GDRE Workshop in Brussels: 1-2 July 2010
Elena Marinova, Veerle Linseele, RBINS, Brussels; Marlu Kühn IPNA, Basel
Title:
Bioarchaeological research on animal dung: possibilities and limitations
Aims of the Workshop:
Animal dung is a potential source of information on various paleoeonomical and
paleoecological topics, which in many cases can not be obtained through other
bioarchaeological studies. Until now no common methodological approaches exist among
people working on animal dung. In the light of this, the proposed workshop has the aim to
establish what methods have or can be used for the analysis of archaeological dung and
what kind of questions, related to the research themes of the BIOARCH network, they can
answer.
Three main topics are to be discussed:
 methodology of archaeobiological studies on dung
 taphonomical aspects
 interpretative value, concentrating mainly on animal husbandry related questions
Since the writers of this proposal are archaeobotanist or archaeozoologist, emphasis is now
on these angles of research. However, input from different types of specialists (ancient DNA
analysis, paleoparasitologists, biochemical analyses) is very much encouraged.
Methodology
- Species identification of archaeological dung remains (based on shape and size, plant
remains, DNA, chemical analyses, insect remains, indirect evidence, etc.).
- Variety of plant remains recovered from dung (pollen, phytoliths, seeds/fruits, vegetative
plant remains, epidermis, etc.) and methods applied for their analysis.
- Interpretation of results in relation to the applied methods (e.g. interpretation of pollen
data versus interpretation of data from the analysis of plant macrofossils).
- Representation of plant remains in the dung, e.g. differences in preservation of plant parts
from evergreen/deciduous trees, herbs, grass.
- Questions for further research projects, e.g. feeding experiments.
Taphonomy:
- Types of dung (waterlogged, dry, mineralised, charred) and their different scientific
potential.
- Contribution of dung to the formation of archaeological layers, and the plant assemblages
found in these layers.
- Dung for fuel, tempering of mud bricks.
Interpretation
- Early presence of domestic animals. Some early sites yielded dung but no bones.
- How to detect the difference between feeding and browsing.
- How to detect feeding of hay (grass, herbs, leaves).
- Mobility and seasonality.
- Hygienical conditions in the settlements.
- Stabling/housing or not.
- How to detect fire management of woods and/or woodland edges.
- Reconstruction of the environment.
- Impact of animal husbandry on the environment.
Possible Participants from the BIOARCH-network:
- Lucia Wick (pollen) IPNA, Basel
- Kristin Ismail-Meyer (micromorphology) IPNA, Basel
- Renata Perego (seeds, fruits) IPNA, Basel
- Oerni Akeret (seeds, fruits) IPNA, Basel
- Lucie Martin (seeds, fruits) IPNA, Basel
- Sabine Deschler-Erb, (archaeozoologist) IPNA, Basel
- Alexandre Chevalier RBINS; phytoliths, Brussels
- Marie Derreumaux (seeds, fruits) RBINS, Brussels
- Claudio Ottoni : ancient DNA, RBINS, Brussels
- Laurent Bouby, CNRS, UMR 5059, Montpellier
- Marie-Pierre Ruas (isotopes), MNHN, Paris
- Marie Balasse (isotopes) MNHN, Paris
- Joséphine Lesur-Gebremariam (archaeozoology) UMR 5242 CNRS, Lyon
- Sue Colledge (seeds, fruits) Durham University
- Jan Baeten (biochemical analyses of faecal markers), University Leuven/ RBINS, Brussels
Possible Participants outside the network:
- Heiko Riemer (archaeologist, dung) University of Cologne
- Ingrid Mainland (archaeozoology), University of Bradford
- Michael Wallace (ethnographic studies, seeds), University of Sheffield
- Claire Delhon (phtytolithes) UMR 6130 CNRS CEPAM, Valbonne
- Jacques-Elie Brochier (geo-archaeology), LAMPEA — UMR 6636 CNRS, Aix-en-Provence
- Djamali Morteza (palynology), IMEP CNRS UMR 6116, Aix-en Provence
- Soultana-Maria Valamoti (archaeobotany), University of Thessaloniki
- Ursula Maier (seeds, fruits, vegetative plant remains), Amt für Denkmalpflege,
Hemmenhofen
Possible Program:
First day morning: (9.00 -12.00) General presentation of the topic, methodological issues
First day 1 afternoon session 13.00-15.30 – Methodological issues
First day 2 afternoon session 16.00-18.00 - Taphonomy
Common dinner
Second day morning: (9.00-14.00) Interpretation
Bibliography
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Alphabetic order of the authors, who already gave preliminary titles
Baeten, Jan
To be added
Balasse, Marie:
How the methodology of stable isotope analysis might (???) contribute the identification of
the species responsible for the dung
Boubi, Laurent:
La Fangade, Bronze Age lake-shore settlement in Languedoc
Brochier, Jacques-Elie:
Contribution of dung to the formation of archaeological layers
Delhon, Claire et al:
Archaeobotanical remains (phytoliths, charcoal, pollen and macroremains) from dung levels
from "La grande Rivoire”
Derreumaux, Marie:
Dung identified in a roman pit from Arras -shows the use of rich and well managed pastures
Djamali, Morteza:
"- Palaeoentomological investigations to find dung insect remains as indicators of past human
Mainland, Ingrid:
Relationship between dung abrasives (grit/phytoliths) and tooth wear in domestic sheep and
how this facillitates dietary reconstruction
Ottoni, Claudio:
"Ancient animal and plant DNA from sediment deposits: genetic profiles from past
environments"
Ruas, Marie-Pierre
To be added (Medieval settlements)
Maier, Ursula
"Animal dung and fodder remains from neolithic waterlogged sites in Southwest Germany."
Valamoti, S.-M.:
“Towards a distinction between digested from undigested glume bases in the
archaeobotanical record? An experimental approach”