Distinguishing prehistoric cereal grains of Triticum and Secale on the basis of their surface patterns using the scanning electron microscope

As an additional precaution in identifying prehistoric cereal grains of wheats and rye, anatomical investigations have been undertaken on the microscope patterns of the grain surfaces. This technique has been tested on some grains of the wild and cultivated state from four sites in the Near East, dated to between 9000 and 5500 BC.