The identification of charred archaeological remains of vegetative parenchymous tissue

The biased way in which some inferences may be drawn from archaeobotanical assemblages, due to problems in identification, is briefly discussed. A potentially important class of plant remains, vegetative parenchymous organs, commonly sources of food, are indicated as being such a class rarely identified from archaeological contexts. Their identification based on characters of the plants' anatomy and morphology together with an understanding of the way in which tissues degrade on preservation by charring is suggested. Characters of the charred tissues that make up vegetative parenchymous organs are described in detail. The processes of sorting and identification are then briefly discussed.     

Advancing the Analysis of Past Human/Plant Relationships: Methodological Improvements of Artefact Pollen Washes

The ‘pollen washes’ technique, based on the analysis of the pollen embedded in the porous surface of archaeological artefacts, is developed for investigating past plant usage and consumption and to characterize the functionality of artefacts related to plant processing, gathering and storage. The research presented results in relevant methodological improvements of this technique, which has never previously been applied on materials from European contexts. The improvements allow: (1) faster analysis of a broad series of artefacts or those with large use‐surface areas likely to retain more pollen; and (2) a more thorough, deeper and precise cleaning method, allowing the study of smoother artefacts. Finally, the recovery of Trifolium‐group pollen from a macro‐lithic tool from Xicotó rock shelter (Montsec ranges, Spain) demonstrates that the pollen washes technique can reveal new insights into both the use and consumption of wild and domestic plants by prehistoric societies, and the functionality of archaeological objects whose interpretation is still problematic.     

Use of vegetative remains in the identification of dyeplants from waterlogged 9th–10th century AD deposits at York

Vegetative remains of four dyeplants (Rubia tinctorum L., Genista tinctoria L., Diphasium complanatum (L.) Rothm. and Isatis tinctoria L.) found in 9th–10th century deposits at York, are described in detail. A fifth species (Reseda luteola L.), so far only found as seeds, is also described.     

The cultivation of perennial rice,an early phase in Southeast Asian agriculture?

Domesticated rice, Oryza sativa L., though a perennial, is nowadays usually cultivated as an annual. This has led a number of commentators to misinterpret the historical record. The older view that rice was domesticated around the Bay of Bengal and in parts of mainland Southeast Asia has been replaced by competing views of earliest domestication in that region and in the Yangzi valley. Botanical considerations point clearly to the retention of perennial characteristics while archaeological and historical evidences point to cultivation with more than a single harvest from an initial planting – the practice of ratooning. Evidence is reviewed briefly for China and more extensively for Southeast Asia. Modern field evidence is used to support the notion that ratooning was probably more widespread in the past and that this practice may represent an early phase in the history of rice agriculture in Southeast Asia as it does in China.     

Moving peoples,changing diets: isotopic differences highlight migration and subsistence changes in the Upper Mun River Valley,Thailand

The dramatic growth of dietary isotope studies in archaeological literature attests to the significant potential this technique has for shedding light on past societies. Human diet reflects complex, inter-linked factors such as status, cultural preferences or environmental constraints on food production. In this study dietary isotope analysis is used to examine the human skeletal remains from Ban Non Wat, northeast Thailand. The study aims to use isotopic data to give insight into patterns of migration and subsistence strategy during prehistory. Ban Non Wat is the most comprehensively excavated site in the Upper Mun River Valley (UMRV), and understanding of prehistoric society in this area is crucial to answering questions of how social complexity arose in the region. Carbon isotope analysis has highlighted migrant individuals invisible to strontium isotope analysis and shown links between unusual burial practice and differences in diet. Results also indicate that diet changed substantially through time, with more reliance on rice in the Bronze Age, correlated with an increase in social differentiation. There is a move away from reliance on rice agriculture in the Iron Age, a time when oxygen isotopes show that environmental conditions were becoming drier, possibly resulting in rice agriculture becoming less viable.     

