2022 •
Identification of starch granules on ground stone tools exposed to fire
Authors:
Wilks, Stefania, Louderback, Lisbeth
Abstract:
Intense wildfires destroy everything in their path, including archaeological sites. Prehistorically, archaeological sites were regularly and intentionally burned. In what ways does burning affect those sites? With increased wildfire activity, research has begun to describe the effects of fire on archaeological materials through post-fire and experimental treatment, yet, little is known about the effects of fire on microbotanical remains, such as starch granules. Although some studies address the impact of fire on starch-rich foods, there is vir (...)
Intense wildfires destroy everything in their path, including archaeological sites. Prehistorically, archaeological sites were regularly and intentionally burned. In what ways does burning affect those sites? With increased wildfire activity, research has begun to describe the effects of fire on archaeological materials through post-fire and experimental treatment, yet, little is known about the effects of fire on microbotanical remains, such as starch granules. Although some studies address the impact of fire on starch-rich foods, there is virtually no research on the fire effects of starch granules embedded in ground stone tools. The current study examines changes in the morphology of starch granules embedded in ground stone tools before and after exposure to flame combustion. A measurable amount of intact and identifiable starch granules was recovered from all of the treated samples. However, significantly fewer intact, identifiable granules were found as tools were exposed to higher temperatures for longer periods of time. (Read More)
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