Powerful Plants: The Power of Plants as Food, Medicine and Raw Materials Before Agriculture
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: College of Arts
Abstract
Powerful Plants (PP) is based on the hypothesis that plant use was transformative in human evolution, long before agriculture developed. Plants are essential to our physical, psychological and physiological wellbeing. They provide us with energy, nutrients and raw materials. They can improve our mood and reduce stress while many of today's top prescription drugs are based on plant secondary compounds. The depth of the human connection to plants suggests this embedding happened during our evolution. Yet the full role of plants during the approximately 3 million years of the Palaeolithic and beyond up to the emergence of agriculture around 10,000 years ago is virtually unknown, primarily due to a lack of archaeological evidence. PP will use traditional and recently developed methods in an interdisciplinary approach to investigate three areas in which pre-agrarian plant use was pivotal in shaping future human trajectories, with implications that are still evident today. We will recover evidence for processed carbohydrate consumption, a highly efficient energy source with major consequences for humans then and now and genetic evidence to explore its impacts. PP will identify edible, poisonous and psychoactive properties of plants from pre-agrarian plant assemblages to develop a prehistory of medicine and the use of mind-altering plant substances. Twisting fibres into cordage was a major conceptual and technological development enabling composite technology to develop and the very extensive stand-alone, technologies based on looping and weaving. We will use the accumulated archaeological evidence, supported by experimental archaeology and ethnographic data, to investigate the influence of plants on social, cultural and genetic adaptations before farming. Our data will change perceptions of the pre-agrarian world and will provide a new perspective on the drivers and consequences of our recent evolution.
Organisations
- University of Glasgow (Lead Research Organisation)
- Moravian Museum (Collaboration)
- Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen (Collaboration)
- Penn State University (Collaboration)
- Institut de Paléontologie Humaine (Collaboration)
- Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste (Collaboration)
- Rovira i Virgili University (Collaboration)
- Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) (Collaboration)
- University of the Witwatersrand (Collaboration)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Collaboration)
- Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) (Collaboration)
- Musée de l'Homme (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Karen Hardy (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Karamperis K
(2024)
Genetic ancestry in population pharmacogenomics unravels distinct geographical patterns related to drug toxicity
in iScience
| Description | Advisory Panel Sydney |
| Organisation | University of Sydney |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Establishment of Advisory Panel. Meeting quarterly, the Advisory Panel is updated on current events and new activities, and invited to share their perspectives and offer advice. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Two senior members of the University of Sydney (Professor Les Copeland, Professor Jennie Brand Miller) are members of the Powerful Plants Advisory Panel. Meeting quarterly, the Advisory Panel is updated on current events and new activities, and the Panel members offer advice and perspectives. They have all expressed a wish to be more directly involved, in particular when the project begins to produce data and results and publications. |
| Impact | This will be forthcoming as the project moves to dissemination of results. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CBRL Advisory |
| Organisation | Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Establishment of Advisory Panel. Meeting quarterly, the Advisory Panel is updated on current events and new activities, and invited to share their perspectives and offer advice. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Carol Palmer, Director of the CBRL is a member of the Powerful Plants Advisory Panel. Meeting quarterly, the Advisory Panel is updated on current events and new activities, and the Panel members offer advice and perspectives. They have all expressed a wish to be more directly involved, in particular when the project begins to produce data and results and publications. Dr Palmer advises on the protocols of UK research in the region. This is to ensure that the Powerful Plants project complies with all UK directives on resarch here. |
| Impact | No direct outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CSIC project partner |
| Organisation | Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | This is a project partner and collaboration is covered a formal agreement between the University of Glasgow and the CSIC. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This collaboration began in mid 2023. It provides for a 4 year PhD project on genetics of dietary adapations in Eurasia, in the Palaeoltihic. As yet, there are no project outputs. |
| Impact | This collaboration has only recently begun. As yet, there are no project outputs. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration with Moravian Museum, BRNO |
| Organisation | Moravian Museum |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Sample collecting took place at the Moravian Museum in May and September 2023, and will continue in 2024. The research on these samples is ongoing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of samples. Ongoing sample collection and research in collaboration with the Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic. It is too soon to have any outputs. These will be forthcoming over the duration of the overall Powerful Plants project. |
| Impact | This collaboration only began in 2023. It is too early for any outputs. These will be forthcoming over the duration of the overall Powerful Plants project. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ELETTRA Sincrotrone |
| Organisation | Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provision of archaeological materials for analysis |
| Collaborator Contribution | CT-Scan, ELETTRA Sincrotrone, Trieste to investigate internal structures. |
| Impact | None so far. Awaiting first results. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | HUJ sampling and Advisory |
| Organisation | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
| Country | Israel |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Samples have been taken from a series of archaeological remains following site and departmental visits in July 2023. Establishment of Advisory Panel. Meeting quarterly, the Advisory Panel is updated on current events and new activities, and invited to share their perspectives and offer advice. Panel Member, Professor Anna Belfer Cohen. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of facilities and archaeological remains for sample taking. Professor Anna Belfer Cohen is a member of the Powerful Plants Advisory Panel. Meeting quarterly, the Advisory Panel is updated on current events and new activities, and the Panel members offer advice and perspectives. They have all expressed a wish to be more directly involved, in particular when the project begins to produce data and results and publications. |
| Impact | This collaboration only began in 2023. Research and analysis of samples is ongoing. First publication anticipated in 2024. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | IPH sampling |
