Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fruit and seed biomineralization and its effect on preservation

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mineralised fruits and seeds are frequently found in archaeological sediments but their chemical nature has not been often examined. The nature and the origin of these archaeobotanical remains have to be investigated to understand their taphonomic history. Fruits or seeds can be mineralised not only by replacement mineralisation but also by biomineralisation during the plant life. The mineral components of three fossil fruits sampled on the Pleistocene site of Dmanisi were analysed and compared with their modern analogues. Analyses were carried out by means of an environmental scanning electron microscope, equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray device and by means of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Biogenic carbonates and/or biogenic silica were identified in the fossil and modern fruits of some taxa. Comparison between fossil and modern specimens has shown that molecular reorganisation occurred in carbonate and in biogenic silica during fossilisation, through diagenetic processes. The resulting stable mineral structures confer an exceptional preservation to fruits in sediments. Taking into account these taphonomic specificities (transformation and differential preservation), the chronological and palaeoenvironmental aspects of the mineralised fruits are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Berndt ME, Seyfried WE (1999) Rates of aragonite conversion to calcite in dilute aqueous fluids at 50 to 100°C: experimental calibration using Ca-isotope attenuation. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 63:373–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briggs DEG, Wilby PR (1996) The role of the calcium carbonate calcium phosphate switch in the mineralization of soft-bodied fossils. J Geol Soc London 153:665–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson WD (1983) The polymorphs of CaCO3 and the aragonite-calcite transformation. In: Reeder RJ (ed) Carbonates: Mineralogy and Chemistry, Mineral. Soc. Am., Rev. Mineral 11:191–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowan MR, Gabel ML, Jahren AH, Tieszen LL (1997) Growth and biomineralization of Celtis occidentalis (Ulmaceae) pericarps. Am Midl Nat 137(2):266–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deniaux B (2002) La microscopie électronique à Balayage environnementale. In: Miskovsky JC (ed) Géologie de la Préhistoire Géopré-Press Universitaire de Perpignan, pp 589–599

  • Dzaparidze V, Bosinski G, Bugianisvili T, Gabunia L, Justus A, Klopotovskaja N, Kvavadze E, Lordkipanidze D, Maisuradze G, Mgeladze N, Nioradze M, Pavlenishvili E, Schmincke H-U, Sologasvili D, Tusabramisvili D, Tvalcrelidze M, Vekua A (1989) Der alfipaläolithische Fundplatz Dmanisi in Georgian (Kaukasus). Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz 36:67–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferring CR, Lordkipanidze D, Berna F, Ohms O (2008) Geology and formation processes at Dmanisi in the Georgian Caucasus. Abstracts of the 73rd Annual Meeting, Society for American Archaeology, pp 195

  • Fröhlich F (1989) Deep-sea biogenic silica: new structural and analytical data from infrared analysis-geological implications. Terra Nova 1:267–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fröhlich F, Gendron-Badou A (2002) La spectroscopie infrarouge, un outil polyvalent. In: Miskovsky J-C (ed) Géologie de la Préhistoire, AEEGP, éditeur. Paris. pp 662–677

  • Gabunia L, Vekua A, Lordkipanidze D, Swisher CC III, Ferring R, Justus A, Nioradze M, Tvalcrelidze M, Anton SC, Bosinski G, Jöris O, de Lumley MA, Majsuradze G, Mouskhelishvili A (2000a) Earliest Pleistocene hominid cranial remains from Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia: taxonomy, geological setting, and age. Science 288:1019–1025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabunia L, Vekua A, Lordkipanidze D (2000b) The environmental contexts of early human occupation of Georgia (Transcaucasia). J Hum Evol 38:785–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gendron-Badou A, Coradin T, Maquet J, Frölich F, Livage J (2003) Spectroscopic characterization of biogenic silica. J Non-Cryst Solids 316:331–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green FJ (1979) Phosphatic mineralization of seeds from archaeological sites. J Archaeol Sci 6:279–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahren AH, Gabel ML, Amundson R (1998) Biomineralization in seeds: developmental trends in isotopic signatures of hackberry. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 138:259–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahren AH, Amundson R, Kendall C, Wigand P (2001) Paleoclimatic reconstruction using the correlation in δ18O of hackberry carbonate and environmental water, North America. Quatern Res 56(2):252–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kunzler RH, Goodell HG (1970) The aragonite-calcite transformation: a problem in the kinetics of a solid-solid reaction. Am J Sci 269:360–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Lecomte J (1949) Le rayonnement infrarouge. Gauthier-Villard, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Lordkipanidze D, Jashashvili T, Vekua A, Ponce de León MS, Zollikofer CE, Rightmire GP, Pontzer H, Ferring R, Oms O, Tappen M, Bukhsianidze M, Agusti J, Kahlke R, Kiladze G, Martinez-Navarro B, Mouskhelishvili A, Nioradze M, Rook L (2007) Postcranial evidence from early Homo from Dmanisi, Georgia. Nature 449:305–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matterne V (2001) Agriculture et alimentation végétale durant l’âge du Fer et l’époque gallo-romaine en France septentrionale. M. Mergoil Edition, Montagnac

