MOLECULAR ECOLOGY OF A NEOLITHIC MEADOW - THE DNA OF THE GRASS REMAINS FROM THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF THE TYROLEAN ICEMAN

The paper reports on the molecular analysis of samples of approximatel y 5,300-year-old grass found at the alpine archaeological site where t he so-called Tyrolean Iceman was discovered. The grass comes from a 'c loak' made of long grass blades and/or the stuffing of the 'snow footw ear' worn by the Iceman. The results show that while the largest fract ion of the DNA extractable from the grass is of 'foreign' origin, a mu ch smaller part belongs to the original genetic material of the grass itself, and can be used as a valuable taxonomic clue to the plant spec ies utilized by neolithic men to manufacture their equipment. On the o ther hand, the 'foreign' DNA, or at least a portion of it, comes from microorganisms - mainly filamentous fungi and unicellular algae - whic h seem to have been associated with the grass since the time the grass was harvested.