Video: 45.000 seeds, fruits and plants in a unique collection
In the 1950s, professors from the former Biological Archaeological Institute at the University of Groningen initiated a seed and fruit collection to aid in the identification of plant remains found in archaeological excavations.
Over the past decades, Prof René Cappers has expanded the collection, not only with seeds and fruits but also including various stages of traditional crop processing, food products, and medicinal plants. The result is a unique reference collection comprising over 45,000 samples.
In this video, archaeobotanist dr Sonja Filatova explains how the collection is utilized for scientific research.
The collection has become a global standard reference in various scientific disciplines and organizations involved in seed identification. The Groningen collection is physically accessible and is currently housed at the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, but it will soon be secured in a state-of-the-art vault at Zernike.
Additionally, the collection is available for consultation through the website Digital Plant Atlas and a series of books.
Last modified: | 25 November 2024 1.26 p.m. |
More news
-
05 February 2025
Causes of Death Unraveled: From Doctor's Note to Dataset
The leading cause of death in the past year was dementia (*). But how was that in the nineteenth and early twentieth century? Researchers at Radboud University, the University of Groningen and Leiden University started a project to uncover this by...
-
03 February 2025
The Frisian language is passed on more successfully than Low Saxon
Frisian is in a better condition than Low Saxon. Frisians tend to use the language more at home and are better at passing it on than inhabitants of the region where Low Saxon is spoken. In addition, Frisian is less receptive to Dutch influences than...
-
30 January 2025
UG research on extremism in IJsselland
Although extremism is a limited phenomenon in IJsselland, it should be taken seriously due to its dynamic and multifaceted nature and recent social developments. This is the conclusion of a research report published today on extremism in the eleven...