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D'Agostino A, Di Marco G, Rolfo MF, Alessandri L, Marvelli S, Braglia R, Congestri R, Berrilli F, Fuciarelli MF, Ferracci A, Canini A, Gismondi A. Microparticles from dental calculus disclose paleoenvironmental and palaeoecological records. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11053. [PMID: 38405407 PMCID: PMC10891416 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Plants have always represented a key element in landscape delineation. Indeed, plant diversity, whose distribution is influenced by geographic/climatic variability, has affected both environmental and human ecology. The present contribution represents a multi-proxy study focused on the detection of starch, pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs in ancient dental calculus collected from pre-historical individuals buried at La Sassa and Pila archaeological sites (Central Italy). The collected record suggested the potential use of plant taxa by the people living in Central Italy during the Copper-Middle Bronze Age and expanded the body of evidence reported by previous palynological and palaeoecological studies. The application of a microscopic approach provided information about domesticated crops and/or gathered wild plants and inferred considerations on ancient environments, water sources, and past health and diseases. Moreover, the research supplied data to define the natural resources (e.g., C4-plant intake) and the social use of the space during that period. Another important aspect was the finding of plant clues referable to woody habitats, characterised by broad-leaved deciduous taxa and generally indicative of a warm-temperate climate and grassy vegetation. Other unusual records (e.g., diatoms, brachysclereids) participated in defining the prehistoric ecological framework. Thus, this work provides an overview on the potential of the human dental calculus analysis to delineate some features of the ancient plant ecology and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia D'Agostino
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
- Present address: PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Gabriele Di Marco
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Mario Federico Rolfo
- Department of History, Culture and Society University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Luca Alessandri
- Groningen Institute of Archaeology University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Silvia Marvelli
- Laboratory of Palynology and Archaeobotany-C.A.A. Giorgio Nicoli Bologna Italy
| | - Roberto Braglia
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Roberta Congestri
- Laboratory of Biology of the Algae, Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Federica Berrilli
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | | | - Angelica Ferracci
- Department of History, Culture and Society University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Antonella Canini
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
| | - Angelo Gismondi
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology University of Rome Tor Vergata Rome Italy
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Sparacello VS, Goude G, Varalli A, Dori I, Gravel-Miguel C, Riel-Salvatore J, Palstra SWL, Moggi-Cecchi J, Negrino F, Starnini E. Human remains from Arma di Nasino (Liguria) provide novel insights into the paleoecology of early Holocene foragers in northwestern Italy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16415. [PMID: 37775595 PMCID: PMC10541424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40438-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the discovery and analysis of new Mesolithic human remains-dated to ca. 10,200-9000 cal. BP-from Arma di Nasino in Liguria, northwestern Italy, an area rich in Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic attestations, but for which little information on Early Holocene occupation was available. The multi-proxy isotopic profile of the two individuals reveals that-despite the proximity of the site to the Mediterranean seashore and the use of shellfish as decorative elements in burials-the ecology of these foragers was based on the exploitation of high-altitude resources, presumably in the nearby western Alps. This constitutes the first direct evidence in northwestern Italy of a significant ecological shift towards higher altitudes following deglaciation, especially when compared to isotopic data of the Late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from the nearby site of Arene Candide Cave, who exploited terrestrial resources nearer to the coast and at lower altitudes. While the biochemistry of Nasino's skeletal assemblage revealed new details on Early Holocene lifeways in the area, the osteobiography of one individual offers glimpses into the life experience of a specific female forager, depicting a scenario of early skeletal trauma, developmental disturbances, long-term impairments, and resilience amongst the last European hunter-gatherers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitale S Sparacello
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Sezione di Neuroscienze e Antropologia, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Gwenaëlle Goude
- CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, Minist Culture, LAMPEA, UMR 7269, 5 rue du Château de l'Horloge, 13097, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Alessandra Varalli
- CASEs Research Group, Department of Humanities, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irene Dori
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Claudine Gravel-Miguel
- Département d'Anthropologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Center for Applied Fire and Ecosystem Science, New Mexico Consortium, Los Alamos, NM, USA
| | | | - Sanne W L Palstra
- Centre for Isotope Research, ESRIG, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jacopo Moggi-Cecchi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Fabio Negrino
- DAFIST - Dipartimento di Antichità, Filosofia, Storia, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy
