This study is aimed at the molecular characterisation of solid organic (food) residues preserved in an assemblage of vessels recovered from an indigenous settlement dating back to the Iron Age and... Show moreThis study is aimed at the molecular characterisation of solid organic (food) residues preserved in an assemblage of vessels recovered from an indigenous settlement dating back to the Iron Age and Roman period at Uitgeest – Groot Dorregeest (The Netherlands). Analytical thermal-fragmentation techniques such as Curie-point pyrolysis Mass Spectrometry and Direct Temperature-resolved Mass Spectrometry gave information about a wide range of compound classes as diverse as lipids, waxes, polynuclear aromatic compounds, oligosaccharides, small peptides and protein fragments, and a variety of thermally stable (more or less condensed) polymeric char structures. Multivariate analysis identified different chemotypes: groups of residues with comparable chemical characteristics. The biomolecular origin of these chemotypes was identified by comparison with experimentally charred reference materials and the application of complementary analytical techniques such as FTIR and 13C CP/MAS NMR. The chemotypes A1 and A2 consist of charred residues identified as starch-rich foods (mixed with either animal or plant products), chemotype C consists of protein-rich charred animal products without starch, chemotype B contains smoke condensates from wood fires, and chemotype D consists of special protein-rich and lipid-free foods or non-food products. Although many molecular characteristics of the original foods have been lost as a result of extensive thermal degradation and interpretation remains limited to general food groups, the results give valuable direct evidence of ancient diet and vessel-use. Show less
This work discusses the exchange of stone materials and artefacts among the northern Lesser Antilles during the Ceramic Age (500 BC - AD 1492). Through the systematic analysis of source materials... Show moreThis work discusses the exchange of stone materials and artefacts among the northern Lesser Antilles during the Ceramic Age (500 BC - AD 1492). Through the systematic analysis of source materials and a comparison of these with lithic artefacts, the provenance of a significant portion of stone material found at a number of prehistoric Amerindian habitation sites located on different islands from Puerto Rico to Martinique was determined. Following this the distribution of three specific materials, including a variety of flint from Long Island, Antigua, a grey-green mudstone and a multi-coloured conglomerate, both form St. Martin, were specified. These distribution patterns along with data on the production of the artefacts were used to determine the mode of exchange that was responsible for their spread. From these data it appeared that inter-island exchange was a recurrent feature among Amerindian society in the Caribbean throughout the entire Ceramic Age. Furthermore the differences in distributions through time could be related to changes in socio-political organisation within the region and supported the notion of increasing competition within society. Show less