    Google Scholar 

  • McCobb LME, Briggs DEG, Evershed RP, Hall AR, Hall RA (2001) Preservation of fossil seeds from a 10th century AD cess pit at Coppergate, York. J Archaeol Sci 28:929–940

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCobb LME, Briggs DEG, Carruthers WJ, Evershed RP (2003) Phosphatisation of seeds and roots in a Late Bronze Age deposit at Potterne, Wiltshire, UK. J Archaeol Sci 30:1269–1281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Messager E, (2006) Apports des études paléobotaniques à la reconstitution paleoenvironnementale du site de Dmanissi et de sa région (Géorgie). Ph.D. Thesis, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

  • Messager E, Lordkipanidze D, Ferring CR, Deniaux B (2008) Fossil fruit identification by SEM investigations, a tool for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Dmanisi site, Georgia. J Archaeol Sci 35(10):2715–2725

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moenke HHW (1974) The infrared spectra of minerals. In: EVC Farmer (ed) Mineralogical Society Monograph, London, pp. 365

  • Peric J, Vucak M, Krstulovic R, Brecevic LJ, Kralj D (1996) Phase transformation of calcium carbonate polymorphs. Thermochim acta 277:175–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pichard C, Fröhlich F (1986) Analyses infrarouges quantitatives des sédiments. Exemple du dosage du quartz et de la calcite. Revue de l'Institut Français du Pétrole 41(6):809–819

    Google Scholar 

  • Pustovoytov K, Riehl S (2006) Suitability of biogenic carbonate of Lithospermum fruits for 14C dating. Quatern Res 65(3):508–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pustovoytov K, Riehl S, Mittmann S (2004) Radiocarbon age of carbonate in fruits of Lithospermum from the early Bronze Age settlement of Hirbet ez-Zeraqon (Jordan). Veg Hist Archaeobot 13:207–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Retallack G (1990) Soils of the past, an introduction to Paleopedology. Blackwell publishing, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Seibert J (1978) Fruchtanatomische Untersuchungen an Lithospermeae (Boraginaceae). Dissertationes Botanicae 44:1–207

    Google Scholar 

  • van Zeist W, Buitenhuis H (1983) Palaeobotanical studies of Neolithic Erbaba, Turkey. Anatolica 10:47–89

    Google Scholar 

  • van Zeist W, de Roller GJ (1995) Plant remains from Asikli Hoyuk, a pre-pottery Neolithic site in central Anatolia. Veg Hist Archaeobot 4:179–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vekua A, Lordkipanidze D, Rightmire GP, Agusti J, Ferring R, Maisuradze G, Zollikofer C (2002) A new skull of early Homo from Dmanisi, Georgia. Science 297:85–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Jahren AH, Amundson RG (1997) Potential for 14C dating of biogenic carbonate in hackberry (Celtis) endocarps. Quatern Res 47:337–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilby PR, Briggs DEG (1997) Taxonomic trends in the resolution of detail preserved in fossil phosphatized soft tissues. Geobios 20:493–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yanovsky E, Nelson EK, Kingsbury RM (1932) Berries rich in calcium. Science 75:565–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhaodong N, Xiangna C, Qianqian Y, Xiuzhen W, Zuoyi S, Wanguo H (2008) Structure transition from aragonite to vaterite and calcite by the assistance of SDBS. J Colloid Interface Sci 325:331–336

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was prepared in collaboration with the Georgian National Museum, the French Museum of Natural History (MNHN) and the René Ginouvès Institute for Archaeology and Anthropology (MAE). We wish to express our gratefulness to Lucy Mc Cobb for her comments on the paper and the English editing which significantly helped to improve the manuscript. This research was completed during a postdoctoral project coordinated by Stéphanie Thiébault and supported by the ‘Ile de France regional council’. We thank Dorian Q. Fuller and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions, which greatly improved our paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maison de l’Archéologie et de l’Ethnologie, UMR 7041, ArscAn, 21, allée de l’Université, 92023, Nanterre cedex, France

    Erwan Messager

  2. Département de Préhistoire, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, UMR 7194, IPH, 1, rue René Panhard, 75013, Paris, France

    Erwan Messager, Brigitte Deniaux & Pierre Voinchet

  3. Département de Préhistoire, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, UMR 7194, Centre de Spectroscopie Infrarouge, CP 57, 57, rue Cuvier, 75231, Paris cedex 05, France

    Aïcha Badou & François Fröhlich

  4. Georgian National Museum, 3, Rustaveli Avenue, 0105, Tbilisi, Georgia

    David Lordkipanidze

Authors
  1. Erwan Messager
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aïcha Badou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. François Fröhlich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Brigitte Deniaux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. David Lordkipanidze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Pierre Voinchet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Erwan Messager.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Messager, E., Badou, A., Fröhlich, F. et al. Fruit and seed biomineralization and its effect on preservation. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 2, 25–34 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-010-0024-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-010-0024-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation