THE EXTRACTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF POLLEN FROM A BEESWAX STATUE

The extraction and identification of pollen grains from core samples t aken from a beeswax statue is described. The samples contained only sm all amounts of pollen compared to a recent sample of commercial beeswa x. Ten pollen types were identified. The most abundant were Onobrychis , Cytisus and Trifolium. Anchusa, Campanula, Centaurea, Chenopodium, J uniperus or Cupressus, Pinus and Labiatae were present in small quanti ties. In broad terms, the results suggest that the beeswax was produce d by bees foraging in a cornfield, or cultivated land, probably in sou thern Europe, before the widespread use of herbicides.