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Zhao D, Chen Y, Xie G, Ma P, Wen Y, Zhang F, Wang Y, Cui Y, Gao S. A multidisciplinary study on the social customs of the Tang Empire in the Medieval Ages. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288128. [PMID: 37494335 PMCID: PMC10370703 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidisciplinary research on human remains can provide important information about population dynamics, culture diffusion, as well as social organization and customs in history. In this study, multidisciplinary analyses were undertaken on a joint burial (M56) in the Shuangzhao cemetery of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), one of the most prosperous dynasties in Chinese history, to shed light on the genetic profile and sociocultural aspects of this dynasty. The archaeological investigation suggested that this burial belonged to the Mid-Tang period and was used by common civilians. The osteological analysis identified the sex, age, and health status of the three individuals excavated from M56, who shared a similar diet inferred from the stable isotopic data. Genomic evidence revealed that these co-buried individuals had no genetic kinship but all belonged to the gene pool of the ancient populations in the Central Plains, represented by Yangshao and Longshan individuals, etc. Multiple lines of evidence, including archaeology, historic records, as well as chemical and genetic analyses, have indicated a very probable familial joint burial of husband and wives. Our study provides insights into the burial customs and social organization of the Tang Dynasty and reconstructs a scenario of civilian life in historic China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyue Zhao
- School of Cultural Heritage, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yang Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Gaowen Xie
- Xianyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Xianyang, China
| | - Pengcheng Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yufeng Wen
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- Xianyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Xianyang, China
| | - Yinqiu Cui
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shizhu Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Nunes SC, Gomes AP, Nunes P, Fernandes M, Maia A, Bacelar E, Rocha J, Cruz R, Boatto A, Ravishankar AP, Casal S, Anand S, Bermudez VDZ, Crespí AL. Leaf surfaces and neolithization - the case of Arundo donax L. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:999252. [PMID: 36275521 PMCID: PMC9581231 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.999252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Arundo donax L. (Arundinoideae subfamily, Poaceae family) is a sub-tropical and temperate climate reed that grows in arid and semi-arid environmental conditions, from eastern China to the Mediterranean basin, suggesting potential adaptations at the epicuticular level. A thorough physical-chemical examination of the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of A. donax leaf was performed herein in an attempt to track such chemophenetic adaptations. This sort of approach is of the utmost importance for the current debate about the hypothetical invasiveness of this species in the Mediterranean basin versus its natural colonization along the Plio-Pleistocene period. We concluded that the leaf surfaces contain, apart from stomata, prickles, and long, thin trichomes, and silicon-rich tetralobate phytolits. Chemically, the dominating elements in the leaf ashes are oxygen and potassium; minor amounts of calcium, silicon, magnesium, phosphorous, sulphur, and chlorine were also detected. In both surfaces the epicuticular waxes (whose density is higher in the adaxial surface than in the abaxial surface) form randomly orientated platelets, with irregular shape and variable size, and aggregated rodlets with variable diameter around the stomata. In the case of green mature leaves, the dominating organic compounds of the epicuticular waxes of both surfaces are triterpenoids. Both surfaces feature identical hydrophobic behaviour, and exhibit the same total transmittance, total reflectance, and absorption of incident light. The above findings suggest easy growth of the plant, remarkable epidermic robustness of the leaf, and control of water loss. These chemophenetic characteristics and human influence support a neolithization process of this species along the Mediterranean basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia C. Nunes
- Fib EnTech - Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Ana P. Gomes
- Fib EnTech - Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Paulo Nunes
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Mariana Fernandes
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana Maia
- Fib EnTech - Fiber Materials and Environmental Technologies, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Eunice Bacelar
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Department of Biology and Environment, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - João Rocha
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Herbarium and Botanical Garden, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Rebeca Cruz
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Aline Boatto
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ajith P. Ravishankar
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Albanova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susana Casal
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV) of the Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Srinivasan Anand
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Albanova University Centre, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Verónica de Zea Bermudez
- Centro de Química Vila Real (CQ-VR), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - António L. Crespí
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Department of Biology and Environment, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Herbarium and Botanical Garden, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
