Research project
The use of animal manure by prehistoric and early medieval farmers
Did early farmers deliberately use animal manure on their fields?
- Contact
- Corrie Bakels
- Partners
Project description
Did early farmers deliberately use animal manure on their fields? The question is tackled by measuring δ 15N in both cereal grains retrieved from excavations and cereals grown for the purpose without manuring and charred at the same temperature as the excavated specimens. The project comprises measuring of the temperature which left the archaeological grains charred and growing grain in large tubs without any manuring. The tubs are filled with different types of soil obtained from land that has not received any kind of fertilizer during the past 50 years. Their crops will provide the baseline for the research.