Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.

The study of plant exploitation and early use of cereals in Africa has seen over the years a great input from charred and desiccated macrobotanical remains. This paper presents the results of one of the few examples in Africa of microbotanical analyses. Three grave contexts of phytolith-rich deposit...

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Main Authors: Marco Madella, Juan José García-Granero, Welmoed A Out, Philippa Ryan, Donatella Usai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4206403?pdf=render
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author Marco Madella
Juan José García-Granero
Welmoed A Out
Philippa Ryan
Donatella Usai
author_facet Marco Madella
Juan José García-Granero
Welmoed A Out
Philippa Ryan
Donatella Usai
author_sort Marco Madella
collection DOAJ
description The study of plant exploitation and early use of cereals in Africa has seen over the years a great input from charred and desiccated macrobotanical remains. This paper presents the results of one of the few examples in Africa of microbotanical analyses. Three grave contexts of phytolith-rich deposits and the dental calculus of 20 individuals were analysed from two Neolithic cemeteries in North and Central Sudan. The radiocarbon-dated phytoliths from the burial samples show the presence of Near East domestic cereals in Northern Sudan at least 7000 years ago. Phytoliths also indicate the exploitation of wild, savannah-adapted millets in Central Sudan between 7500 and 6500 years ago. The calculus samples contained starch grains from wheat/barley, pulses and millets, as well as panicoid phytoliths. This evidence shows that Near East domestic cereals were consumed in Northern Africa at least 500 years earlier than previously thought.
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spelling doaj.art-cd53814c36094cd98f2e5cf211df5b7b2022-12-21T18:40:18ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-01910e11017710.1371/journal.pone.0110177Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.Marco MadellaJuan José García-GraneroWelmoed A OutPhilippa RyanDonatella UsaiThe study of plant exploitation and early use of cereals in Africa has seen over the years a great input from charred and desiccated macrobotanical remains. This paper presents the results of one of the few examples in Africa of microbotanical analyses. Three grave contexts of phytolith-rich deposits and the dental calculus of 20 individuals were analysed from two Neolithic cemeteries in North and Central Sudan. The radiocarbon-dated phytoliths from the burial samples show the presence of Near East domestic cereals in Northern Sudan at least 7000 years ago. Phytoliths also indicate the exploitation of wild, savannah-adapted millets in Central Sudan between 7500 and 6500 years ago. The calculus samples contained starch grains from wheat/barley, pulses and millets, as well as panicoid phytoliths. This evidence shows that Near East domestic cereals were consumed in Northern Africa at least 500 years earlier than previously thought.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4206403?pdf=render
spellingShingle Marco Madella
Juan José García-Granero
Welmoed A Out
Philippa Ryan
Donatella Usai
Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.
PLoS ONE
title Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.
title_full Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.
title_fullStr Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.
title_full_unstemmed Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.
title_short Microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in Africa 7000 years ago.
title_sort microbotanical evidence of domestic cereals in africa 7000 years ago
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4206403?pdf=render
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