Characterization of the organic material contained in archaeological ceramics
1. Authors of the research
María Teresa Doménech-Carbób and Trinidad Pasíes-Oviedob
a Institut de Restauració del Patrimoni. Universitat Politècnica de València. Camino de Vera 14, 46022 Valencia, Spain
b Museu de Prehistoria de València, Spain
2. Archaeological sites
The archaeological site of Puntal dels Llops (1) is an Iberian settlement dated back to the 5000-2000 BC. This fortress was inhabited by an aristocrat belonging to the elite of the warriors of the Edeta country in the East of the Iberian peninsula.
The archaeological site of Mas de Menente (2) is an Iberian settlement dating back to the Bronze Age. This site was built as a fortress for defensive purposes.
The archaeological site of Tiwanaku is a Pre-Inca city located in western Bolivia about 21 kilometers from Lake Titicaca (3). The Tiwanaku Pre-Columbian civilization founded this site around AD 100, achieving its major flourishment around 900 AD, and appearing to have collapsed around the 2nd century AD.
3. Materials and methods
3.1 Analytical techniques
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: IR spectra of the samples were obtained using a Vertex 70 Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer with an FR-DTGS (fast recovery deuterated triglycine sulfate) temperature-stabilized coated detector. Number of co-added scans: 32, obtained with a spectral resolution of 4 cm-1.
3.2 Samples
Sample 1. Greyish residues found in the bottom of an Iberian ceramic mortar. Provenance: Puntal dels Llops site. Bornze Age.
Sample 2. Greyish residues found in the bottom of an Iberian ceramic vessel. Provenance: Mas de Menente site. Bronze Age.
Sample 3. Greyish residues found in the bottom of a Pre-Columbian ceramic vessel decorated in keru style. Provenance: Tiwanaku site (Bolivia). Late Pre-Columbian Age (1200-1450).
4. Summary of results
Sample 1: Lipid substance of unspecific vegetal or animal origin.
Sample 2: Lipid substance of unspecific vegetal or animal origin.
Sample 3: Organic substance highly degraded to calcium oxalate. The presence of calcium-carboxylate complexes suggests the lipid composition of the original product.
5. Acknowledgements
Financial support is acknowledged to the I+D PID2020–113022GB-I00 from MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033.
6. References
- Museu de Prehistòria de València (2022). Available in http://www.museuprehistoriavalencia.es/web_mupreva/yacimientos/?q=es&id=1969. Accessed on 30th May 2022.
- Museu de Prehistòria de València (2022). Available in http://www.museuprehistoriavalencia.es/web_mupreva/sala/?q=es&id=111. Accessed on 30th May 2022.
- http://www.museuprehistoriavalencia.es/web_mupreva/catalogo/5680/va. Accessed on 30th May 2022.