Composition of trace residues from the contents of 11th–12th century sphero-conical vessels from Jerusalem

Abstract

The residues from the internal surface of four archaeological ceramic sherds, excavated from the Armenian Gardens, Jerusalem were analysed to characterise the contents of the original vessel. The sherds derive from four small, thick-walled, sphero-conical vessels recovered from a destruction layer, dating between the 11th and 12th century, Jerusalem. The residue has been analysed using light microscopy, biochemical characterisation, gas chromatography mass spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry. This analysis established the presence of various compounds including fatty acids and notable levels of mercury, sulphur, aluminium, potassium, magnesium, nitrates and phosphorous. The contents and probable functions of the four vessels were characterised from the residues on these sherds as different from each other, reflecting their different decoration, manufacture and ceramic typologies. One of these vessels contains residue that indicate the vessel held oils. The residue of the second vessel is consistent with either scented materials or medicinal contents, while a third probably contained medicinal material. The unique fourth sherd is from a stoneware sphero-conical vessel with very thick walls, no decoration and the residue supports the possibility it was used for the storage of chemicals or may have held the chemical ingredients for an explosive device, consistent with a medieval grenade. This residue analysis of Mamluk sphero-conical vessels provides insight into luxury items, medicines, technology and trade in medieval Jerusalem.

Burial offerings in intramural tombs at Middle Bronze Age Megiddo

“…In most of these vessels, the appearance of wax markers is conjugated with the indicators for animal fat and vice versa; that is, the animal fat markers only appeared in vessels that also contained wax markers. The storage jar from Tomb 50 (M‐026‐154‐024‐015) is exceptional because it contained fat markers without wax markers, that is, traces of C 15:0 , C 16:1; 9 , and C 17:0 , which are indicative for ruminant fat or milk (Evershed et al, 2002; Matheson et al, 2022).…”

“…The chromatogram of Bowl M‐109‐03‐07 found in a pit burial in Area K contained a small peak of dehydroabietic acid. This molecule is characteristic of coniferous diterpenic resins, though other characteristic molecules of these resins are absent from the chromatogram (Brettell et al, 2015; Buckley & Evershed, 2001; Marković et al, 2020; Matheson et al, 2022). The presence of dehydroabietic acid indicates that Bowl M‐109‐03‐07 held coniferous resin as a burial offering or that it played a role in the funerary ritual, perhaps as an incense or perfume (Serpico, 2000), or as material applied to the body as part of its treatment prior to inhumation (Buckley & Evershed, 2001; Evershed et al, 2011; McGovern, 2003, p. 131).…”

“…Plant oils are represented by a variety of molecules: saturated fatty acids of C 6 -C 22 (including palmitic and stearic acids with the C 16:0 > C 18:0 ratio); saturated dicarboxylic acids of C 7 -C 10 (in which suberic and azelaic acids are relatively abundant); unsaturated fatty acids of 18 carbon atoms; alcohols of 16 and 18 carbon chains; monoacylglycerols of palmitic and stearic acids (MAG 16:0 , MAG 18:0 , respectively). These molecules also appear in animal fat, but their occurrence with the other plant markers attests to their vegetal origin (Figure 3a,b) (Copley et al, 2005;Linares et al, 2019;Markovi c et al, 2020;Matheson et al, 2022;Namdar et al, 2018). Some vessels (five juglets: M-094-06-04, M-109-01-06, M-109-01-02, M-109-01-05, M-109-03-01and jar M-062-154-024-015) seem to have chromatographic profiles characteristic to olive oil, containing C 16:0 , C 18:0 , C 18:1; 9 , and C 20:0 , in which the C 18:1; 9 peak predominates the C 18:0 peak (though other plant sources rich in oleic acid cannot be excluded).…”