Abstract
- Analysis was performed on absorbed and visible residues from 21 New York State prehistoric pottery sherds dating from 2905±35 B.P. (Intcal04) (1256-998 cal B.C.) to 425±40 B.P. (Intcal04) (1417-1626 cal A.D.). The use of pine resin was detected in ten of twelve absorbed residue samples and eleven of seventeen sherds subjected to visible residue analysis. It seems likely that the pots were resin-sealed to make them more impermeable, constituting the first chemical evidence of extensive resin-sealing in North America. A comparison of the results of absorbed and visible residues from eight of the sherds indicates that the two kinds of residue provide complementary evidence of vessel use.