Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology, University of Salento, Cultural Heritage, Via D. Birago 64, Lecce, 73100, Italy.
Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2012 Feb 15;26(3):327-35. doi: 10.1002/rcm.5323.
The discovery of a storeroom full of barley and other cereals (L.9512) in the proto-historic site of Ebla has provided a unique opportunity to study the centralized storage system of the early city-state from a different perspective. Epigraphic evidence available within the site reveals a complex system of taxation which included gathering grain tributes from satellite sites and redistributing semi-finished products such as flour. In this paper, we intend to explore the possibilities of a combined approach to studying the storage system, based on estimated barley grain volumes and δ(13)C-δ(15)N analyses. This approach is used to distinguish between grain from different harvesting sites and to identify any grain cultivated using special agricultural practices (e.g. manuring or irrigation). The basic assumption for this kind of analysis is that the growth-site conditions, natural or anthropogenic, of harvested cereals are reflected in their grain size and δ(13)C-δ(15)N values. Since the remains found in the storeroom were charred, the first task was to evaluate the effect of carbonization on the δ(13)C-δ(15)N and the size of the grains. Thus, the effect of charring was tested on modern samples of Syrian barley landraces. Once it had been ascertained that fresh grains reduced to charred remains retain their original biometric and isotopic traits, the ancient material was examined. Thirteen groups were identified, each characterized by a specific average volume and specific carbon and nitrogen values. The analysis revealed that what had first appeared to be a homogeneous concentration of grain was in fact an assemblage of barley harvested from different sites.
在proto-historic 遗址埃卜拉发现了一个装满大麦和其他谷物的储藏室（L.9512），这为从不同角度研究早期城邦的集中存储系统提供了一个独特的机会。在该遗址内提供的铭文证据揭示了一个复杂的税收制度，包括从卫星站点收集谷物贡品和重新分配面粉等半制成品。在本文中，我们打算探索一种基于估计大麦谷物量和δ(13)C-δ(15)N 分析的存储系统综合研究的可能性。这种方法用于区分来自不同收获地点的谷物，并识别任何使用特殊农业实践（例如施肥或灌溉）种植的谷物。这种分析的基本假设是，收获的谷物的生长地点条件，无论是自然的还是人为的，都会反映在它们的颗粒大小和 δ(13)C-δ(15)N 值上。由于储藏室中发现的残留物是烧焦的，因此首先要评估碳化对 δ(13)C-δ(15)N 和谷物大小的影响。因此，对现代叙利亚大麦地方品种的样本进行了碳化影响的测试。一旦确定，新鲜谷物减少到烧焦的残留物保留了它们原始的生物计量和同位素特征，就检查了古代材料。确定了十三个组，每个组都具有特定的平均体积和特定的碳和氮值。分析表明，最初似乎是均匀浓度的谷物实际上是从不同地点收获的大麦的混合物。
