Food and fat in prehistory: some examples from experimental archaeology WP5

Professor Alan K. Outram

University of Exeter

April 2013

Scientific food experiments and their potential for public presentation

• Can we extend beyond demonstrations of past dietary activities? • Can we meaningfully communicate the scientific significance of

the demonstrations and reconstructions in terms of their original scientific value?

• Can we meaningfully communicate how the activities result in an archaeological record and how the reconstruction helps decode that record?

• Can we demonstrate food practices which are alien to modern societies rather than just show old ways of doing current things?

• Which types of food experimentation and demonstrations lend themselves to the above?

• Food Production • Food Processing • Cooking Methods • Food Consumption

Bone Fats – Marrow and Grease Extraction

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Importance of Fats • More calories that carbohydrates and proteins by a

ration of 9:4. • Carriers of some essential vitamins and minerals (A,

D, E and K) • Essential fatty acids • Tastes good! • ‘Protein sparing’ action in low carbohydrate diets • Many craft uses (e.g. lubricant, waterproofer) • Fuel

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Identifying ‘peri-mortem’ fractures

1. Spiral or helical fracture outline 2. Acute or obtuse angle of fracture to cortical

surface (sharp) 3. Smooth fracture surface 4. Percussion cones/impact scars

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Identifying Grease Processing • Examine fracture patterns • Examine fragmentation patterns • Examine taphonomic factors • Consider archaeological evidence for rendering • Consider the economic and environmental

context

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Case Study – Greenland

Settled by Norse c. AD 985

In two are areas called:

Western Settlement

and

Eastern Settlement

(which was the larger and richer)

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Qeqertasussuk and

Itivnera

PaleoEskimo Saqqaq Culture

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