Abstract
- This paper investigates the pyrolytic removal of background lipids from low-temperature and pit-fired pottery to determine to what degree organic compounds are persistent during short firing episodes below 800°C. The results of gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses showed that firing of clay removes all naturally occurring alkyl lipids, however, diterpenoid lipids were introduced into the clay as condensate from firings using pine wood as fuel.