Seed
Description
Plant remains – such as seeds – are important objects of archaeological research. For example, the research area of archaeobotany (archaeology and botany) deals with the reconstruction of the vegetation and agricultural history. These finds can shed light on the cultivation methods and nutrition prevailing in the past and also point to climate changes. Archaeometric methods mainly refer to the dating of such plant materials and thus the chronological determination of their use. Here, macro remains (seeds, wood remains, roots etc.) or micro remains (pollen etc.) can be analysed.
Sample properties
Approximately 5-10 mg sample material is required for 14C dating. Individual grains are dateable if they are well preserved and at least 3 mm long. Otherwise several grains must be combined to a sample. The samples should be free of sediment. Please contact the laboratory if the sample quantities are much smaller.