Biomolecular Archaeology An Introduction

Illustrated thoroughly, Biomolecular Archaeology is the first book to clearly guide students through the study of ancient DNA: how to analyze biomolecular evidence (DNA, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) to address important archaeological questions. Biomolecular Archaeology investigates how biomolecular evidence (DNA, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) can be used to address important archaeological questions. Terry Brown and Keri Brown describe this remarkable revolution in the study of historic and prehistoric biological materials, and provide the fundamental tools for studying the preserved or ‘ancient’ biomolecules recovered from human, plant, and animal remains. A clear guide for students and an excellent resource for researchers, Biomolecular Archaeology illustrates a variety of analytical techniques taken from evolutionary biology, such as PCR, proteomics, and image analysis; and from chemistry, such as mass spectrometry and isotope analysis. With this new array of DNA evidence, the authors demonstrate how researchers can recover valuable information about the evolution of human societies and the environments in which we live. Illustrated thoroughly, Biomolecular Archaeology is the first book to clearly guide students through the study of ancient DNA: how to analyze biomolecular evidence (DNA, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) to address important archaeological questions. The first book to address the scope and methods of this new cross-disciplinary area of research for archaeologists Offers a completely up-to-date overview of the latest research in this innovative subject Guides students who wish to become biomolecular archaeologists through the complexities of both the scientific methods and archaeological goals. Provides an essential component to undergraduate and graduate archaeological research