Chemical Analysis of Fatty Acid Residues on Archaeological Pottery of Pastoralist Communities in Northern Tanzania

Author(s): Jennifer Keute

Year: 2016

Summary

In the semi­arid climate of eastern Africa, mobile cattle pastoralism has been an essential way of life for at least the past 5000 years (Prendergast et al. 2013). On the Mbulu Plateau of northern Tanzania, Dr. Grillo of UW­La Crosse has discovered the largest "Pastoral Neolithic" site in the country, which dates to about 3000 years ago. Based on the animal bones and ceramics found at the site, archaeologists believe the site was occupied by groups of mobile people who herded cows, goats and sheep. The goal of this project is to carefully select pottery samples to be tested for fatty acid residues left through the storing or cooking of materials. With the assistance of a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS), different types of plants or animals were processed in these pottery vessels can be identified. This research will aid in understanding prehistoric modes of pastoral subsistence, cooking practices, and the importance of pottery to mobile herding populations.

Cite this Record

Chemical Analysis of Fatty Acid Residues on Archaeological Pottery of Pastoralist Communities in Northern Tanzania. Jennifer Keute. Presented at The 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Orlando, Florida. 2016 ( tDAR id: 405280)

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Keywords

General
Ceramic Residue

Geographic Keywords
AFRICA

Spatial Coverage

min long: -18.809; min lat: -38.823 ; max long: 53.262; max lat: 38.823 ;