| Organisation | Institut de Paléontologie Humaine |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Sample collecting. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of archaeological samples. |
| Impact | Samples were collected in 2023. Their study is ongoing. There are as yet, not outputs. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | IPHES sample provision |
| Organisation | Rovira i Virgili University |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Sample collecting of archaeological materials and sediment samples from archaeological sites. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of samples from archaeological materials. Provision of access to archaeological site for sediment sample collection. |
| Impact | This collaboration only began in July 2023. Materials are in the process of being studied. It is too early for outputs. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Musee de l'Homme sampling |
| Organisation | Musée de l'Homme |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Sample collecting. An agreement has been made between the Musee de l'Homme and the Powerful Plants project. Relevant samples were taken in 2023, these are now under study. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of material for sampling. |
| Impact | This work has only recently begun. There are as yet, no outputs. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Penn State University analyses collaboration |
| Organisation | Penn State University |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Sample provision for collaboration on research and analysis. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Research collaboration and analysis of samples. |
| Impact | This research collaboration has only just begun in 2024. It is too early for outputs. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | University of Tubingen project partner |
| Organisation | Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Formal project partnership agreement between the University of Glasgow and the University of Tubingen for the period December 2023 - December 2024, for completion of a self contained project, as part of the Powerful Plants project proposal. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This partnership is being used to employ a postdoctoral research assistant under the direction of Professor Herve Bocherens, to complete a study of Compound Specific Stable Isotope Analysis and at least one publication during 2024. |
| Impact | This partnership only began in December 2023, therefore there are as yet, no outputs or outcomes. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Witwaterstand University sampling provision |
| Organisation | University of the Witwatersrand |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Sampling of archaeological sediments from the site of Klasies River. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of access to archaeological sites for sample taking. |
| Impact | Samples collection took place in August 2023. Analysis is ongoing. It is too soon for outputs. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Conference presentation Bushra Bibi |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Conference presentation at the Scottish Student Archeology Society Conference, 2024. Oral presentation: The Origin of String. Conference presentation by PhD student, Bushra Bibi |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Conference presentation Gayana Bexultanova |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Conference presentation at the Scottish Student Archeology Society Conference, 2024. Oral presentation: From Modern Biomes to Mammoth Steppe: A Systematic Study of Plant Use during the Upper Palaeolithic in Siberia". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Conference presentation: INQUA 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Laura Longo (Post Doctoral researcher, Ca'Foscari University, Venice, Italy). Conference presentation. Plants as Resources for Early Humans - Availability and potential exploitation of useful wild plants through Pleistocene human history. Based on this presentation, new collaborations are currently in discussion with directors of the following Palaeolithic sites with the aim of obtaining research samples: Grotta Guattari, Satsurblia cave, Lucone D, Italy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Conference presentation: Isobel Littlewood |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Conference presentation at the Scottish Student Archeology Society Conference, 2024. Oral presentation: Diet and Beyond? Investigating Humans and Plants through Dental Calculus. Isobel Littlewood, PhD student. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Conference presentation: UISPP 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Laura Longo (Postdoctoral researcher, based at Ca'Foscari University) Conference presentation "Functional studies of prehistoric artifacts and their socio-economic significance", I attended the Session "Traceology in the 21st Century: Contributions to Archaeological Science and the Human Journey". Editorship of a Journal Volume. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Multiple radio, TV and press reports. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Article was published in 2023 with Karen Hardy as senior author (Buckley, S., Hardy, K., et al, 2023. Human consumption of seaweed and freshwater aquatic plants in ancient Europe. Nature Communications, 14(1), p.6192 - Attention Score 1856). While the research conducted was not funded by this award, the public outputs took place while in receipt of this award. A full worldwide press release led to multiple interviews for international TV, radio and press. I also wrote a piece for 'The Conversation' (https://theconversation.com/people-in-europe-ate-seaweed-for-thousands-of-years-before-it-largely-disappeared-from-their-diets-new-research-216184) that has to date almost 13,000 reads, and has been reported in 26 outlets. During these, I placed this research into the context of the broader research of the need for plants to be studied and included in all research into the Palaeolithic (the current project) and highlighted this research focus. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participation in a NHK TV documentary. "Years of wisdom - The mystery of herbal medicine and acupuncture" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was filmed being interviewed and taking samples both in Ostuni Museum, Italy, and at the nearby archaeological site. This interview at the archaeological site will be used to open the programme. A previous NHK documentary I took part in (The Origins of Food) was shown 3 times on Japanese TV, the fist time the audience was reported as being 10million, I do not have audience numbers for the other two showings. Both of these programmes will be translated for workwide distribution (the earlier one has been delayed due to Covid). The new programme is set for releae in 2024. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Public lecture, Cynthia Larbey |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation in person and online, of individual research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Public lecture, Karen Hardy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and overview of the Powerful Plants project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Public lecture, Laura Longo |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of individual research project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |