We present the results of a Keck spectroscopic study of globular clusters associated with the Virgo Cluster dwarf elliptical VCC 1386 .
We analyze blue spectroscopic absorption lines from 3500-5500 Å for 13 globular cluster candidates and confirm that five are associated with VCC 1386 .
By comparing metal and Balmer line indices of these globular clusters with \alpha -enhanced single stellar population models we find that these systems are metal poor with [ Fe/H ] < -1.35 and old , with ages > 5 Gyr at 3 \sigma confidence , placing their formation at z \gtrsim 1 .
This is one of the first spectroscopic studies of globular clusters surrounding dwarfs in a cluster , revealing that some low mass galaxies in rich environments form at least part of their stellar mass early in the history of the universe .
We further find that the luminosity weighted stellar population of VCC 1386 itself is younger , and more metal rich than its globular clusters , consistent with ( V - I ) _ { 0 } colors from Hubble Space Telescope imaging .
This implies that VCC 1386 , like Local Group dEs , has had multiple episodes of star formation .
Globular clusters associated with low luminosity systems however appear to be roughly as old as those associated with giant galaxies , contrary to the ‘ downsizing ’ formation of their bulk stellar populations .