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Essel E, Zavala EI, Schulz-Kornas E, Kozlikin MB, Fewlass H, Vernot B, Shunkov MV, Derevianko AP, Douka K, Barnes I, Soulier MC, Schmidt A, Szymanski M, Tsanova T, Sirakov N, Endarova E, McPherron SP, Hublin JJ, Kelso J, Pääbo S, Hajdinjak M, Soressi M, Meyer M. Ancient human DNA recovered from a Palaeolithic pendant. Nature 2023:10.1038/s41586-023-06035-2. [PMID: 37138083 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06035-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Artefacts made from stones, bones and teeth are fundamental to our understanding of human subsistence strategies, behaviour and culture in the Pleistocene. Although these resources are plentiful, it is impossible to associate artefacts to specific human individuals1 who can be morphologically or genetically characterized, unless they are found within burials, which are rare in this time period. Thus, our ability to discern the societal roles of Pleistocene individuals based on their biological sex or genetic ancestry is limited2-5. Here we report the development of a non-destructive method for the gradual release of DNA trapped in ancient bone and tooth artefacts. Application of the method to an Upper Palaeolithic deer tooth pendant from Denisova Cave, Russia, resulted in the recovery of ancient human and deer mitochondrial genomes, which allowed us to estimate the age of the pendant at approximately 19,000-25,000 years. Nuclear DNA analysis identifies the presumed maker or wearer of the pendant as a female individual with strong genetic affinities to a group of Ancient North Eurasian individuals who lived around the same time but were previously found only further east in Siberia. Our work redefines how cultural and genetic records can be linked in prehistoric archaeology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Essel
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Elena I Zavala
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ellen Schulz-Kornas
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maxim B Kozlikin
- Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Helen Fewlass
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Benjamin Vernot
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael V Shunkov
- Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anatoly P Derevianko
- Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Katerina Douka
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS) Research Network, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ian Barnes
- Earth Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Marie-Cécile Soulier
- Maison de la Recherche, Université de Toulouse-Jean Jaurès, CNRS UMR 5608 TRACES, Toulouse, France
| | - Anna Schmidt
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Merlin Szymanski
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tsenka Tsanova
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nikolay Sirakov
- National Institute of Archaeology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | | | | | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chaire de Paléoanthropologie, Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Janet Kelso
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Svante Pääbo
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mateja Hajdinjak
- Ancient Genomics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marie Soressi
- Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthias Meyer
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
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2
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Dalal V, Pasupuleti N, Chaubey G, Rai N, Shinde V. Advancements and Challenges in Ancient DNA Research: Bridging the Global North-South Divide. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:479. [PMID: 36833406 PMCID: PMC9956214 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ancient DNA (aDNA) research first began in 1984 and ever since has greatly expanded our understanding of evolution and migration. Today, aDNA analysis is used to solve various puzzles about the origin of mankind, migration patterns, and the spread of infectious diseases. The incredible findings ranging from identifying the new branches within the human family to studying the genomes of extinct flora and fauna have caught the world by surprise in recent times. However, a closer look at these published results points out a clear Global North and Global South divide. Therefore, through this research, we aim to emphasize encouraging better collaborative opportunities and technology transfer to support researchers in the Global South. Further, the present research also focuses on expanding the scope of the ongoing conversation in the field of aDNA by reporting relevant literature published around the world and discussing the advancements and challenges in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasundhra Dalal
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
| | | | - Gyaneshwer Chaubey
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Niraj Rai
- Ancient DNA Lab, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow 226007, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vasant Shinde
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
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3
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Metagenomic Research of Infectious Diseases in Archaeological Contexts: Evidence from the Hospital Real de Todos-os-Santos (Portugal). APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12126096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Syphilis is one of the most exciting diseases explored in paleopathology and, therefore, tracing back its origin and development has provided a prolific debate. The combination of paleopathological data with historical sources, iconography, and archaeological contexts were the primary sources used to reconstruct its historical path. However, there are some limitations to paleopathological diagnosis due to the nature of bone reaction to stimuli. In addition, historical sources are subjected to a bias of social and cultural nature and the knowledge of those who wrote them. Hence, ancient DNA analysis offers the possibility of acquiring proof of cause by identifying pathogens in an organism. We undertook a metagenomic study of a skeleton exhumed from the Royal Hospital of All Saints (Portugal), renowned for treating syphilis from the 16th century onwards. The skeleton had previously been diagnosed with syphilis according to paleopathological analysis. However, the metagenomics analysis showed no presence of the pathogen associated with syphilis (i.e., Treponema pallidum) but revealed pathogenic microorganisms related to respiratory diseases (pneumonia), nonspecific bone infections (osteomyelitis), and oral bacterial pathologies as well as Hansen’s disease (also known as leprosy). The results are exciting and demand a reappraisal of the observed bone changes, recontextualizing their characterization as syphilis related. They prove that past reconstruction of health and disease diagnoses based on assessing human osteological remains of known context (such as a syphilitic hospital) may bias interpretations and, therefore, caution is recommended, not forgetting that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence (in this case of syphilis) in life.
