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Identification of prehistoric malting and partial grain germination from starch granules in charred barley grains
Journal of Archaeological Science ( IF 2.8 ) Pub Date : 2020-12-10 , DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2020.105297
Adam Cordes , Peter Steen Henriksen , Mette Marie Hald , Lasse Sørensen , Poul Otto Nielsen , Jinchuan Xu , Jørgen Lund , Niels Algreen Møller , Finn Ole Sonne Nielsen , Torben Sarauw , John Simonsen , Lotte Reedtz Sparrevohn , Jørgen Westphal , Andreas Blennow , Kim Henrik Hebelstrup

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.



中文翻译:

从烧焦的大麦谷物中的淀粉颗粒鉴定史前制麦芽和部分谷物发芽

本文介绍了对炭化考古谷物中淀粉颗粒的研究结果,目的是鉴定麦芽标记。淀粉颗粒是来自植物器官的微结构,可以根据它们的形状和大小将其鉴定为植物属的水平。淀粉颗粒已从考古沉积物中提取。但是,令人惊讶的是,很少有研究集中在鉴定保留在实际谷物中的淀粉颗粒。这项研究包括对现代谷物进行炭化实验,以调查淀粉颗粒是否能炭化,以及调查从新石器时代早期(公元前3900年)到维京时代晚期(公元1050年)丹麦考古发掘的炭化大麦粒组合。我们显示,可以使用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)将淀粉颗粒的结构保留在烧焦的考古谷物中。观察到三种不同类型/阶段的淀粉颗粒在烧焦的考古谷物中的保存:1)单独的颗粒,2)部分增塑的颗粒,和3)完全增塑的颗粒。在维京时代(800 CE – 1050 CE)和1世纪CE(罗马铁器时代)的两种谷物的淀粉颗粒表面分别具有类似于麦芽/发芽大麦中所见的孔(称为淀粉分解孔)。发现两种谷物都具有麦芽活动的其他迹象。另一种可追溯到公元前50年(前罗马铁器时代)的谷物还含有带有淀粉分解孔的淀粉颗粒,这标志着发芽的开始。然而,在谷物储存库中储存了未脱粒谷物的容器中发现了这种谷物,因此更有可能是意外发芽的结果。从烧焦的谷物中的淀粉颗粒中发现发芽过程是偶然的还是有意的,这意味着我们现在能够从谷物颗粒本身(包括裸粒)中识别出史前的麦芽,这在形态上是迄今为止不可能的。

更新日期:2020-12-10
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