Abstract
- Absorbed residues were extracted and analyzed from ten sherds excavated from Pile Mound 40Fn180. The residues were unusually varied. Residues extracted from five of the sherds contained well-preserved acyl lipids dominated by triacylglycerols wil unusually unsaturated fatty acids, as well as a range of sterols. Four of the sherds contained very small amounts of residue, suggesting that the vessels were unused or used to contain or process dry ingredients, or that the vessels were not used much to contain liquid ingredients. One of the residues contained a small amount of degraded residue that appeared similar in composition to the better-preserved residues. These residues can be interpreted in one of two different ways. Either six of the sherds derived from vessels used to process primarily a mixture of fish/shellfish and plants, and the other four sherds came from vessels that were left largely unused or used to contain dry ingredients. Alternatively, it is possible that the well-preserved unsaturated triacylglycerols in five of the sherds derived from some form of modern contamination. The preponderance of the evidence supports the interpretation of archaeologically intact residues, divided into a plant/fish group, and an 'empty' group. More information on the archaeological context and soil conditions are required for a definite conclusion on this interpretation.