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Scarsbrook L, Verry AJF, Walton K, Hitchmough RA, Rawlence NJ. Ancient mitochondrial genomes recovered from small vertebrate bones through minimally destructive DNA extraction: phylogeography of the New Zealand gecko genus
Hoplodactylus. Mol Ecol 2022; 32:2964-2984. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.16434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lachie Scarsbrook
- Otago Paleogenetics Laboratory Department of Zoology University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
| | - Alexander J. F. Verry
- Otago Paleogenetics Laboratory Department of Zoology University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
| | - Kerry Walton
- Otago Paleogenetics Laboratory Department of Zoology University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
| | | | - Nicolas J. Rawlence
- Otago Paleogenetics Laboratory Department of Zoology University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
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Kumar N, Aparna R, Sharma S. Effect of postmortem interval and conditions of teeth on STR based DNA profiling from unidentified dead bodies. J Forensic Leg Med 2021; 83:102246. [PMID: 34438226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2021.102246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Teeth are important exhibits to establish the identity of unidentified dead bodies by DNA profiling. Tooth acts as a cage to protect DNA from harsh environmental conditions. Unidentified bodies are sometimes found many years after death causing loss of valuable soft tissues which can be used for DNA extraction. Skeletal remains and dental evidence provide the best alternative when decomposed or burnt bodies are examined to establish the identity. In this study, the powder-free method was used to extract DNA from ninety-five teeth of unidentified dead bodies across seven years (2014-2020). Intact and broken dental remains were analyzed majorly from decomposed remains. The present study reports successful STR profiles obtained from dental evidence using powder free method. Complete DNA profiles were obtained from intact teeth while damaged teeth either gave partial profiles or no results. This data suggest that intact teeth are excellent samples for DNA profiling from decomposed unidentified dead bodies even with greater post mortem interval. Findings from this study can hence be useful in establishing the identity in forensic and archeological casework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naresh Kumar
- DNA Division, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Central Range, Mandi, 175001, Himachal Pradesh, India.
| | - R Aparna
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Sciences, JAIN (Deemed-to-be-University), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
| | - Shivkant Sharma
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, 124001, Haryana, India
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An unusual kinship case from the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939): Ancient versus degraded sample’s investigation. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2019.10.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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7
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X-InDels efficacy evaluation in a critical samples paternity case: A Spanish Civil War case from the memorial of the camposines (Tarragona, Spain). FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2019.10.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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8
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Palomo-Díez S, Gomes C, López-Parra A, Baeza-Richer C, Cuscó I, Raffone C, García-Arumí E, Vinueza-Espinosa D, Santos C, Montes N, Rasal R, Escala O, Cuellar J, Subirá E, Casals F, Malgosa A, Tizzano E, Tartera E, Domenech G, Arroyo-Pardo E. Genetic identification of Spanish civil war victims. The state of the art in Catalonia (Northeastern Spain). FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2019.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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9
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Palomo-Díez S, Cebrián-Fernández R, Hortelano-Uceda I, Labajo-González E, Perea-Pérez B, Gomes C, Arroyo-Pardo E. Diachronic mtDNA study of the long time occupied archaeological site of Segobriga (Spain) and comparison with nowadays population. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2019.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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10
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Harrel M, Hughes-Stamm S. A Powder-free DNA Extraction Workflow for Skeletal Samples. J Forensic Sci 2019; 65:601-609. [PMID: 31577371 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The processing of skeletal material poses several challenges for forensic laboratories. Current methods can be laborious, time-consuming, require dedicated equipment, and are vulnerable to contamination. In this study, various sample mass (1 × 50 mg, 3 × 50 mg, and 1 × 150 mg chip(s)) and incubation times (2, 4, and 16 h) were tested using the PrepFiler® BTA™ Forensic DNA Extraction Kit to digest whole bone chips in lieu of powdering. The most effective method was then applied to bones and tooth fragments collected from contemporary human cadavers exposed to various environmental conditions using an automated platform. Over a third of the samples tested generated full DNA profiles without having to powder the bone/tooth fragment or further alter the manufacturer's protocol. However, for most samples resulting in incomplete STR profiles due to low amounts of DNA, slightly better results were achieved with powdered tissue. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential use of a faster, nonpowdering DNA extraction method for processing skeletal samples as an effective first-pass screening tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Harrel
