Ancient DNA Research in Maritime and Underwater Archaeology: Pitfalls, Promise, and Future Directions

Lisa Briggs

doi:10.5334/oq.71

Abstract

The rapid progression of DNA technology allows for the application of recently developed techniques to an ever-growing body of archaeological and environmental material recovered from submerged archaeological sites. As NGS and DNA Capture replace PCR as the predominant method used to characterise DNA present within an archaeological sample, it is necessary to consider how this effects the possibilities for future research, but also gives cause to reconsider the findings of previously published work from PCR experiments on archaeological material from submerged sites. In this review, the pitfalls, promise, and future directions of ancient DNA research on archaeological material from coastal and maritime sites are discussed. Here, it is argued that a common stumbling block in past research has been a lack of characterisation of the deposition environment, and that this has obscured our understanding of DNA identified at submerged sites. Unique aspects of the marine environment may present further complications in our attempts to authenticate ancient DNA. Overcoming these challenges will significantly enhance our ability to confidently assign an archaeological origin to DNA isolated in artefacts, organic remains, and sediments from submerged archaeological sites.

Highlights

For many decades the study of ancient shipwrecks, harbours, and sunken cities has offered tantalising clues to migration, mobility, trade, and urban development in human history (Bass, 1970; Blackman, 1973; Frost, 1963; Muckelroy, 1978; Throckmorton, 1965)
ADNA research conducted on archaeological materials involved the cloning and analysis of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from the preserved soft tissues of animals (Higuchi et al, 1984), humans (Pääbo, 1985), and to a lesser extent, plants (Goloubinoff et al, 1993; Poinar et al, 1993), primarily from museum specimens that had originally been excavated from terrestrial sites
Given these unique aspects of the marine environment, which differ significantly between underwater archaeological sites, we must question whether established methods of assessing the characteristic damage patterns of ancient DNA from terrestrial sites can confidently be applied to underwater environments where extremes in temperature and salinity may significantly slow the process of DNA degradation

Summary

Lisa Briggs

The rapid progression of DNA technology allows for the application of recently developed techniques to an ever-growing body of archaeological and environmental material recovered from submerged archaeological sites. As NGS and DNA Capture replace PCR as the predominant method used to characterise DNA present within an archaeological sample, it is necessary to consider how this effects the possibilities for future research, and gives cause to reconsider the findings of previously published work from PCR experiments on archaeological material from submerged sites. It is argued that a common stumbling block in past research has been a lack of characterisation of the deposition environment, and that this has obscured our understanding of DNA identified at submerged sites. Unique aspects of the marine environment may present further complications in our attempts to authenticate ancient DNA. Overcoming these challenges will significantly enhance our ability to confidently assign an archaeological origin to DNA isolated in artefacts, organic remains, and sediments from submerged archaeological sites

Introduction

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion