BIOMOLECULAR ARCHAEOLOGY OF WHEAT - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

The study of ancient biomolecules in preserved wheat remains could pro vide information on both the initial development of agriculture and it s subsequent trajectories and spread in relation to changing human soc iety. We have detected ancient DNA in extracts prepared from charred, waterlogged and mineralized wheat seeds, and have used the polymerase chain reaction to study specific genetic regions of the ancient DNA pr eserved in Triticum spelta from Danebury, UK and T. dicoccum from Assi ros, Greece. We discuss future developments in the biomolecular archae ology of wheat, including the possibility of a genetic test that may e nable tetraploid and hexaploid wheat remains to be distinguished by an cient DNA analysis.