In Their Cups?: Background lipids in shell as a basis for analyzing shell cup residues

Summary

Lipids in a variety of large shells were extracted using both destructive and non-destructive techniques and analyzed with GC/MS. In pottery residue analysis, lipids found in extracted residues can be assumed to derive from human usage because natural geolipids are removed from the clay during firing. Shell cups do not undergo firing at temperatures high enough to result in lipid removal. As a result, it is important to understand the natural lipids present in large shells before attempting organic residue analysis of shell cups. This analysis will hopefully permit a better understanding of the possibilities for residue extraction from shell cups in archaeological context, which would open up a new artifact class to organic residue analysis.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage