Ancient starch research / Robin Torrence, Huw Barton, editors.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Torrence, Robin.

Barton, Huw

George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Plant remains (Archaeology).

Starch.

Archaeological geology.

Physical Description:

256 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 29 cm

Place of Publication:

Walnut Creek, Calif. : Left Coast Press, [2006]

Summary:

What role did plant resources have in the evolution of the human species? Why and how have plants been managed and transported to new environments? Where, how, and why were plants domesticated and why do the patterns vary in different parts of the world? What is the relationship between the intensification of food production and the rise of complex societies? Numerous new studies are using starch granules discovered in archaeological contexts to answer these questions and improve our knowledge of past human behavior and environmental variation. Given the substantial body of successful research, the time has clearly come for a comprehensive description of ancient starch research and its potential for archaeologists. This book fills these roles by describing the fundamental principles underlying starch research, guiding researchers through the methodology, reviewing the results of significant case studies, and pointing the way to future avenues for research. The joint product of over two dozen archaeological scientists, Ancient Starch Research aims to bring the important new field of ancient starch analysis to the attention of a wider range of scholars and to provide them with the information needed to embark on their own research.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Starch and Archaeology / Robin Torrence 17

Starch and the Big Questions 18

Historical Background 27

Unique Properties 29

Redressing the Balance 30

A Collaborative Effort 30

Principles, Pathways, and Applications 31

A Bright Future 33

Chapter 2 Biology of Starch / Beth Gott, Huw Barton, Delwen Samuel, Robin Torrence 35

The Production of Starch 35

Location of Starch Storage 36

Underground Storage Organs 37

Above-ground Stems 38

Flower Heads, Seeds, and Fruits 39

Minor Sources 40

Starch Granule Morphology 40

Granule Types 41

Size and Shape 41

Starch Granule Structure 42

Molecular Building Blocks 42

Granule Microstructure 43

Minor Components 43

Starch Granule Characteristics 43

Birefringence 43

Iodine Staining 44

Gelatinisation 44

X-ray Diffraction Patterns 45

Chapter 3 Microscopy / Huw Barton, Richard Fullagar 47

Low Magnification 47

High Magnification 48

Transmitted Light 48

Reflected Light 49

Imaging Techniques 49

Staining 49

Darkfield Light 50

Polarised Light and Birefringence 50

Polarisation Cross 50

Phase Contrast 51

Differential Interference Contrast 51

Scanning Electron Microscopes 52

Chapter 4 Starch Pathways / Wendy Beck, Robin Torrence 53

Defining Pathways 53

Relevant Approaches and Data Sources 54

Ethnobotany, History, and Ethnography 54

Ethnoarchaeology 57

Experimental Studies 57

Biology 57

Multiple Sources of Information 57

Uses for Starchy Plants 61

Starchy Plants as Food 61

Starchy Plants as Material Culture 61

Starchy Plants as Chemicals 61

Potential Pathways 65

From Plant to Soil 65

From Plant to Person to Soil 67

From Plant to Person to Tool to Soil 72

Addressing Research Gaps 73

Diverse Approaches 74

Chapter 5 Taphonomy / Huw Barton, Peter J. Matthews 75

Survival, Form, and Context 75

Starch Preservation 77

Soil Depth and Sediment Compaction 79

Soil Moisture 83

Temperature and pH 83

Protected Settings 83

Protection by Artifacts 84

Particulate Organic Matter 84

Condition of Preserved Starch 85

Physico-chemical Properties 85

Reaction to Chemical Stains 86

Enzymatically Degraded Starch 86

Post-Depositional Movement 88

Artifact Level 88

Single Location 88

Environment at Large 94

Chapter 6 Reference Collections / Judith Field 95

Designing the Reference Collection 95

Archaeological Questions 95

Choice of Taxa 95

Additional Factors 98

Sources of Reference Material 98

Herbaria 98

Seed Banks 98

Established Gardens 102

Markets 102

Field Collections 102

Preparation and Storage 102

Voucher Specimens 107

Preparing Starch Reference Material 108

Estimating Quantity 108

Slide Preparations 108

Preparation of Sections 113

Mounting Media and Refractive Index 113

Database Compilation 113

Chapter 7 Description, Classification, and Identification / Robin Torrence 115

Chemical and Physical Tests 119

Research Design 120

Level 1 Presence/Absence 120

Level 2 Assemblage Variation 124

Level 3 Targeting One or More Species 127

Level 4 Identification of Most Taxa 128

Selection of Optical Attributes 129

Taxonomic Determination 131

Multivariate Approaches 135

Identifying Domestication 136

Chapter 8 Starch in Sediments / Robin Torrence 145

Analysis 145

Sampling 145

Extraction 151

Slide Mounting and Viewing 161

Landscape Studies 163

Activity Areas 170

Coprolites 173

Moving Ahead 173

Chapter 9 Starch on Artifacts / Richard Fullagar 177

Significant Contributions 177

Tool Function 180

Plant Use 185

Field Techniques 189

Laboratory Techniques 191

Cleaning 195

Selection of Extractions 195

Pipette Extractions 196

Peels 198

Interpretation through Experimentation 199

Experiments Stage 1 200

Experiments Stage 2 201

Experiments Stage 3 201

Life Histories of Tools 202

Chapter 10 Modified Starch / Delwen Samuel 205

Preserved Forms of Modified Starch 205

Discrete Desiccated Macroremains 206

Attached Desiccated Residues 206

Charred Residues 207

Additional Sites of Preservation 208

Retrieval, Initial Analysis, and Sampling 208

High Power Light Microscopy 210

Scanning Electron Microscopy 212

Bread 213

Brewing 215

Future Research 216

Chapter 11 Looking Ahead / Huw Barton, Robin Torrence 217

Archaeological Concerns 218

What Is Ancient Starch? 218

Where Can We Find It? 219

Where Else Can We Look? 221

Can We Improve Identifications? 222

Intellectual Pathways 223.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-243) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the George Clapp Vaillant Book Fund.

ISBN:

1598740180

OCLC:

64711145

Publisher Number:

9781598740189