Old Collections, New Perspectives: Analytical Reassessment of One of Europe's Biggest Archaeological Broomcorn Millet Deposits (Romania)

Abstract

The broomcorn millet grains (Panicum miliaceum) analysed in this study, recovered from Morteni tell (Romania), represent one of Europes largest archaeological millet deposits (150 kg). Originally attributed to the Chalcolithic period (Gumelnita culture), radiocarbon dating revealed a significantly later context (361 cal BC - 61 cal AD (95.4%)), placing the grains in the Late Iron Age - Latene, when millet was an established staple in the region. The uncharred, desiccated grains exhibited uneven preservation: while some retained isotopic values akin to fresh millet, others showed evidence of nitrogen loss due to diagenesis. High {delta}15N values point to intensive manuring, highlighting millets agricultural significance during the Iron Age. Combining isotopic data with FTIR-ATR analysis allowed the detection of diagenetic impacts and underscored the importance of cross-disciplinary approaches in archaeobotanical studies. These findings demonstrate the necessity of radiocarbon dating and integrated analyses to avoid misinterpretations based on stratigraphy alone and to enhance the reliability of data on ancient crop use and significance.