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Something fishy in the Great Lakes? A reappraisal of early pottery use in north-eastern North America

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2019

Karine Taché ,
Manon Bondetti ,
Alexandre Lucquin ,
Marjolein Admiraal  and
Oliver E. Craig
Karine Taché*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, CUNY Queens College, 65–30 Kissena Boulevard, Queens, NY 11367, USA
Manon Bondetti
Affiliation:
BioArCh, University of York, Environment Building, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK Arctic Centre, University of Groningen, Aweg 30, 9718CW Groningen, the Netherlands
Alexandre Lucquin
Affiliation:
BioArCh, University of York, Environment Building, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
Marjolein Admiraal
Affiliation:
BioArCh, University of York, Environment Building, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK Arctic Centre, University of Groningen, Aweg 30, 9718CW Groningen, the Netherlands
Oliver E. Craig
Affiliation:
BioArCh, University of York, Environment Building, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
*
*Author for correspondence (Email: karine.tache@qc.cuny.edu)
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Abstract

Lipid residue analysis has recently been applied to investigate the adoption of pottery by Early Woodland hunter-gatherers in north-eastern North America. Results, however, have proven contradictory, especially regarding the extent to which early ceramics were used for processing aquatic resources. Here, the authors argue that this inconsistency is due to the use of different analytical procedures and criteria for identifying aquatic organisms, rather than any actual variations in pottery use. By applying robust analytical criteria and methods to Early Woodland pottery from the Great Lakes region, the authors present evidence supporting their hypothesis that such pottery was indeed used for processing aquatic resources.

Keywords

North AmericaEarly Woodland Periodpotteryresidue analysislipid biomarkers
Type
Method
Information
Antiquity , Volume 93 , Issue 371 , October 2019 , pp. 1339 - 1349
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2019 

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