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New criteria for the molecular identification of cereal grains associated with archaeological artefacts

Colonese, Andre Carlo, Hendy, Jessica, Lucquin, Alexandre, Speller, Camilla F., Collins, Matthew J., Carrer, Francesco, Gubler, Regula, Kühn, Marlu, Fischer, Roman, Craig, Oliver E.·2017·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/s41598-017-06390-xPMC PMC5529501
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Abstract

The domestication and transmission of cereals is one of the most fundamental components of early farming, but direct evidence of their use in early culinary practices and economies has remained frustratingly elusive. Using analysis of a well-preserved Early Bronze Age wooden container from Switzerland, we propose novel criteria for the identification of cereal residues. Using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we identified compounds typically associated with plant products, including a series of phenolic lipids (alkylresorcinols) found only at appreciable concentration in wheat and rye bran. The value of these lipids as cereal grain biomarkers were independently corroborated by the presence of macrobotanical remains embedded in the deposit, and wheat and rye endosperm peptides extracted from residue. These findings demonstrate the utility of a lipid-based biomarker for wheat and rye bran and offer a methodological template for future investigations of wider range of archaeological contexts. Alkylresorcinols provide a new tool for residue analysis which can help explore the spread and exploitation of cereal grains, a fundamental component of the advent and spread of farming.

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  • The presence of the cereal biomarker detection was further supported by the presence of cereal proteins from the same sample.

    “The presence of this “cereal biomarker” detection was further supported by the presence of cereal proteins from the same sample.”

    From Ancient protein analysis in archaeology (2021) · cites this paper as [105]

  • In the analysis of a residue adhering to the interior of a wooden box found in the Swiss Alps, Colonese et al. detected the presence of alkylresorcinols found at appreciable levels in wheat and rye.

    “in the analysis of a residue adhering to the interior of a wooden box found in the Swiss Alps, Colonese et al. (105) detected the presence of alkylresorcinols found at appreciable levels in wheat and rye”

    From Ancient protein analysis in archaeology (2021) · cites this paper as [105]

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Metadata

Authors
Colonese, A. C., Hendy, J., Lucquin, A., Speller, C. F., Collins, M. J., Carrer, F., Gubler, R., Kühn, M., Fischer, R., & Craig, O. E.
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2017-07-26
Volume
7
Issue
1
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/s41598-017-06390-x
PMC
PMC5529501
Cited by
85
References
1
Language
en
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