of a reliable source of fresh water. Where people migrated to, remains unresolved.     

Identifying sword marks on bone: criteria for distinguishing between cut marks made by different classes of bladed weapons

Swords have been one of the major weapons used in violent conflicts for much of human history. Certain archaeological situations, especially those dealing with the recovery and analysis of battle casualties, may raise questions about what type(s) of bladed weapon was used in a particular conflict (e.g., the battle of Kamakura, Japan, AD 1333; the battle of Wisby, Sweden, AD 1361; the battle of Towton, England, AD 1461). Little work has been done, however, on developing criteria to differentiate sword cut marks from other types of cut marks, or to distinguish between marks created by different sword types. To develop such criteria, bovine tibiae (n = 7) were struck using six different types of bladed weapon and the resulting marks (n = 92) were analyzed. Eight traits describing the morphology of the cut mark – such as shape, the presence and unilateral/bilateral state of flaking and feathering, the presence of bone shards, associated breaks, etc. – are defined and related to blade type used. Sword marks were found to be easily distinguishable from knife marks. The variation in marks made by different sword types is significantly correlated with differences in blade weight (p < 0.0001), grip (p < 0.0113), and sharpness (p ≤ 0.0179). The criteria and analyses developed and implemented in this study will be of use to researchers in forensics and osteoarchaeology who want to infer bladed weapon type from marks on bones.     

Measured domestication rates in wild wheats and barley under primitive cultivation,and their archaeological implications

Man's (or, more probably, Woman's) first cereal crops were sown from seed gathered from wild stands, and it was in the course of cultivation that domestication occurred. Experiments in the measurement of domestication rates indicate that in wild-type crops of einkorn, emmer, and barley under primitive systems of husbandry: (a) domestication will occur only if they are harvested when partially or nearly ripe, using specific harvesting methods; (b) exposure to shifting cultivation may sometimes have been required; and (c) under these conditions, the crops could become completely domesticated within 200 years, and perhaps only 20–30 years, without any conscious selection. This paper (a) considers possible delays in the start of domestication due to early crops of wild-type cereals lacking domestic-types mutants; (b) examines the husbandry practices necessary for these mutants to enjoy any selective advantage; (c) considers the state of ripeness at harvest necessary for the crops to respond to these selective pressures; (d) outlines field measurements of the selective intensities arising from analogous husbandry practices applied experimentally to living wild-type crops; (e) summarizes a mathematical model which incorporates the measured selective intensities and other key variables and which describes the rate of increase in domestic-type mutants in early populations of wild-type cereals under specific combinations of primitive husbandry practices; (f) considers why very early cultivators should have used those husbandry methods which, we suggest, led unconsciously to the domestication of wild wheats and barley; and (g) considers whether these events are likely to leave archaeologically recognizable traces.     

Identifying donkey domestication through changes in cross-sectional geometry of long bones

The initial phases of donkey domestication are difficult to identify in the archaeological record due to late and inconsistent changes in morphology and body size in the earliest domestics. Use of donkeys for load carrying and the management of captive herds resulted in a distinctive behavioral shift away from the free-ranging speed and mobility characteristic of wild asses toward slower, more steady pacing. Given the ability of bone to adapt to its mechanical environment, bone remodeling in the limbs of wild asses and donkeys are evaluated using cross-sectional geometry to determine whether weight bearing or locomotor differences between the wild and domestic forms may be used to recognize early domestication. Cross-sectional data were collected on the humeri, radii, metacarpals and metatarsals of eight wild ass and six donkey skeletons. Wild ass forelimbs have greater overall strength and more cylindrical humeral diaphyses, indicating better resistance to a varied locomotor repertoire. These results demonstrate that analyses of shaft geometry can provide information on changes in locomotor behavior during domestication. Our finding that shifts in gait had greater effects on the morphology of early domestic donkeys than did load-carrying places a new emphasis on understanding selection for gait changes in domestication dynamics.     

Osteoarthritis and body mass

Osteoarthritis is the second most common pathology found in anthropological collections. Although a great deal is known about osteoarthritis, it is not yet known whether in skeletal populations there is a correlation between osteoarthritis and body mass. In this study, lower limb and spinal osteoarthritis scores were taken to determine whether body mass and femoral length correlate with osteoarthritis on weight bearing joints. Osteoarthritis was measured using a four-point ordinal scale on a sample of 114 adult prehistoric Californian Amerinds. Body mass was calculated from femoral head breadth; femoral length was measured using standard procedures; and age and sex were determined through standard osteological procedures. Using Spearman correlations, body mass and femoral length did not correlate significantly with any of the osteoarthritis variables. Age correlated significantly with nearly all of the osteoarthritis variables (hip, r = 0.507; knee, r = 0.528; cervical, r = 0.513; thoracic, r = 0.647; lumbar, r = 0.507, P-values < 0.001); and body mass and femoral length correlated with sex (r-values = 0.835 and 0.654, P-values < 0.001). With age and sex controls, body mass negatively correlated with the hip osteoarthritis variable (r = −0.202, P < 0.05), but not with any of the other osteoarthritis variables. Results concur with previous findings in the anthropological literature and highlight complexities of osteoarthritis etiology.     

