Evidence for Varying Patterns of Exploitation of Animal Products in Different Prehistoric Pottery Traditions Based on Lipids Preserved in Surface and Absorbed Residues

Abstract

The excavation of a barrow at Upper Ninepence, Walton in the Welsh Borderlands, U.K., revealed two phases of occupation associated with two different ceramic traditions, namely Grooved Ware (2500bc) and Peterborough Ware (3000bc). The Grooved Ware and Peterborough Ware pits seem to have a mutually exclusive distribution on the site. Screening of the sherds for lipid residues has revealed the presence of remnant fats in a remarkably well-preserved state considering the age of the finds. Investigations of various chemical characteristics of the remnant fats from absorbed and carbonized residues have enabled distinctions to be drawn between fats from non-ruminant (e.g. porcine) and ruminant (e.g. ovine or bovine) origins. Significantly, both ruminant and non-ruminant fats are found associated with the Grooved Ware whereas only ruminant fats are found associated with the Peterborough Ware. The assignments are based upon the distributions of solvent-extractable lipid components and the compound-specific stable carbon isotope values of the major n -alkanoic acids. The results reveal differences in vessel use and indicate possible changes in patterns of animal exploitation or dietary preferences between the two phases of occupation. The results illustrate the importance of residue analysis in archaeological investigations, particularly at prehistoric sites where evidence from faunal remains is limited or absent.