Fruit and seed biomineralization and its effect on preservation |
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Authors: | Erwan Messager Aïcha Badou François Fröhlich Brigitte Deniaux David Lordkipanidze Pierre Voinchet |
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Institution: | 1.Maison de l’Archéologie et de l’Ethnologie,Nanterre cedex,France;2.Département de Préhistoire,Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle,Paris,France;3.Département de Préhistoire,Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle,Paris cedex 05,France;4.Georgian National Museum,Tbilisi,Georgia |
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Abstract: | 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. |
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