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Senczuk G, Mastrangelo S, Ajmone-Marsan P, Becskei Z, Colangelo P, Colli L, Ferretti L, Karsli T, Lancioni H, Lasagna E, Marletta D, Persichilli C, Portolano B, Sarti FM, Ciani E, Pilla F. On the origin and diversification of Podolian cattle breeds: testing scenarios of European colonization using genome-wide SNP data. Genet Sel Evol 2021; 53:48. [PMID: 34078254 PMCID: PMC8173809 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-021-00639-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During the Neolithic expansion, cattle accompanied humans and spread from their domestication centres to colonize the ancient world. In addition, European cattle occasionally intermingled with both indicine cattle and local aurochs resulting in an exclusive pattern of genetic diversity. Among the most ancient European cattle are breeds that belong to the so-called Podolian trunk, the history of which is still not well established. Here, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data on 806 individuals belonging to 36 breeds to reconstruct the origin and diversification of Podolian cattle and to provide a reliable scenario of the European colonization, through an approximate Bayesian computation random forest (ABC-RF) approach. Results Our results indicate that European Podolian cattle display higher values of genetic diversity indices than both African taurine and Asian indicine breeds. Clustering analyses show that Podolian breeds share close genomic relationships, which suggests a likely common genetic ancestry. Among the simulated and tested scenarios of the colonization of Europe from taurine cattle, the greatest support was obtained for the model assuming at least two waves of diffusion. Time estimates are in line with an early migration from the domestication centre of non-Podolian taurine breeds followed by a secondary migration of Podolian breeds. The best fitting model also suggests that the Italian Podolian breeds are the result of admixture between different genomic pools. Conclusions This comprehensive dataset that includes most of the autochthonous cattle breeds belonging to the so-called Podolian trunk allowed us not only to shed light onto the origin and diversification of this group of cattle, but also to gain new insights into the diffusion of European cattle. The most well-supported scenario of colonization points to two main waves of migrations: with one that occurred alongside with the Neolithic human expansion and gave rise to the non-Podolian taurine breeds, and a more recent one that favoured the diffusion of European Podolian. In this process, we highlight the importance of both the Mediterranean and Danube routes in promoting European cattle colonization. Moreover, we identified admixture as a driver of diversification in Italy, which could represent a melting pot for Podolian cattle. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12711-021-00639-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Senczuk
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100, Campobasso, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Paolo Ajmone-Marsan
- Department of Animal Science Food and Nutrition, DIANA, Nutrigenomics and Proteomics Research Centre, PRONUTRIGEN, Biodiversity and Ancient DNA Research Centre, BioDNA, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Zsolt Becskei
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bulevar Oslobodjenja street 18, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Paolo Colangelo
- National Council of Research (CNR), Research Institute On Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), Via Salaria km 29.300, Montelibretti, 00015, Rome, Italy
| | - Licia Colli
- Department of Animal Science Food and Nutrition, DIANA, Nutrigenomics and Proteomics Research Centre, PRONUTRIGEN, Biodiversity and Ancient DNA Research Centre, BioDNA, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Luca Ferretti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Italy, Pavia
| | - Taki Karsli
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Hovirag Lancioni
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, via Elce di sotto, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Emiliano Lasagna
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121, Perugia, Italy
| | - Donata Marletta
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - Christian Persichilli
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Baldassare Portolano
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, 90128, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca M Sarti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elena Ciani
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceuticals, University of Bari, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Fabio Pilla
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, 86100, Campobasso, Italy
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Environmental implications and evidence of natural products from dental calculi of a Neolithic-Chalcolithic community (central Italy). Sci Rep 2021; 11:10665. [PMID: 34021220 PMCID: PMC8140145 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89999-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In this contribution, we investigated the role of plants in the prehistoric community of Casale del Dolce (Anagni, FR, central Italy), through microparticles recovered from dental calculus. The finding of a great amount of pollen types, even in form of compact lumps, could indicate use of natural substances, such as honeybee products and/or conifer resins. This plant-microremain record also suggested environmental implications relative to the Neolithic and Chalcolithic period. Additionally, the stability of the tartar microenvironment had preserved starches and other microparticles, such as one epidermal trichome, a sporangium, and fragments of plant tissue, rarely detected in ancient dental calculus. The detection of secondary metabolites in the ancient matrix confirmed the familiarity of this community with plant resources. All these data supply various interesting food for thought and expand the knowledge about the potential of dental calculus in archaeological and archaeobotanical fields with a special focus on palaeoecology.
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