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Tracing culinary practices in the western provinces of the Roman Empire using Organic Residue Analysis

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Abstract

This study aims at reconstructing foodways in the north-east (NE) of the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on lipid residue analysis of utilitarian vessels and using as case studies the sites of Puig Castellar of Biosca (180–120 BCE) and Guissona (120 BCE-third century CE). In total, fifty vessel fragments of different types and origins were analysed with techniques such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). As some vessel fragments were recovered from waterlogged contexts, they had excellent lipid preservation, which enabled the detection of various compounds that are rarely reported in archaeological contexts in Iberia. Analyses revealed both animal and plant products in the vessels, suggested that a variety of food resources was consumed, and that vessels had multiple uses. The detection of levoglucosan in some extracts, along with other heat markers, further suggested the presence of cellulose or starchy products in contact with fire as well as the heating of animal fats. Combined with available bioarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental studies from both sites, the analyses indicated a continuity in diet across the time periods during which the sites were occupied. Some differences were also observed, including the possible use of tubers until the first century CE. The results are then contextualised and compared with other available organic residue studies from the Roman Iberian Peninsula. The study demonstrates how the combination of multiple bioarchaeological proxies and biomolecular approaches can provide a holistic means to approach Roman foodways.

Description

Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB) where we carried out the laboratory analyses. Additionally, we would like to thank Dr. Colominas for sharing unpublished zooarchaeological work. We also thank the excavation team of Guissona and Puig Castellar of Biosca for providing unpublished reports.


Funder: Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICAC)


Funder: Gerald Averay Wainwright fellowship


Funder: GIAP Archaeobotany Research Team funds


Funder: Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Keywords

GC-C-IRMS, GC–MS, Roman period, Organic residue analysis, Foodways, Iberian Peninsula

Journal Title

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1866-9557
1866-9565

Volume Title

16

Publisher

Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Sponsorship
Agencia Estatal de Investigación (Ramón y Cajal) (RYC-2017-22105)
Quadrennial Archaeological Project 2022-2025 ‘Transformacions urbanístiques, dinàmiques constructives i vida urbana a la ciutat romana de Iesso (Guissona, Segarra) (CLT009/22/00039, CLT009/22/00039)
ICTA-UAB “María de Maeztu” Programme of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (CEX2019-000940-M)