Analysis of Ten Absorbed Residues Submitted from Sites 38AK155 and 38AK757

Ten sherds were submitted for absorbed pottery residue analysis from two sites in South Carolina. Organic preservation at the sites was poor, but botanical remains suggested that nut processing, especially of hickory, may have been an important activity. Of the ten samples submitted, contamination was a serious issue in seven of them, making up more than 10% of the total residues in the sherds. Interpretation of the residues was therefore difficult. In addition, identifying nut lipids is difficult, as nutmeats do not contain distinctive biomarkers. Nutshells, however, do contain triterpenoids that may help identify nut processing in pots. Due to the contamination issues, interpretation of these residues must be used cautiously. Non-conifer plant resins were apparently present in five of the ten residues, which might indicate some form of nut processing, and definitely indicates processing of non-conifer plant resources.

Analysis of Ten Absorbed Residues Submitted from Sites 38AK155 and 38AK757 Report