Adam Cordes

De novo domestication is a novel trend in plant genetics, where traits of wild or semi-wild species are changed by the use of modern precision breeding techniques so that they conform to modern cultivation. Out of more than 300,000 wild plant species, only a few were fully domesticated by humans in prehistory. Moreover, out of these few domesticated species, less than 10 species dominate world agricultural production by more than 80% today. Much of this limited diversity of crop exploitation by modern humans was defined early in prehistory at the emergence of sedentary agro-pastoral cultures that limited the number of crops evolving a favorable domestication syndrome. However, modern plant genetics have revealed the roadmaps of genetic changes that led to these domestication traits. Based on such observations, plant scientists are now taking steps towards using modern breeding technologies to explore the potential of de novo domestication of plant species that were neglected in the past. We suggest here that in this process of de novo domestication, the study of Late Paleolithic/Late Archaic and Early Neolithic/Early Formative exploration of wild plants and identification of neglected species can help identify the barriers towards domestication. Modern breeding technologies may then assist us to break these barriers in order to perform de novo domestication to increase the crop species diversity of modern agriculture.

To mandsskeletter fra vikingetiden
kom for alvor i vælten
i 2021, da et stort tværvidenskabeligt
DNA-studie
under Københavns Universitet
afslørede slægtskab
imellem dem. Selvom den
ene mand led den skæbne
at ende i en massegrav nær
engelske Oxford, og den
anden døde gammel slidt af et liv med hårdt
fysisk arbejde og blev gravlagt i det fynske, så
blev de to mænd familiesammenført af nutidens
naturvidenskab efter henved 1.000 år.

This paper presents results from a study of starch granules in charred archaeological grains with the purpose of identifying markers of malting. Starch granules are microstructures from plant organs that can be identified to the level of plant genus based on their shape and size. Starch granules have been extracted from archaeological deposits. However, surprisingly few studies have focused on identifying starch granules preserved in the actual cereal grains. This study included experimental charring of modern cereal grains to investigate whether starch granules survive charring, as well as investigating an assemblage of charred barley grains from Danish archaeological excavations spanning the Early Neolithic (3900 BCE) to the Late Viking Age (1050 CE). We show that starch granule structures can be preserved in charred archaeological grains using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Three different types/phases of starch granule preservation in charred archaeological grains are observed: 1) separate granules, 2) partly plastisized granules and 3) fully plastisized granules. Two grains dated to the Viking Age (800 CE – 1050 CE) and 1st century CE (Roman Iron Age), respectively, had holes on the surface of their starch granule similar to those seen in malted/germinated barley (called amylolytic pores). Both grains were found in circumstances with other indications of malting activity. Another grain dated to 50 BCE (Pre-Roman Iron Age) also contained starch granules with amylolytic pores that marks the beginning of germination. However, this grain was found in a vessel of stored unthreshed grain in a grain storage basement and therefore is more likely to be an outcome of unintended germination. The identification of the germination process – accidental or deliberate – from starch granules in charred cereal grains means that we are now able to identify malting in prehistory from the cereal grains themselves, including naked grains, which has hitherto not been possible on morphological grounds.

Randsborg, K., Merkyte, I., Merkevicius, A., Kulakov, V., Cordes, A., Gregersen, K., Jørkov, M. L. S., Lynnerup, N. & E. Satavicius. 2016. KAUP 2014: ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS & RESEARCH HISTORY, I: Acta Archaeologica, December 2016, Vol.87(1), s. 85-130.

This study has been conducted on the basis of the lithic and organic material from Niverød
Teglværk in the fossil Nivå inlet, northeastern Denmark. The article aims to date the site
based on the recovered flint artefacts together with a stratigraphic analysis.
The article furthermore deals with the spatial features. In an attempt to account for the
activities and various concentrations of the organic material, lithic material and tools, a
spatial analysis of the excavated area will be presented.
The following matters will be discussed:
● Typological dating of the site.
● Blade technology.
● Distribution of organic material, tools and debris from different tool productions.
● Concentrations that represent activities, spatial structures or settlement relations.
● The dating and function of the site.