Abstract
Chemical analysis of archaeological objects is an important part of current investigations. In the presented study, a soil from an archaeological vessel from rescue excavation close to the village Držovice (Central Moravia Region, Czech Republic; findings dated to Eneolithic period) was analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and firstly in archaeological science by atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Miliacin, a chemical marker of a broomcorn millet, was unambiguously confirmed by both techniques. The obtained results can help to understand the diet habits of Corded Ware population and connection between Central Europe and Asia, where broomcorn millet has been domesticated. The identification of miliacin as a “chemical imprint” of millet from the end of Eneolithic period of Moravia is therefore extraordinarily important.
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Funding
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Czech Science Foundation [17-17346S], Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic by the project CZ.1.05/2.1.00/19.0377 and LO1305 and Palacký University Olomouc [project IGA PrF 2018 027] for the financial support.
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Chromatograms of soil extract from third soil layer of ceramic vessel No. 2 (upper bulge). MRM transition 440 → 189 (a.); MS1 SIM scan type of m/z 189 (b.); MSI SIM scan type of m/z 204 (c.) and MS1 SIM scan type of m/z 218 (d.).
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Kučera, L., Peška, J., Fojtík, P. et al. First direct evidence of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) in Central Europe. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 11, 4221–4227 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-019-00798-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-019-00798-4