Fruit and seed biomineralization and its effect on preservation

Mineralised fruits and seeds are frequently found in archaeological sediments but their chemical nature has not been often examined. The nature and the origin of these archaeobotanical remains have to be investigated to understand their taphonomic history. Fruits or seeds can be mineralised not only by replacement mineralisation but also by biomineralisation during the plant life. The mineral components of three fossil fruits sampled on the Pleistocene site of Dmanisi were analysed and compared with their modern analogues. Analyses were carried out by means of an environmental scanning electron microscope, equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray device and by means of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Biogenic carbonates and/or biogenic silica were identified in the fossil and modern fruits of some taxa. Comparison between fossil and modern specimens has shown that molecular reorganisation occurred in carbonate and in biogenic silica during fossilisation, through diagenetic processes. The resulting stable mineral structures confer an exceptional preservation to fruits in sediments. Taking into account these taphonomic specificities (transformation and differential preservation), the chronological and palaeoenvironmental aspects of the mineralised fruits are discussed.     

“Jérémie rejoint Guedalias: deux récits,combien de fabulae?”1

Après le récit de la chute de Jérusalem devant l’armée de Nabuchodonosor, le lecteur du livre de Jérémie découvre aux chapitres 39 et 40 deux récits dans lesquels Nebouzaradân libère Jérémie et lui permet de rejoindre Guedalias; le prophète choisit alors de demeurer au milieu du peuple. La lecture suivie de ces deux récits présente une solution de continuité narrative. Même si cela interdit certaines lectures synchroniques, la remise en cause d’une hypothèse implicite sur la linéarité de la fabula permet de penser l’effet du texte en sa forme finale sur son lecteur. Contrairement aux romans classiques du XIXe siècle, on peut découvrir ici un effet similaire au Verfremdungseffekt du théâtre de Bertolt Brecht.