EAGER:Linking archaeological starch residues with ancient behaviors

在这个时刻，正在进行食用植物淀粉粒微化石的考古植物学研究，淀粉遗骸正在世界各地高度可变的考古环境中成功地恢复。 尽管这种类型的分析被广泛使用，但人们不知道为什么有些植物组织可能比其他组织更坚韧地附着在石器上，或者一些残留物是否可能通过随后在不同植物食品的加工中使用而从工具表面擦除。该项目的首席科学家琳达博士佩里与GMU PI博士Luzzader-Beach联合，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石器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模式是否可以用来解释人工制品的长期历史，或者我们遇到的残留物是否只是工具最终使用的痕迹。 将完成对沉积在石器上的植物残留物的分析，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，包括剥皮和切片、研磨和石煮。 这些加工和烹饪技术将单独和连续地应用于根、块茎和谷物。 然后将现代实验数据与两个冰岛遗址的考古数据进行比较，以测试研究对现实世界考古学的适用性。事实上，如果淀粉特征可以用加工食品的数量或质量来解释，那么它们将有助于了解不同食物在古代饮食中的相对重要性。此外，不同形态的研究？类型？植物材料如根、块茎或种子的淀粉组合将有助于解释来自具有相似物理特性的植物的淀粉组合。因此，从拟议的研究中产生的数据将证明是有用的，在建设更完整的分析考古淀粉组合，以及提供洞察到的行为意义的一系列模式的古代残留物在世界各地。

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.