Exaggerated expectations in ancient starch research and the need for new taphonomic and authenticity criteria

Abstract

Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Citation for published version (APA):Mercader, J., Akeju, T., Brown, M., Bundala, M., Collins, M. J., Copeland, L., ... Xhauflair, H. (2018). Exaggerated expectations in ancient starch research and the need for new taphonomic and authenticity criteria. FACETS, 3, AbstractAncient starch research illuminates aspects of human ecology and economic botany that drove human evolution and cultural complexity over time, with a special emphasis on past technology, diet, health, and adaptation to changing environments and socio-economic systems. However, lapses in prevailing starch research demonstrate the exaggerated expectations for the field that have been generated over the last few decades. This includes an absence of explanation for the millennial-scale survivability of a biochemically degradable polymer, and difficulties in establishing authenticity and taxonomic identification. This paper outlines new taphonomic and authenticity criteria to guide future work toward designing research programs that fully exploit the potential of ancient starch while considering growing demands from readers, editors, and reviewers that look for objective compositional identification of putatively ancient starch granules.

Micrometrics and Morphological Properties of Starch

“…Major observations were the absence direct morphometric markers within 14 of the 31 screened families. The study concluded that morphological parameters were not concrete enough to establish taxonomic identification [4]. Properties of starch grains such as size, structure and shape extracted from various plant sources differ only to a certain extent, such that starches from some different biological sources can be identified.…”

“…β-amylose has a helical arrangement comprising of six glucosyl units and a diameter of 1.3 mm. The differences in the structure and proportion or amounts of amylopectin and amylose give starch grains different properties and add immensely to the distinctive properties of starch from various sources [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

“…The striations usually due to the daytime deposition of the starch give rise to differences in some properties such as the starch density, crystallinity and refractive index of the granules. In describing and characterizing starches from different sources, the absence or presence of hilum, form and position of hilum, singular/multiple features in texture, absence or presence of striations which are well defined, fissures, vacuoles, faceting, depressions are all important characteristics [4].…”

Starch Granules as Markers of Diet and Behavior

“…Many researchers in the field are working towards better methods for establishing authenticity criteria for ancient starches, including exploring the potential for molecularly identifying starches, and understanding the taphonomic pathways by which starches may be preserved (Mercader et al 2018) .…”

Enacting Maasai and Palaeoanthropological Versions of Drought in Oldupai Gorge, Tanzania

“…A palaeoanthropological project that recognises such issues is Stone Tools, Diet, and Sociality (SDS), a palaeoanthropological partnership between environmental specialists, biologists, geologists, social scientists, and palaeoanthropologists from institutions located in numerous countries. SDS's interdisciplinary collaborations are producing myriad new insights that are vital for understanding humanity's emergence (Favreau 2019;Mercader et al, 2018a;Mercader et al, 2018b;Mercader et al, 2019;Soto et al, 2019;Soto et al, 2020a;Soto et al, 2020b;Tucker 2018;Tucker et al, 2020). Furthermore, SDS aspires to curb the history of neocolonial research at Oldupai by collaborating with the local Maasai, and Maasai peoples shared in such desires for collaboration.…”