Biological and Cultural Evidence from Prehistoric Human Coprolites

Ancienit organic mnatcrial may be prcsersed when bacterial decay is partially or wholly inhibited by certain enX ironmental conditions and processes, such as refrigeration in permafrost, chemical action in peat bogs, continLuOLIS immersion in seawater, and desiccation in arid climnates. Conditions of extreme dryness in Egypt, Peru, Mexico. and the American West have preserved archeological material that inCluLdes human corpses in the form of na1tUral muLmmies and other Lsuially perishable organic material (1, 2). One of the most mundane, but aIt the same time interesting and informati%. types of paleobiological material is ianimal and humnan excrement preser in the form of coprolites (from the Greek kopros, nmeaining dutng, and lirltho. meaning stotne). There are two tvpes of ancient coprolites: mineralized animal excrement of great geological 'age (3) and prehistoric hmaln and animii-al feces preserved in ain organic state. A reviewv of the literattLre SuLggests that, aIthouLgh ancient coprolites pireserved by frost or desiccaltion occuLr mlore frequently than one wouLld SuLppose. there has been very little systematic collecting, aInd prCactically no detailed analysis, of this unusual and potentiallly informaitive biological mnaterial. Food habits of ancient aInd modern animal species have been stuLdied b analysis of excrement preserved throLugh desiccation, btut, for the most part. analyses of ancient human fecal material preserved in various archeological sites covering a long span of mani.i's occupation in arid regions in the Old World and the New have been undertaken onlv in order to investigate t he possible presence of pathogens, parasites, and other organisms common