New Book- Biomolecular Archaeology

Biomolecular Archaeology: An Introduction

Terry Brown and Keri Brown

John Wiley and Sons

ISBN: 978-1-4051-7960-7

2011, 336 pages

From the website:

Illustrated thoroughly, Biomolecular Archaeology is the first book to clearly guide students through the study of ancient DNA: how to analyze biomolecular evidence (DNA, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) to address important archaeological questions.

• The first book to address the scope and methods of this new cross-disciplinary area of research for archaeologists
• Offers a completely up-to-date overview of the latest research in this innovative subject
• Guides students who wish to become biomolecular archaeologists through the complexities of both the scientific methods and archaeological goals.
• Provides an essential component to undergraduate and graduate archaeological research

Neanderthals and DNA in the news

As part of its end of the year 2010 in the news series, NPR had a review (text and audio) on Neanderthal and DNA stories.

Read about the 40,000 year-old finger (Neanderthal) and the 4,000 year-old bald guy (not Neanderthal), the Neanderthal genome, and the Neanderthal in us.

(You will not read about the Geico Neandertal in the photo.)

DNA of ancient hair

A research article reported in Nature is being widely circulated. Eske Willerslev, of the Niels Bohr Institute and Institute of Biology University of Copenhagen, along with many co-authors, recovered the genome of a Greenland resident of 4,000 years ago, using 4 strands of hair. Great science as a result of dogged persistence, increasingly powerful technical methods, and being in the right place at the right time.

From the article in the NY Times by Nicholas Wade:

The genome of a man who lived on the western coast of Greenland some 4,000 years ago has been decoded, thanks to the surprisingly good preservation of DNA in a swatch of his hair so thick it was originally thought to be from a bear.

This is the first time the whole genome of an ancient human has been analyzed, and it joins the list of just eight whole genomes of living people that have been decoded so far. It also sheds new light on the settlement of North America by showing there was a hitherto unsuspected migration of people across the continent, from Siberia to Greenland, some 5,500 years ago.

Or, listen to the NPR story by Christopher Joyce.

I guess I should have saved some of my hair when I went to the friseur in Stuttgart on Monday.

Blood and guts and archaeometry- eBook available

Archaeological Science Under a Microscope
Studies in Residue and Ancient DNA Analysis in Honour of Thomas H. Loy
Terra Australis 30
Edited by Michael Haslam, Gail Robertson, Alison Crowther, Sue Nugent and Luke Kirkwood
ISBN 9781921536847 $55.00 (GST inclusive)
ISBN 9781921536854 (Online)
Published July 2009

These highly varied studies, spanning the world, demonstrate how much modern analyses of microscopic traces on artifacts are altering our perceptions of the past. Ranging from early humans to modern kings, from ancient Australian spears or Mayan pots to recent Maori cloaks, the contributions demonstrate how starches, raphides, hair, blood, feathers, resin and DNA have become essential elements in archaeology’s modern arsenal for reconstructing the daily, spiritual, and challenging aspects of ancient lives and for understanding human evolution. The book is a fitting tribute to Tom Loy, the pioneer of residue studies and gifted teacher who inspired and mentored these exciting projects.

Downloadable for free in pdf format.