EAGER:Linking archaeological starch residues with ancient behaviors

此时此刻，人们正在对食用植物中的淀粉粒微化石进行考古植物学研究，并在世界范围内高度多变的考古背景下成功地发现了淀粉遗骸。尽管这种类型的分析被广泛使用，但尚不清楚为什么一些植物组织可能比其他组织更坚韧地附着在石器上，或者是否一些残留物可能会在随后用于不同植物食品的加工过程中从工具表面擦除。该项目由首席科学家琳达·佩里博士与GMU Pi Dr.Luzzader-比奇合作，将通过一系列实验和残留物分析来解决这些问题，这些实验和残留物分析涉及碎石工具的建造和现代植物材料的加工。这些实验将测试考古淀粉残留物的图案是否可以用来解释文物的长期历史，或者我们遇到的残留物是否只是工具最终使用的痕迹。将对沉积在石器上的植物残留物进行分析，这些石器用于完成具有全球范围和意义的基本植物加工技术，包括剥离和切片、研磨和煮沸。这些加工和烹饪技术将单独和连续应用于根、块茎和谷物。然后，现代实验数据将与冰岛两个遗址的考古数据进行比较，以测试这些研究对现实世界考古的适用性。如果淀粉签名实际上可以用加工食品的数量或质量来解释，它们将有助于洞察不同食物在古代饮食中的相对重要性。此外，对不同形态类型的研究？对植物材料，如根、块茎或种子的分析将有助于解释来自具有相似物理特征的植物的淀粉组合。因此，拟议研究产生的数据将被证明有助于构建更完整的考古淀粉组合分析，并通过提供对世界范围内一系列古代残留物模式的行为意义的洞察。

At this juncture in time, archaeobotanical studies of starch grain microfossils from food plants are being undertaken, and starch remains are being successfully recovered in highly variable archaeological contexts worldwide. Despite the widespread use of this type of analysis, it is unknown why some plant tissues may adhere to stone tools with more tenacity than others, or if some residues might be erased from the surfaces of tools by subsequent use in the processing of different plant foods. This project, Lead Scientist Dr. Linda Perry in association with GMU PI Dr. Luzzader-Beach , will address these issues through a series of experiments and residue analyses involving the construction of lithic tools and the processing of modern plant materials was developed. The experiments will test whether or not patterns of archaeological starch residues can be used to interpret the long-term history of an artifact, or if the residues we encounter are simply vestiges of the final use of the tool. Analyses will be completed on the plant residues deposited on lithic artifacts used to complete basic plant processing techniques of global range and significance including peeling and slicing, grinding, and stone boiling. These processing and cooking techniques will be applied to roots, tubers, and grains both singly and in succession. The modern experimental data will then be compared with archaeological data from two Icelandic sites to test the applicability of the studies to real-world archaeology. If starch signatures can, in fact, be interpreted in terms of quantities or qualities of foods processed, they will yield insight into the relative importance of different foods in the ancient diet. Further, the study of different morphological ?types? of plant materials such as roots, tubers, or seeds will assist in the interpretation of starch assemblages derived from plants with similar physical characteristics. Thus, data resulting from the proposed research will prove useful in the construction of more complete analyses of archaeological starch assemblages as well as by providing insight into the behavioral significance of a range of patterns of ancient residues worldwide.