- Department of Forensic Science, College of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, 77340
| | - Sheree Hughes-Stamm
- Department of Forensic Science, College of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, 77340.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
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Gomes C, Gibaja JF, Buxó JRI, Baeza-Richer C, López − Matayoshi C, López-Parra AM, Palomo-Díez S, Subirà ME, Arroyo-Pardo E. Biological kinship analysis in extremely critical samples: The case of a Spanish Neolithic necropolis. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2017.09.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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12
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An unexpected case in the prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula: Biogeographical origin analysis through mitochondrial DNA. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2017.09.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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13
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“Inhibiting inhibitors”: Preliminary results of a new “DNA extraction-amplification” disinhibition technique in critical human samples. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2017.09.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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14
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Gomes C, Fondevila M, Palomo-Díez S, Pardiñas AF, López-Matayoshi C, Baeza-Richer C, López-Parra AM, Lareu MV, López B, Arroyo-Pardo E. Phenotyping the ancient world: The physical appearance and ancestry of very degraded samples from a chalcolithic human remains. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2017.09.188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Detection of G1138A Mutation of the FGFR3 Gene in Tooth Material from a 180-Year-Old Museological Achondroplastic Skeleton. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8090214. [PMID: 28850094 PMCID: PMC5615348 DOI: 10.3390/genes8090214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the last four centuries, many anatomical museums across the world have collected teratological specimens that became precious objects. These can be regarded as spirits of the past which have captured the morphology of diseases through time. These valuable and irreplaceable specimens can be perfectly used in contemporary dysmorphological or genetic research. Unfortunately, due to the historical nature of these specimens and the regularly used aggressive preservation fluids, DNA degradation is often present. Furthermore, the use of material for DNA extraction is restricted to preserve the appearance of these valuable museological specimens. Thus, the most challenging part in this perspective is to harvest sufficient DNA of good quality for further testing without damaging the specimens. Besides fixated specimens, most teratological collections contain dried skeletal and teeth materials which are an excellent source to extract DNA. We here present a DNA-based method that enables genetic identification of the G1138A mutation of the FGFR3 gene in a 180-year-old achondroplastic skeleton, confirming the previously morphologically determined disease. Nuclear DNA was extracted from a premolar tooth and the mutation was found using Sanger sequencing of a small region of the FGFR3 gene.
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Green EJ, Speller CF. Novel Substrates as Sources of Ancient DNA: Prospects and Hurdles. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E180. [PMID: 28703741 PMCID: PMC5541313 DOI: 10.3390/genes8070180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the discovery in the late 1980s that hard tissues such as bones and teeth preserve genetic information, the field of ancient DNA analysis has typically concentrated upon these substrates. The onset of high-throughput sequencing, combined with optimized DNA recovery methods, has enabled the analysis of a myriad of ancient species and specimens worldwide, dating back to the Middle Pleistocene. Despite the growing sophistication of analytical techniques, the genetic analysis of substrates other than bone and dentine remain comparatively "novel". Here, we review analyses of other biological substrates which offer great potential for elucidating phylogenetic relationships, paleoenvironments, and microbial ecosystems including (1) archaeological artifacts and ecofacts; (2) calcified and/or mineralized biological deposits; and (3) biological and cultural archives. We conclude that there is a pressing need for more refined models of DNA preservation and bespoke tools for DNA extraction and analysis to authenticate and maximize the utility of the data obtained. With such tools in place the potential for neglected or underexploited substrates to provide a unique insight into phylogenetics, microbial evolution and evolutionary processes will be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Joan Green
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Camilla F Speller
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
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