Italy: The Archaeology of Palaeoshorelines, Coastal Caves and Seafaring Connections

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Molecular and isotopic evidence for the processing of starchy plants in Early Neolithic pottery from China

Organic residue analysis of ancient ceramic vessels enables the investigation of natural resources that were used in daily cooking practices in different part of the world. Despite many methodological advances, the utilization of plants in pottery has been difficult to demonstrate chemically, hindering the study of their role in ancient society, a topic that is especially important to understanding early agricultural practices at the start of the Neolithic period. Here, we present the first lipid residue study on the Chinese Neolithic pottery dated to 5.0 k - 4.7 k cal BC from the Tianluoshan site, Zhejiang province, a key site with early evidence for rice domestication. Through the identification of novel molecular biomarkers and extensive stable isotope analysis, we suggest that the pottery in Tianluoshan were largely used for processing starchy plant foods. These results not only highlight the significance of starchy plants in Neolithic southern China but also show a clear difference with other contemporary sites in northern Eurasia, where pottery is clearly orientated to aquatic resource exploitation. These differences may be linked with the early development of rice agriculture in China compared to its much later adoption in adjacent northerly regions

A guide to ancient protein studies

Palaeoproteomics is an emerging neologism used to describe the application of mass spectrometry-based approaches to the study of ancient proteomes. As with palaeogenomics (the study of ancient DNA), it intersects evolutionary biology, archaeology and anthropology, with applications ranging from the phylogenetic reconstruction of extinct species to the investigation of past human diets and ancient diseases. However, there is no explicit consensus at present regarding standards for data reporting, data validation measures or the use of suitable contamination controls in ancient protein studies. Additionally, in contrast to the ancient DNA community, no consolidated guidelines have been proposed by which researchers, reviewers and editors can evaluate palaeoproteomics data, in part due to the novelty of the field. Here we present a series of precautions and standards for ancient protein research that can be implemented at each stage of analysis, from sample selection to data interpretation. These guidelines are not intended to impose a narrow or rigid list of authentication criteria, but rather to support good practices in the field and to ensure the generation of robust, reproducible results. As the field grows and methodologies change, so too will best practices. It is therefore essential that researchers continue to provide necessary details on how data were generated and authenticated so that the results can be independently and effectively evaluated. We hope that these proposed standards of practice will help to provide a firm foundation for the establishment of palaeoproteomics as a viable and powerful tool for archaeologists, anthropologists and evolutionary biologists

Oxygen and carbon isotopic composition of modern terrestrial gastropod shells from Lipari Island, Aeolian Archipelago (Sicily).

Oxygen (δ18Os) and stable carbon (δ13Cs) isotopic compositions of modern terrestrial gastropod shells from Lipari Island, in the Aeolian Archipelago (Sicily), have been analysed and compared with local meteoric water δ18O (δ18Op) and vegetation δ13C (δ13Cv) respectively. Results reveal that the δ18Os-δ18Op relationship over the study area differs from those obtained on continental Europe and Italian shells, implying that even at the scale of the Mediterranean basin different relationships may co-exist. These differences have been interpreted as the increasing influence of Mediterranean vapour water on Tyrrhenian coasts at relatively low altitude (up to ~600m asl), which compensates for the effect of the δ18Op, and possibly of temperature, on shell δ18O. The steady-state flux balance model (FBM), in agreement with previous studies, suggests that snails are active prevalently at night. Shell carbon isotope ratios reflect the δ13Cv, as predicted by the metabolic model and represent a valuable tool for identifying C3 plants with very distinct isotopic signature

Strutture e sottostrutture del Paleolitico superiore di Grotta del Romito tra funzionalità e simbolismo

This paper presents the results of the multidisciplinary studies on some structures and substructures found during the recent excavations in the Epigravettian layers of Grotta del Romito (Cosenza, Calbria, Southern Italy). In this paper the authors describe the structures (large and little pits, a stone bank), the specimens (tools, faunal remains and stones) found in the same structures and discuss the hypothesis of their functional or symbolic meaning. This paper contributes to the knowledge of the function of the Upper Palaeolithic structures, still little studied in Italy, and exposes the difficulty in understanding and interpreting these findings

Ancient proteins from ceramic vessels at Çatalhöyük West reveal the hidden cuisine of early farmers

The analysis of lipids (fats, oils and waxes) absorbed within archaeological pottery has revolutionized the study of past diets and culinary practices. However, this technique can lack taxonomic and tissue specificity and is often unable to disentangle signatures resulting from the mixing of different food products. Here, we extract ancient proteins from ceramic vessels from the West Mound of the key early farming site of Çatalhöyük in Anatolia, revealing that this community processed mixes of cereals, pulses, dairy and meat products, and that particular vessels may have been reserved for specialized foods (e.g., cow milk and milk whey). Moreover, we demonstrate that dietary proteins can persist on archaeological artefacts for at least 8000 years, and that this approach can reveal past culinary practices with more taxonomic and tissue-specific clarity than has been possible with previous biomolecular techniques

Long-lasting ergot lipids as new biomarkers for assessing the presence of cereals and cereal products in archaeological vessels

International audienceCereals were very important in ancient diets, however evidence from archaeological sites of the vessels used for processing or storing cereals is comparatively rare. Microorganisms , as well as chemical-physical effects can easily degrade cereals during the burial period. This can lead to a complete cereal decay and to serious difficulties in estimating the intensity of use of the cereals by ancient populations. Here, we present a novel biomarker approach entailing the detection of secondary lipid metabolites produced by ergot fungi (genus Claviceps), which are common cereal pests. The aim was to identify the original presence of Gramineae and to indirectly establish if vessels were used for cereal storage/ processing. The fatty acid and TAG-estolide profiles of the remains from more than 30 archaeological vessels were investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and high performance liquid chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-Q-ToF). The detection of lipids derived from ergot in archaeological and historic contexts rests on its complex chemistry, providing a unique and relatively recalcitrant chemical signature for cereals. This research demonstrated that the combination of our innovative biomarker approach along with environmental and archaeological evidence can provide unprecedented insights into the incidence of cereals and related processing activities in ancient societies. Although cereals played a key role in ancient times, e.g. in the Neolithic diet, their botanical and chemical remains are relatively rare at archaeological sites. When cereals are morphologically preserved or even found as charred remains, the analysis of the DNA, phytoliths as well as mass spectrometric analysis of the organic remains can lead to interesting conclusions regarding the artefact functions and cereals diffusion 1-4. Cereals are lignocellu-losic substrates and thus prone to attack by insects, bacteria or other microorganisms , as well as degradation by chemical-physical processes occurring during the burial period 5. Charred cereals are comparatively less prone to microbial degradation, and are thus more easily found at archaeological sites. Some attempts to determine the presence of cereals from the analysis of charred remains have been reported in the literature 6-9. However, understanding the importance of cereals in ancient times remains a difficult and unexplored task. This paper presents an innovative biomarker approach entailing the recognition of the exclusive lipids bio-synthesized by ergot fungi of the genus Claviceps. Claviceps fungi (ergot) are common pests of Gramineae 10 , and they metabolically produce lipids characterized by a complex mixture of more than 70 compounds, consisting of a series of diglycerides, triglycerides and high molecular weight estolides, with ricinoleic acid (12-hydroxy-9-octadecenoic acid) being the most abundant acyl substituent 11. Estolides (Fig. 1) result from secondary acylation reactions, where additional fatty acids are esterified to the hydroxyl moieties of ricinoleic acid