Stable isotope evidence of human diet at the Nukdo shell midden site,South Korea

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was undertaken on bone collagen extracted from archaeological human (n = 48) and animal (n = 45) skeletons from the Nukdo site, Location I C, South Korea. This shell midden and grave site is dated from the late Mumun (550–300 BC) to early Iron Age (300 BC-1 AD) periods. The herbivorous mammals fell within the range of C₃ consumers, with average values of δ¹³C = −21.0 ± 0.5‰ and δ¹⁵N = 3.6 ± 0.5‰ for deer (n = 16) and δ¹³C = −20.6 ± 0.5‰ and δ¹⁵N = 4.5 ± 2.0‰ for wild boar (n = 17). Humans from this site averaged δ¹³C = −18.3 ± 0.4‰ and δ¹⁵N = 11.2 ± 0.7‰ for adults (n = 15) and δ¹³C = −18.7 ± 0.7‰ and δ¹⁵N = 12.5 ± 1.1‰ for juveniles (n = 33). These δ¹³C values indicate that there was no significant input of C₄ plants in the human diets and this may be associated with the spread of rice agriculture in the Mumun period. Human bone collagen δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values indicate that there was some consumption of marine foods, although the main protein sources were from terrestrial foods. The isotope data demonstrate that the humans at Nukdo had mixed diets that included marine and terrestrial protein, including C₃ plants such as rice. Finally, the isotope results from the juveniles indicate that weaning occurred before the age of 1.5 years in this period.     

关于中国稻作起源证据的讨论与商榷

本文是对傅稻镰等人最近的文章批评中国栽培水稻起源研究缺乏证据、提出长江下游水稻栽培开始于公元前4000年这一观点一文的回应。我们首先考察中国从野生稻采集到水稻栽培过程研究的相关文献．进而从水稻形态学和考古学的角度对早期水稻遗存加以研究。讨论集中在以下三个方面：长江流域最早水稻栽培的时间：长江下游和淮河流域初期栽培水稻的遗存;考古遗存所见水稻粒形态大小变化的意义。我们也考察了傅文用来区分野生水稻和栽培水稻的几个标准：考古纪录中所见的未成熟稻遗存、水稻粒的增大和水稻粒的形态。根据已经发表的资料和我们对水稻的研究,我们认为到全新世早期（距今9000年前后）,南北中国的新石器时代居民就可能已经收获野生稻并开始水稻栽培了。     

Re-evaluating the history of the wheat domestication gene NAM-B1 using historical plant material

The development of agriculture is closely associated with the domestication of wheat, one of the earliest crop species. During domestication key genes underlying traits important to Neolithic agriculture were targeted by selection. One gene believed to be such a domestication gene is NAM-B1, affecting both nutritional quality and yield but with opposite effects. A null mutation, first arisen in emmer wheat, decreases the nutritional quality but delays maturity and increases grain size; previously the ancestral allele was believed lost during the domestication of durum and bread wheat by indirect selection for larger grain. By genotyping 63 historical seed samples originating from the 1862 International Exhibition in London, we found that the ancestral allele was present in two spelt wheat and two bread wheat cultivars widely cultivated at the time. This suggests that fixation of the mutated allele of NAM-B1 in bread wheat, if at all, occurred during modern crop improvement rather than during domestication. We also discuss the value of using archaeological and historical plant material to further the understanding of the development of agriculture.     

Stable isotope analysis of human and animal remains from the Late Upper Palaeolithic site of Balma Guilanyà, southeastern Pre-Pyrenees,Spain

Stable isotope analysis of carbon (¹³C/¹²C) and nitrogen (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) was performed on collagen extracted from three human and five herbivore bone and tooth samples from the Late Upper Palaeolithic site of Balma Guilanyà (Catalonian Pre-Pyrenees, Spain). Contextual and palaeoecological data as well as radiocarbon dates indicate that the studied occupation phase took placed during the Bolling/Allerod interstadial (GI-1a event). The human remains were co-mingled without any anatomical association, corresponding to a minimum number of three individuals, and it was not possible to determine if the three analyzed samples are from one or more individuals. The mean isotope values obtained from the human remains are δ¹³C = −19.8‰ and δ¹⁵N = 6.7‰, while those of the large herbivores (red deer and wild goat) were −19.8‰ and 1.7‰ for δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N respectively. This indicates that the main source of protein in the diet of the Balma Guilanyà human(s) came from terrestrial herbivores. There is no zooarchaeological or isotopic evidence for the consumption of freshwater or marine resources at the site, which lies 80 km from the present Mediterranean coast. The low δ¹⁵N values observed in both human and animal samples correspond to a trend reported by other researchers working in northwestern Europe: a significant δ¹⁵N reduction in collagen from bones datable within 20,000–10,000 BP, followed by a rise to present values in the Early Holocene. This phenomenon, generally attributed to climatic and/or pedological processes, had not been previously observed in the Mediterranean region and, until now, was thought to be restricted to northern Europe.