Titre du document / Document title

Chemical analyses of organic residues in archaeological pottery from Arbon Bleiche 3, Switzerland : evidence for dairying in the late Neolithic

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

SPANGENBERG Jorge E. ⁽¹⁾ ; JACOMET Stefanie ⁽²⁾ ; SCHIBLER Jörg ⁽²⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Institute of Mineralogy and Geochemistry, University of Lausanne, BFSH-2, 1015 Lausanne, SUISSE
⁽²⁾ Institute for Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, SUISSE

Résumé / Abstract

Fatty acids distribution and stable isotope ratios (bulk δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C of individual fatty acids) of organic residues from 30 potsherds have been used to get further insights into the diet at the Late Neolithic (3384-3370 BC) site of Arbon Bleiche 3, Switzerland. The results are compared with modern equivalents of animal and vegetable fats, which may have been consumed in a mixed ecology community having agrarian, breeding, shepherd, gathering, hunting, and fishing activities. The used combined chemical and isotopic approach provides valuable information to complement archaeological indirect evidence about the dietary trends obtained from the analysis of faunal and plant remains. The small variations of the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values within the range expected for degraded animal and plant tissues, is consistent with the archaeological evidence of animals, whose subsistence was mainly based on C₃ plants. The overall fatty acid composition and the stable carbon isotopic compositions of palmitic, stearic and oleic acids of the organic residues indicate that the studied Arbon Bleiche 3 sherds contain fat residues of plant and animal origin, most likely ruminant (bovine and ovine). In several vessels the presence of milk residues provides direct evidence for dairying during the late Neolithic in central Europe.

Revue / Journal Title

Journal of archaeological science   ISSN 0305-4403   CODEN JASCDU 

Source / Source

2006, vol. 33, n^o1, pp. 1-13 [13 page(s) (article)] (51 ref.)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, PAYS-BAS  (1974) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Europe ; Gathering ; Breeding ; Ecology ; Fat ; Animal ; Site ; Diet ; Isotope ; Ceramics ; Chemical analysis ; Isotope Analysis ; Distribution ; Central Europe ; Switzerland ; Neolithic ; Late ;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Europe ; Arbon Bleiche 3 ; Cueillette ; Elevage ; Ecologie ; Graisse ; Animal ; Site ; Alimentation ; Isotope ; Céramique ; Analyse chimique ; Analyse isotopique ; Répartition ; Europe centrale ; Suisse ; Néolithique ; Final ;

Mots-clés d'auteur / Author Keywords

Organic residue ; Fatty acids ; Potsherds ; Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry ; GC-MS ; Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios ; Compound specific isotope analysis ; CSIA ; Neolithic ; Dairying ; Switzerland ;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 18515, 35400013532784.0010