PHYTOLITH ANALYSIS OF RESIDUE ON POTTERY SHERDS FROM ORANJE BOOM CAVE

Summary

Two pottery sherds recovered from Oranje Boom Cave in Nevada were submitted for

residue analysis. Residue consisted of a "burned on" crusty residue that was scraped from the

surface of the ceramic sherds. This residue was digested to facilitate finding and identifying

phytoliths present that might identify foods cooked in the vessel. Recovery of phytoliths from food

residues adhering to ceramic sherds is expected to yield evidence of food processing.

Experimental work with food residues adhering to ceramic sherds has yielded populations of

phytoliths representing either grass seeds or maize cooked in vessels (Thompson and Mullholland

1994; Thompson and Staller 2001).

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• PaleoResearch Institute

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