How can starch grains found on stone tools reveal foods used by past people?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Archaeology Archaeologists mapping their finds at Pachacamac, Peru, an Indigenous town occupied from approximately 200 bce to 1532 ce, when it was sacked by conquistadors under the command of Francisco Pizarro.

Starch grains are microscopic structures produced by plants that serve as a vital tool in archaeology for reconstructing ancient diets. Because these grains are highly distinctive, they can be used to identify specific plant types that might otherwise leave no trace in the archaeological record.1

When plants are processed, starch grains often become trapped on the surfaces of stone tools or pottery. Because these grains are durable and can remain preserved for long periods, researchers can recover them from these artifacts to determine which plants were being handled, ground, or cooked by past populations.1

This method is particularly significant because it allows for the identification of food remains that do not preserve well through other means, such as potatoes. By analyzing these grains alongside other botanical evidence like pollen and phytoliths, archaeologists can gain a detailed understanding of the plant species utilized by ancient people and their relationship with the surrounding environment.1