INVESTIGADORES
BABOT Maria Del Pilar
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
On starch taphonomy: some issues on physical, chemical and possible laboratory damage
Autor/es:
BABOT, M. DEL PILAR; KORSTANJE, MARÍA ALEJANDRA
Lugar:
Canberra
Reunión:
Conferencia; Conference: The state of the art in phytolith and starch research in the Australian-Pacific-Asian regions; 2001
Institución organizadora:
Centre for Archaeological Research, Australian National University
Resumen:
Current knowledge on taphonomic processes affecting the structure, morphology and survival of starch granules in Archaeology is scarce. Some taphonomic processes have been identified and studied in relation to the production of beer and the milling of grains and acorns in the Iberian peninsula (Juan Tresserras 1998). In our own investigations on grinding tools from different places in northwestern Argentina we have detected some granules of starch most probably affected in their morphology and natural clustering by the milling process (Babot 2001). Likewise, in archaeological sediments coming from cultivation fields, we have found starch affected to the point that their taxonomic recognition is ambiguous, and even their belonging to the starch group is dubious (Korstanje m.s.). Given the possibility that starch granules be affected by different natural and cultural processes, both in artifacts and in sediments, we have developed two types of control procedures to test some of those taphonomic factors: 1) analysis of starch granules from modern corn (Zea mays), common potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), and pseudocereals (Chenopodium sp. and Amaranthus sp.) that were subjected to different physical and chemical procedures for milling, conservation, and cooking, by replicating ethnoarchaeological information and; 2) control of damage produced during laboratory microfossil extraction out of soils, following current protocols, in order to complete previous research (Coil et al. m.s.) by focusing specifically on heavy liquid damage and other kinds of alteration of starch granules. As a result of this research, we have recognized that many of the archaeological microremains that we had considered as probable starch but were too ambiguous for a certain identification, can now be safely considered as such in spite of the high morphological alteration. As a corollary, we think that manipulative milling procedures can generate characteristic features in the morphology and structure of the starch, which might enhance the possibility of recognition of such practices. Our results also suggest that we can count incomplete (?damaged?) starch -from artifacts and soils- as such, knowing that laboratory protocols may not be responsible for the alterations.   References   Coil, J., S. Archer, M A. Korstanje and C. Hastorf. 2001. Laboratory goals and considerations for multiple microfossil extraction in archaeology. University of California, Berkeley. m.s. Babot, M. del P. 2001. La Molienda de Vegetales Almidonosos en el Noroeste Argentino Prehispánico.  Ameghiniana. In press. Juan Tresserras, J. 1998. La cerveza prehistórica: Investigaciones arqueobotánicas y experimentales.  In: J.L. Maya, F. Cuesta y J. López Cachero (Eds.), Genó: un poblado del Bronce Final en el Bajo Segre (Lleida), Publicaciones de la Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, pp. 241-252. Korstanje, M. A. 2001. Fulbright Visitor Scholarship Final Report. Instituto de Arqueología y Museo, UNT. m.s.