Both pollen and macroremains recovered from archaeological sites point to a long-time exploitation of wild cereals and to the prevalence of these plants among those selected and transported to shelters and caves of central Sahara (southwestern Libya)(1). Spikelets, florets and grains of Panicoideae (Brachiaria, Cenchrus, Echinochloa, Panicum, Setaria, Urochloa, Sorghum) are the most abundant plant remains in these sites. The archaeological excavation of the Takarkori rockshelter by the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission in the Acacus and Messak (Central Sahara), Sapienza University of Rome (directed by S. di Lernia), exposed a surface of c. 120 m2 in extent. The 1.6 m thick deposit includes stone structures, fireplaces, plant accumulations, dung layers and a burial area. Layers were deposited during hunter-gatherer and later pastoralist occupational phases. Chronology ranged from c. 9000 to 4200 BP, and was based on stratigraphy, radiocarbon dates, and archaeological materials (2). Systematic morphological analysis was carried out on 200 spikelets/florets selected as representative of different chronological contexts. The records of Panicum, Echinochloa and Sorghum showed homogeneous typology and fairly uniform size in each genus. aDNA extraction confirming the morphological identifications of the three taxa was obtained by Olmi et al. (3). aDNA was successfully performed using several methods (4, 5) and then assayed using PCR with a primer set for the rbcL gene. New aDNA extraction was obtained from Panicum spikelets and the analysis of matK, trnH-psbA and trnL barcode regions may help to identify the records at species level.

Wild cereals from Holocene central Sahara archaeological sites: aDNA and archaeobotany from the Takarkori rockshelter / Fornaciari, Rita; Olmi, Linda; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Lernia, Savino di. - (2014), p. 64. (Intervento presentato al convegno 9th European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference (EPPC) tenutosi a Padova, IT nel 26-31 August 2014).

Wild cereals from Holocene central Sahara archaeological sites: aDNA and archaeobotany from the Takarkori rockshelter

FORNACIARI, RITA;OLMI, Linda;ARRU, Laura;MERCURI, Anna Maria;
2014

Abstract

Both pollen and macroremains recovered from archaeological sites point to a long-time exploitation of wild cereals and to the prevalence of these plants among those selected and transported to shelters and caves of central Sahara (southwestern Libya)(1). Spikelets, florets and grains of Panicoideae (Brachiaria, Cenchrus, Echinochloa, Panicum, Setaria, Urochloa, Sorghum) are the most abundant plant remains in these sites. The archaeological excavation of the Takarkori rockshelter by the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission in the Acacus and Messak (Central Sahara), Sapienza University of Rome (directed by S. di Lernia), exposed a surface of c. 120 m2 in extent. The 1.6 m thick deposit includes stone structures, fireplaces, plant accumulations, dung layers and a burial area. Layers were deposited during hunter-gatherer and later pastoralist occupational phases. Chronology ranged from c. 9000 to 4200 BP, and was based on stratigraphy, radiocarbon dates, and archaeological materials (2). Systematic morphological analysis was carried out on 200 spikelets/florets selected as representative of different chronological contexts. The records of Panicum, Echinochloa and Sorghum showed homogeneous typology and fairly uniform size in each genus. aDNA extraction confirming the morphological identifications of the three taxa was obtained by Olmi et al. (3). aDNA was successfully performed using several methods (4, 5) and then assayed using PCR with a primer set for the rbcL gene. New aDNA extraction was obtained from Panicum spikelets and the analysis of matK, trnH-psbA and trnL barcode regions may help to identify the records at species level.
2014
9th European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference (EPPC)
Padova, IT
26-31 August 2014
Fornaciari, Rita; Olmi, Linda; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Lernia, Savino di
Wild cereals from Holocene central Sahara archaeological sites: aDNA and archaeobotany from the Takarkori rockshelter / Fornaciari, Rita; Olmi, Linda; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Lernia, Savino di. - (2014), p. 64. (Intervento presentato al convegno 9th European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference (EPPC) tenutosi a Padova, IT nel 26-31 August 2014).
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Fornaciari abstract EPPC.pdf

Open access

Tipologia: Versione pubblicata dall'editore
Dimensione 255.29 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
255.29 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1131886
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact