Analysis of Fatty Acids in Precontact Ceramics from Barbados, West Indies
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Start Date
21-5-2015
End Date
21-5-2015
Keywords
Archaeology, Ceramics, Caribbean
Abstract
Analyses of organic residues on ceramics complement other types of archaeological evidence used to characterize diets of populations colonizing and adapting to Caribbean Islands. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is used to identify compounds sampled from 20 sherds excavated from two households (the Goddard Site 200 B.C.-A.D. 300 and Chancery Lane Site A.D. 800-1500). Measurable peaks of fatty acid residues are present on six samples from the Goddard Site. Smaller traces of fatty acids are present on Chancery Lane sherds. A comparison is made of fatty acids by type of sherd (i.e., rim/body, size, decoration), and visible types of residue (i.e., black and/or white substances). The specific composition of fatty acids present may help identify garden produce such as maize, cassava, and/or palm lipids as well as animal resources such as fish and turtle. Results contribute to the growing field of molecular archaeology and environmental archaeology in the Caribbean
Recommended Citation
Hendrix, Jillian; Troth, Kaylee; Barker, Sara; and Kaminski, Amanda, "Analysis of Fatty Acids in Precontact Ceramics from Barbados, West Indies" (2015). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 107.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2015/posters/107
Poster Number
53
Department/Program
Anthropology & Museum Studies
Additional Mentoring Department
Anthropology & Museum Studies
Additional Mentoring Department
Chemistry
Additional Mentoring Department
Chemistry
Analysis of Fatty Acids in Precontact Ceramics from Barbados, West Indies
SURC Ballroom B/C/D
Analyses of organic residues on ceramics complement other types of archaeological evidence used to characterize diets of populations colonizing and adapting to Caribbean Islands. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is used to identify compounds sampled from 20 sherds excavated from two households (the Goddard Site 200 B.C.-A.D. 300 and Chancery Lane Site A.D. 800-1500). Measurable peaks of fatty acid residues are present on six samples from the Goddard Site. Smaller traces of fatty acids are present on Chancery Lane sherds. A comparison is made of fatty acids by type of sherd (i.e., rim/body, size, decoration), and visible types of residue (i.e., black and/or white substances). The specific composition of fatty acids present may help identify garden produce such as maize, cassava, and/or palm lipids as well as animal resources such as fish and turtle. Results contribute to the growing field of molecular archaeology and environmental archaeology in the Caribbean
Faculty Mentor(s)
Steven Hackenberger, Joanne Peters, Timothy Ward, Diane Ward