Results of FEFU archaeological expeditions learned in Harvard

Dec. 2, 2014 - PRLog -- Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School (USA) has commenced analysis of ancient human remains, founded by FEFU scientists during archaeological expeditions. By using comprehensive analysis, a group of Harvard scientists is going to determine more precise age of these remains and food ancient people, who used to occupy the territory of modern Primorsky Krai, used to eat, and find out what present national ethos are their closest descendants.

Within the framework of the related agreement, В рамках соглашения, FEFU Scientific Museum sent 60 samples to the Harvard University for carrying out the study. As Alexander Popov, Director of the Scientific Museum, explained, they are selected remains of various burial grounds that were found during expeditions, carried out by FEFU departments and Museum, or were submitted by Archaeology and Ethnography of the Peoples of the Far East, FEB RAS. The samples, submitted by the FEFU to the Department of Genetics, are aged 6000 to 1500 years, and were founded at the following archaeological sites: Boisman-2 (Khasansky District) and Pospelov-1 (Russky Island).

According to Alexander Popov, this cooperation was initiated by American scientists, who got interested in a number of archaeology-related academic papers of FEFU employees and teachers.

«Submitted samples are unique in their own way. They will contribute to the fundamental study of ancient human population migration on the Pacific Ocean shores and human genome. Besides, it will allow more detailed decryption of historical processes that took place in the territory of Primorsky Krai, since our foreign colleagues are carrying our comprehensive study, using the most innovative methods. I am sure this work will resulted with a number of important joint academic papers and strong international connections», — pointed out Alexander Popov.

At the moment, the samples, submitted to Harvard, are being put through multistage analysis. Their radiocarbon composition is being analyzed, so it will be possible to determine more precise age of the remains, while analysis of bone DNA will allow scientists to find out paleo diet of ancient humans and search for the closest descendants of the latter. Employees of FEFU Scientific Museum expect results of this study to be announced within coming months.

Noteworthy, at present, there are remains of about 50 ancient humans in the storage facility of the Scientific Museum. The most representative samples, i.e. male and female skeletons that belong to Boisman archaeological culture of the Middle Neolithic Period, are displayed in the exposition of FEFUMuseum Archaeology and Ethnography. The agreement between Scientific Museum of the Far Eastern Federal University and Harvard Medical School has no time limits. Scientists of both institutions intend further cooperation, as unique findings that allow to carry out studies on world civilization history are delivered to FEFU storage facilities.