Fig. 2.

Ancient microremains from the analysed skeletons representing starch granules: A damaged starch granule, possibly bimodal Triticeae, displaying cracking and loss of birefringence (inset); B bimodal starch granules from the Triticeae tribe, observed clumped together within the calculus; C well preserved starch granule, likely legume (Fabaceae family); D.1 well preserved maize starch granule; D.2 modern example of Zea maize starch granules in our reference collection; E.1 a well preserved tapioca (Manihot esculenta) starch granule displaying diagnostic ‘kettle-drum’ three dimensional shape; E.2 Manihot esculenta starch granules from our modern reference collection. Scale bars 10 μm. Magnification 400×.