Abstract
Paleofeces act like a miniature time capsule, providing highly resolved snapshots into individual dietary habits. Various information sources are present in naturally desiccated ancient feces, including plant and animal macro- and microfossils, parasite eggs, and biomolecules (DNA, proteins, lipids, and metabolites). Here we will present two multidisciplinary paleofeces studies that unlocked new insights into past cuisines and individual culinary practices through the reconstruction of in-depth dietary fingerprints.
By undertaking a complementary -omics approach, including high throughput sequence analysis of ancient biomolecules and microscopy, we analyzed the stomach content of the 5,300-year-old Iceman mummy, commonly known as Ötzi. Our analysis showed that the Iceman seemed to have had a remarkably high proportion of fat in his diet, supplemented with dried wild meat, cereals, and traces of bracken. Microscopic examination provided in addition first evidence of food preparation methods showing that the Iceman either consumed fresh or dried meat. In our second study we subjected four human paleofeces from the Hallstatt salt mines dated from the Bronze Age to early Modern Times to an in-depth microscopic, metagenomic and proteomic analysis. Our dietary survey identified bran and glumes of different cereals as one of the most prevalent plant fragments. This highly fibrous, carbohydrate-rich diet was supplemented with proteins from broad beans and occasionally with fruits, nuts, or animal food. The miner´s diet was complex and included also fermented food. Specifically, fungal analysis of one of the Iron Age samples showed significant levels of Penicillium roqueforti and Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA, fungi that ferment blue cheese and beer, respectively.
By integrating findings from multiple disciplines, we could reconstruct holistic portraits of past individual foodways and culinary practices. Importantly, the application of cutting-edge analytical techniques to paleofecal studies continues to push the boundaries of archaeological research, offering new avenues for investigating the past.