Abstract
This report describes in some detail both the chemical technique of ultra-micro amino-acid analysis and some of its applications to archaeology. The technique itself consists of heating a sample of protein weighing less than 1 μg in hydrochloric acid, separating the amino-acids by ion-exchange chromatography, colorimetrically determining the amount of each which is present, and quantifying the results. As an example of the application of this technique to archaeological problems, a seemingly inorganic calcitic concretion found in the bottom of a glass vial excavated at Axum was analysed. The vial was found with associated artifacts which suggested that it had been manufactured around or after about AD 600. Approximately 4% of amino-acids were detected in the concretion. The resulting data suggested the presence of skin and hair. These analytical results were coupled with observations concerning the present day distribution of civet cats in Africa, and lead to the conclusion that the vial originally contained civet cat gland exudate, which has a musky odor. In other words, the vial was probably used originally as a perfume bottle.
Published Version
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