RESIDUE ANALYSIS OF GRINDING STONES FROM CHALCOLITHIC GÜLPINAR

Abstract

This study presents the preliminary results of residue analysis of grinding stones recovered from the Early Chalcolithic 2 and Middle Chalcolithic period settlements (Gülpınar II and Gülpınar III) in the Sanctuary of Apollo Smintheus (Smintheion), located in the southwestern corner of the modern Biga Peninsula (Ancient Troad) in north-western Anatolia. The Early Chalcolithic 2 period settlement at Gülpınar II has been dated to 5320-4940 BC, while the Middle Chalcolithic period settlement at Gülpınar III superimposing it has radiocarbon dates ranging between 4930 and 4450 BC. Excavations at Chalcolithic Gülpınar between 2004 and 2014 revealed a total of 453 ground stone tools. This work in this context residue analyze of total of 28 grinding stones that were uncovered from these two Early Chalcolithic 2 and Middle Chalcolithic cultural levels. Chemical analysis of residue on stone tools has become a common research technique used in archaeology science. Chemical residues in and on the working surface of used grinding tools lead us to consider the context of the tool usage. The widely-used Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) method was selected for analyses of the grinding stones from Chalcolithic Gülpınar. The chemical analysis and preliminary results obtained from Gülpınar samples are outlined in this study. Results show evidence of the distinctive lipid organic residues pentacosane and heptacosane as minor and trace constituents in some of the essential oils of edible crops and the major fatty acids of octadecanoic (stearic) and palmitic (oleic). Palmitic acid is also a major component of the oil found in dairy products and abundant in animal fat. These results may contribute to approaches that aim to explain how prehistoric societies carried out processing of organic and inorganic raw materials.