中华远古稻作始于水稻

通过对水陆稻形态和生理特征的比较观察,对古稻作文物资料、稻作遗址历史年代的比较分析,证明陆稻由水稻演化而来,先人的驯稻皆由水稻开始,并由平原洼地逐渐向山区高原迁移。进一步论证和肯定了丁颖先生关于水稻是基本型,陆稻是变异型的论断。     

Tree Totems and the Tamarind People: Implications of Clan Plant Taboos in Central Flores

ABSTRACT Among the Nage of eastern Indonesia, a sizeable minority of clans maintain totemic attitudes towards trees and other plants whose names they share. Tree totemism is mostly expressed in taboos on burning the wood and using the timber in construction. In addition, there is the idea that all Nage people should not burn wood of the Tamarind (Nage) tree. Comparative evidence and local historical narrative locate the source of phytonymic clan names in an earlier use of such names as toponyms and settlement names. Insofar as this is their origin, Nage plant totemism can thus be understood as a residue of a naming practice relating to places rather than to people, either human ancestors or groups. As the use of ‘Nage’ as the formal name of an inclusive ethnic, socio‐political, and territorial entity is relatively recent, and indeed largely a function of a colonial administration introduced barely a century ago, this case further demonstrates how taboos and totemic relations can develop rapidly in contexts of major social change.     

Plant microfossils in prehistoric archaeological deposits from Yuku rock shelter,Western Highlands,Papua New Guinea

Plant microfossil analysis was carried out on anthropogenic deposits from Yuku rock shelter, possibly occupied from before 14,200 cal. BP to recent times, in the Papua New Guinea Highlands. Elaeocarpus pollen has extremely high percentages throughout. Starch residues of lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta) and one or more, undifferentiated Dioscorea species were identified, suggesting processing of these taxa since first use of the site. The latter include Dioscorea alata, Dioscorea bulbifera, Dioscorea nummularia and Dioscorea pentaphylla. Pollen and phytoliths of banana (Musa) appear 5200 cal. BP. We cannot differentiate between naturally growing and cultivated yams and bananas. Putative truffle (hypogeous Ascomycotina) spores in the deposits suggest foraging of truffles.     

Evaluating chloroplast DNA in prehistoric Texas coprolites: medicinal,dietary, or ambient ancient DNA?

Molecular analysis of coprolites from Hinds Cave, Texas recovered chloroplast DNA sequences. The sequences were interpreted as evidence of diet. We analyzed 19 Hinds Cave coprolites to evaluate the potential sources of the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and compared our results to previous studies. This review shows that some cpDNA sequences could be from well-known prehistoric plants foods. Some other sequences could have come from ambient plant material in the guts of small animals eaten by humans in antiquity. Using pollen concentration analysis, we identify sources of ambient plant material which could have been inhaled or imbibed. It is even possible that cpDNA sequences are from proplastids within ambient pollen grains themselves. However, three sequence types cannot be explained as resulting from only dietary or ambient sources. We suggest instead that these might be from medicinal or hallucinogenic plants. We compared these three sequences to existing sequences in the GenBank. We found that these sequences are 100% matches for Rhamnus, Fouquieria, and Solanum.     

Antifungal activity of some plant extracts and essential oils against fungi-infested organic archaeological artefacts

The determination of the antifungal activities of nine kinds of powdered plant extracts and five essential oils was studied in vitro against four of the most common fungal species (Aspergillus flavus, A. versicolor, Penicillium sp. and P. purpurogenum), which were isolated from different organic materials from archaeological artefacts such as papyrus and linen. The essential oils showed greater efficacy than the powdered plant extracts, where thyme and lemongrass oils were the most potent. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of these oils were determined. Furthermore, their chemical components were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. In vivo, studies were performed using biodeteriorated samples for applying treatment, in which the microbiological test revealed that both oils can eradicate both tested fungi completely after exposure time, ranging from two weeks for papyrus samples to 14 weeks for linen. A scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and colorimeter were used to assess the treatment process, leading to the final results, which suggest that the essential oils could be useful sources of fungicidal preparations for the disinfection of biodeteriorated linen and papyrus artefacts. Nevertheless, further studies are strongly recommended to introduce these sources into practical use in preventive conservation.