Reassessment of Triticeae Starch Grain from Dental Calculus of Human Remain from Plawangan Site, Rembang Tinjauan Kembali Temuan Butir Pati Triticeae pada Kalkulus Gigi Rangka Manusia Situs Plawangan, Rembang

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Published: Nov 19, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55981/jba.2025.11355
Keywords:
Starch grains, Triticeae, archaeobotany, dental calculus, plawangan site

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M. Dziyaul F. Arrozain
Departemen Arkeologi, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Gadjah Mada
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7029-0101
Intan Puspitasari
Alumnus S-1 Arkeologi, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Sofwan Noerwidi
Research Centre for Archaeometry, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2098-8496

Abstract

The extraction of plant micro remains from the dental calculus of human remains at the Plawangan site yielded a starch grain. Preliminary analysis with a limited reference sample suggested that the starch indicated the consumption of cereal from the Triticeae plants, specifically wheat or barley, in the early AD. This article aims to reassess the starch previously identified as belonging to the Triticeae. The starch was re-examined using descriptive-qualitative and multivariate comparative analyses, including LDA and cluster analysis. The data used were wheat and barley starch reference samples extracted from fresh plants. The result demonstrated that the starch from the dental calculus was not origin from Triticeae, particularly wheat and barley. This was due to the primer difference in surface area. The result also invalidated the initial interpretation suggesting the consumption of wheat or barley at the Plawangan site in the early AD.

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How to Cite
Arrozain, M. D. F., Puspitasari, I., & Noerwidi, S. (2025). Reassessment of Triticeae Starch Grain from Dental Calculus of Human Remain from Plawangan Site, Rembang: Tinjauan Kembali Temuan Butir Pati Triticeae pada Kalkulus Gigi Rangka Manusia Situs Plawangan, Rembang. Berkala Arkeologi , 45(2), 121–146. https://doi.org/10.55981/jba.2025.11355
Issue
Vol. 45 No. 2 (2025)
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Articles
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Author Biographies

Intan Puspitasari, Alumnus S-1 Arkeologi, Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Lahir di Gunungkidul, pada 1 Oktober 2000, Intan mendapatkan gelar Sarjana Arkeologi dari Universitas Gadjah Mada pada 2023. Selama menempuh studi, Intan memiliki ketertarikan pada lingkup kajian human dietary. Hal ini dituangkan dalam penelitian skripsinya yang berjudul Variasi Bahan Makanan Dua Individu Pendukung Situs Plawangan Berdasarkan Analisis Starch dan Fitolit pada Kalkulus Gigi. Selain itu, beliau juga menghasilkan karya lain berupa Penggunaan Wahana Digital dalam Promosi dan Pemasaran Batik sebagai Kontekstualisasi Pelestarian Cagar Budaya yang diterbitkan di Jurnal Bakti Budaya FIB UGM pada tahun 2022.

Sofwan Noerwidi, Research Centre for Archaeometry, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)

Lahir di Kebumen, pada 23 Februari 1980, Sofwan Noerwidi merupakan salah satu peneliti di Pusat Riset Arkeometri, Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN). Beliau mendapatkan gelar Sarjana Arkeologi dari Universitas Gadjah Mada pada 2003, gelar Magister dari Sorbonne Université-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, Prancis pada 2010, serta gelar Doktor dari kampus yang sama pada 2020. Saat ini, Beliau aktif melakukan penelitian dalam bidang Prasejarah Kuarter, khususnya tentang migrasi, adaptasi, evolusi, dan interaksi manusia di Kepulauan Asia Tenggara. Publikasi terbarunya meliputi: Pop, E., Noerwidi, S., & Spoor, F. (2024). Naming Homo erectus: A review. Journal of Human Evolution, 190, 103516. Widianto, H., & Noerwidi, S. (2023). Long journey of Indonesian Homo erectus: Arrival and dispersal in Java Island. L'Anthropologie, 127(3), 103167. Widianto, H., & Noerwidi, S. (2023). The emergence and distribution of early modern human in Indonesia. L'Anthropologie, 127(3), 103161.

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