Methods and ancient-genomics: radiocarbon re-dating and robust aDNA
Key Questions
How does Near-Infrared (NIR) collagen prediction aid archaeology?
NIR collagen prediction prescreens samples for collagen content non-destructively. Christina Ryder at Texas A&M discusses next steps to improve its reliability in archaeological preservation assessments.
What does the ancient DNA study reveal about the fall of Rome?
A genetic study of early medieval burials in southern Germany shows small migrations shaped Central Europe. It rewrites narratives on the fall of Rome by emphasizing gradual rather than massive population shifts.
Has a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age script from Iran been deciphered?
A French archaeologist claims to have cracked the mysterious 4,000-year-old Bronze Age script from ancient Iran. After over a century of failed attempts, this breakthrough offers new insights into early writing systems.
What advanced methods are used for re-dating ancient sites?
Radiocarbon re-dating places Mohenjo-daro at 3300 BC, while paleochannel radar links 31 Egyptian pyramids to ancient waterways. Multispectral imaging and AI decode texts from Herculaneum papyri, oracle bones, and cuneiform.
How is ancient DNA applied to various artifacts and remains?
aDNA analyzes Dead Sea Scrolls, a 15.8kya dog from Turkey, Jerash plague victims, and ghost ancestries like Donghulin. Combined with isotopes and paleoproteomics on millet calculus, it reveals diet, migration, and health histories.
Ahramat paleochannel radar links 31 pyramids; Dead Sea Scrolls aDNA; Fabricius AI hieroglyphs; NIR collagen prediction prescreening; paleoproteomics millet calculus; dog 15.8kya Turkey; multispectral/AI texts (Jewish MS, Roman game, Herculaneum papyri, Prism-OBI oracle bones, Hama cuneiform); Mohenjo-daro C14 3300 BC; Egypt arsenical bronze; Tiszafüred millet; Donghulin ghost ancestries; Jerash isotopes; Takashima/Singapore shipwreck C14/sensing; LiDAR/GPR/RTI global sites incl. Irish hillfort. Vet claims.