Biogeochemical and biomolecular analyses in archaeology

Sub-theme: Ancient DNA analyses

The development of molecular methods and Next Generations Sequencing has enabled the amplification and detection of very small amounts of DNA preserved in archaeological material. Various bioinformatic analyses are then applied to sequencing data to infer patterns of migration and demographic change; population interactions between them, as well as aspects of past social organization. Additionally, genomes of microorganisms recovered from archaeological material have been successfully sequenced, allowing comparisons between past and present microbiomes. In this way, palaeogenetic studies make a significant contribution to reconstructing the history of human populations, as well as to identifying the changes associated with major cultural innovations, such as the spread of agriculture and the domestication of animals around 10,000 years ago, and later developments including the Industrial Revolution.

Sub-theme: Stable isotope analysis

Stable isotope analyses represent a powerful tool to reconstruct ancient dietary and mobility patterns. Stable isotope analyses of bone and teeth collagen (C, N, and S) give information on the protein intake and its changes along life: the mother’s milk consumed, the introduction of weaning food, and the types of resources eaten by children and mothers. We are focused on understanding changes in dietary habits during the Neolithization and duration of breastfeeding with the introduction of new foodstuffs (cereals and milk), as well as which environment ancient communities took resources from, which aids in the reconstruction of mobility patterns. Strontium analysis can reveal mobility patterns of ancient communities, from childhood to early adulthood, as well as whether someone was born in the same place where it was buried. At the BioSense Institute, we extract collagen from human and animal bones and teeth from archaeological sites, as well as the preparation of samples for the extraction of strontium.

Sub-theme: Dental calculus analysis

Calculus contains various plant cells, such as phytoliths and starch grains, which can persist for long periods. Research on these cells in the calculus of ancient humans gives direct evidence on diet and oral health, and on the beginnings of agriculture. We are investigating the emergence of cultivated plants (cereals) in the Balkans around 8000 years ago, which influenced population growth, since this was the period when humans started to have, for the first time, a stable food supply available throughout the year.