Re: Hn dental calculus included starches & phytoliths
- From: Marc Verhaegen <m_verhaegen@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 17:38:10 +0200
Henry and Piperno 2008 PA Society abstracts
Plants in Neanderthal Diet:
Plant Microfossil Evidence From the Dental Calculus of Shanidar III
... Plant microfossils such as starches and
phytoliths can be recovered from from a variety of archaeological contexts,
and are identifiable to plant family, genus and even species. A few previous
studies of plant microfossils from Neanderthal sites in the Near East have
suggested that they may have used plants extensively, and may have even
consumed grains (Albert et al.1999, 2000; Henry et al.1996, Madella et
Rice ("water grass") is still the most important food of humans.
al.2002). However, these studies examined only microfossils trapped in
soils, which may be subject to contamination, or may not represent dietary
use of the plants. Using methods described at last yearʹs Paleoanthropology
Society Meetings (Henry, Piperno & Brooks 2007), we have examined plant
microfossils trapped in the dental calculus of Shanidar III, a Neanderthal
fossil dating to c 35 kya from Shanidar Cave, Iraq. Abundant plant
material was found on these teeth, including both starches and phytoliths.
Preliminary identification of the starches suggest this individual was
consuming grass seeds. This is the first direct evidence of dietary use of
plants by Neanderthals, and the discovery of starch grains from grasses
indicates these staples of modern human diet were consumed well before the
origins of agriculture.
Excellent abstract.
Excellent studies, yes, confirming the traces of cattails on Hn tools, the
taurodonty of Hn teeth, etc.
I have always thought that the beginnings of
domestication precedes the Agriculture revolution by a long way. This
would suggest that eating grasses precedes the Hn/hss split some 600 kya.
Yes, and possibly already much earlier: "Students of fossil hominid teeth
agree that broad molars with thick enamel and rounded cusps, while
unsuitable for the regular processing of tough foods like leaves or meat,
are suitable for the processing of hard food items. Papyrus and reed were
abundant in the paleo-environment of the later australopithecines (e.g.
Olduvai, Chesowanja, Kromdraai), and Cyperaceae and Gramineae are part of
the diet of living African hominoid species. Gorillas eat sedges and bamboo
shoots and stalks, all African hominids eat cane, chimpanzees and humans eat
water lilies, and rice and other cereals are staple food for humans.
Supplementing their diet with harder parts of plants possibly helped the
robusts to bridge the dry season, when fruits and soft vegetables were
scarcer."
Actually, it is only logical to think that, because an ability/
cultural adaptation must have it's beginning long before it is in
common use.
Combined with cave paintings in the 20-40 kya era, can we now assume
that humans were attempting to domestic a variety of plants and
animals before common use explodes in about 5-10 kya? (It is known
that most of the meat-evidence associated with cave paintings is from
reindeer; the art itself is of a lot of different animals.)
regards calder
Yes, cave art had illustrations of, eg, suids, cervids bovid, hare, marmot,
equids, rhinos, lynx, lion, fox, wolve, bear, weasel, seals, whales,
penguins, turtles, different sorts of fish, grasshoppers etc.
--Marc
.
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- From: Marc Verhaegen
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