Bog Butter: Experimenting with the Preservative Nature of Peat Bogs

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The anaerobic and highly acidic nature of peat bogs produces a perfect environment for preservation. Biological material which would usually decay, such as human tissue, is kept stagnant unable to decompose thus allowing for preserved individuals and items to be discovered. Peat bogs located in both modern-day Ireland and Scotland have produced an unusual type of artifact, Bog Butter. The butter, found in various types of containers, can be dated ranging from the early Bronze Age to the Early Modern period in Europe. To explore the meaning and purpose of Bog Butter deposits and peat preservation, a small peat bog was built to emulate the environment of northwestern Europe to closely study the production and preservation of Bog Butter. An exploration into the purpose of butter deposits in peat bogs could indicate the potential votive and religious, food storage, or flavour-enhancing purpose of this phenomenon. The intention of this experiment is to foster more understanding of the lifeways of the ancient Gaelic and Celtic peoples. By experimenting with the preservative qualities of a Peat Bog, the purpose, and cultural connotations of those who deposited the Bog Butter could become clearer, thus providing cultural context for people of the past.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39809.0