An interesting article currently online and set to appear in the May 2007 issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science suggests that DNA may be obtained from ancient manuscripts written on animal skin parchment. The article, Ancient DNA and the genetic signature of ancient Greek manuscripts, written by N. Poulakakis (Natural History Museum of Crete, University of Crete) and colleagues, discusses the methods and practical uses of the identification of the species of animal (in this case goat) and possibly some additional genetic data from ancient parchments.
One story about the invention of parchment is that the use of animal skin to make writing paper was invented at the Greek city of Pergamon (now Bergama in present-day Turkey) during the second century BC. During the Attalid dynasty [282-129 BC], so the story goes, a library was built at Pergamon that rivaled the better-known Library at Alexandria. When papyrus reed was over-harvested on the Nile during this period, and the prices grew too high to import, an alternative manuscript paper was required. Other sources suggest that parchment dates to at least the 6th BC in Babylon. As it was then, parchment today is manufactured by removing the flesh and hair from an animal skin and then scraping and drying the skin into flat sheets. This method of paper manufacture reached its height of popularity during the middle ages.
Three manuscripts which eventually did produce goat DNA included two dated to the 13th century AD, and one from the 16th century AD; precise provenance on these manuscripts was not given in the article. This preliminary analysis is a proof of concept, and researchers plan to continue the work on the more than 3,000 manuscripts available in libraries throughout the region.
History of Parchment Production
One story about the invention of parchment is that the use of animal skin to make writing paper was invented at the Greek city of Pergamon (now Bergama in present-day Turkey) during the second century BC. During the Attalid dynasty [282-129 BC], so the story goes, a library was built at Pergamon that rivaled the better-known Library at Alexandria. When papyrus reed was over-harvested on the Nile during this period, and the prices grew too high to import, an alternative manuscript paper was required. Other sources suggest that parchment dates to at least the 6th BC in Babylon. As it was then, parchment today is manufactured by removing the flesh and hair from an animal skin and then scraping and drying the skin into flat sheets. This method of paper manufacture reached its height of popularity during the middle ages.
Medieval Manuscripts
Poulakakis et al. looked at fragments of six Medieval Greek parchments which were dated between the 13th and 16th centuries AD. When an animal dies, its DNA begins to break down, but under certain circumstances, such as when rapid dessication occurs (such as during parchment manufacture), the DNA may survive fragmented but adequately intact for some investigative purposes. And, in fact, some of the manuscripts looked at by Poulakakis et al. did contain enough intact chains of DNA to identify the contributing animal as a goat in all three cases.Three manuscripts which eventually did produce goat DNA included two dated to the 13th century AD, and one from the 16th century AD; precise provenance on these manuscripts was not given in the article. This preliminary analysis is a proof of concept, and researchers plan to continue the work on the more than 3,000 manuscripts available in libraries throughout the region.
- N. Poulakakis, A. Tselikas, I. Bitsakis, M. Mylonas, and P. Lymberakis. 2007. Ancient DNA and the genetic signature of ancient Greek manuscripts. Journal of Archaeological Science 34:675-680.
- Domestication of Goats
- Ancient Writing
- History of Parchment, Wikipedia entry
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