From content to context : a food residue study of ceramics of the fourth millennium BC in the Upper and Middle Thames Valley, UK
This research explores the extent to which food residues from ceramics can contribute to archaeological understanding of the fourth millennium BC. Known archaeologically as the Early and Middle Neolithic, this prehistoric period is disputed among archaeologists and food-related evidence is especially contested. This research explores food-related evidence from new angles in that traditional approaches to diet are abandoned in favour of smaller-scale study of cookery practices. Food residues from Early and Middle Neolithic ceramic vessels were analysed by GC/MS and GC/C/IRMS. The techniques target the lipid (fats, oils, and waxes) component of foods that were cooked in the ceramic vessels in prehistory. The scientific datasets thus obtained were integrated with contextual information from the ceramic assemblages and the sites at which they were recovered. The sampled ceramic assemblages were recovered from archaeological sites made up primarily of pit features, which contain important evidence of life beyond the conspicuous monuments of the Neolithic. Several pit sites have come to light in the Upper and Middle Thames Valley during developer-funded excavation in the last couple of decades, and a new picture
Sibbesson, Emilie
CC Archaeology
From content to context : a food residue study of ceramics of the fourth millennium BC in the Upper and Middle Thames Valley, UK. This research explores the extent to which food residues from ceramics can contribute to archaeological understanding of the fourth millennium BC. Known archaeologically as the Early and Middle Neolithic, this prehistoric period is disputed among archaeologists and food-related evidence is especially contested. This research explores food-related evidence from new angles in that traditional approaches to diet are abandoned in favour of smaller-scale study of cookery practices. Food residues from Early and Middle Neolithic ceramic vessels were analysed by GC/MS and GC/C/IRMS. The techniques target the lipid (fats, oils, and waxes) component of foods that were cooked in the ceramic vessels in prehistory. The scientific datasets thus obtained were integrated with contextual information from the ceramic assemblages and the sites at which they were recovered. The sampled ceramic assemblages were recovered from archaeological sites made up primarily of pit features, which contain important evidence of life beyond the conspicuous monuments of the Neolithic. Several pit sites have come to light in the Upper and Middle Thames Valley during developer-funded excavation in the last couple of decades, and a new picture
content context food residue study ceramic upper middle thames_valley explore_extent food residue ceramic contribute archaeological known archaeologically early_middle neolithic prehistoric_period dispute among archaeologist food related evidence especially contest explores food related evidence new_angle traditional_approach diet abandon favour scale study practice food residue early_middle neolithic_ceramic vessel analyse org technique target lipid fat oil component food cook ceramic_vessel prehistory scientific datasets thus obtain integrate contextual_information ceramic_assemblage site recover sample ceramic_assemblage recover_archaeological site make primarily pit feature contain important evidence life_beyond conspicuous monument neolithic several pit site come_light upper middle thames_valley developer_funded excavation new picture