The Chemistry of Archaeological Wood

Abstract

Wood is composed of complex mixtures of polysaccharides and lignins whose compositions and relative abundances vary widely among tree and cell types, as well as within the ultrastructure of individual cells. The mechanisms and rates of degradation of these various wood components are dependent on environmental conditions and the microbial flora that they favor. A wide variety of chemical methods is available for characterizing the state of preservation of both archaeological and unworked wood, including determinations of elemental composition, 13 C NMR spectra, and chemical degradation products. In general, such chemical analyses of ancient woods show preferential loss of polysaccharides versus lignin, selective degradation of syringyl structural units within hardwood lignins, and elevated levels of nitrogen and ash.

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