Investigating the function of prehistoric stone bowls and griddle stones in the Aleutian Islands by lipid residue analysis

Abstract

The earliest durable cooking technologies found in Alaska are stone bowls and griddle stones recovered from the Aleutian Islands. This article aims to identify the function of these artefacts. Molecular and chemical analyses of carbonised residues found on their surfaces confirm that these artefacts were used to process marine resources. Both artefacts have high lipid content and C:N ratios, suggesting they were used to process oily substances. Stable isotope results of individual lipids suggest that they were used to process different sets of resources within the aquatic spectrum as griddle stones have slightly more 13C-depleted lipids than stone bowls, possibly indicating more variable use. Integration of these results with archaeological and ethnographic data leads us to infer that griddle stones were used for cooking a diversity of aquatic resources, possibly with the addition of plant foods, whereas stone bowls were specifically used to render marine mammal fats. We further hypothesize that a sudden peak in stone bowl frequencies at 4000–3000 cal yr BP was connected to a Neoglacial cold spell bringing sea ice conditions to the Aleutian Islands. This may have led to new subsistence strategies in which the rendering of marine mammal fats played a central role.

Investigating the formation and diagnostic value of ω‐(o‐alkylphenyl)alkanoic acids in ancient pottery

“…This approach has provided valuable insights into human activities, technology and economies (Heron and Evershed 1993;Evershed 2008;Regert 2017). The identification of specific lipid markers (biomarkers) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been used to track a range of commodities in ancient pottery, such as aquatic resources (Copley et al 2004;Lucquin et al 2016b;Gibbs et al 2017;Shoda et al 2017;Admiraal et al 2019;Bondetti et al 2020), beehive products (Roffet-Salque et al 2015;Shoda et al 2018), edible plants (Dunne et al 2016;Heron et al 2016;Bondetti et al 2020), and various types of resins, wood tars and pitches (Heron et al 1994(Heron et al , 2015Mitkidou et al 2008;Rageot 2015).…”

Interpreting ancient food practices: stable isotope and molecular analyses of visible and absorbed residues from a year-long cooking experiment

“…Several studies have shown a correspondence between the bulk δ 13 C values of carbonized residues and absorbed lipids, where the combination of analyses have provided complementary data to support conclusions regarding vessel use 35 – 40 . For example, both bulk δ 13 C values and individual fatty acid δ 13 C values can discriminate between habitats, such as terrestrial versus aquatic species (and further refinement between freshwater, marine, and anadromous species), since marine species are 13 C enriched 35 – 39 , 41 .…”

Investigating the function of prehistoric stone bowls and griddle stones in the Aleutian Islands by lipid residue analysis – CORRIGENDUM

“…In Admiraal et al (2018), the incorrect article information was given for the in-text citation of Oras et al, 2017. The correction reference is as follows:…”