Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology / Fatty Acid Composition of a Pottery Vessel from the Bronze Age Settlement of Elchimo‑1 (Siberia, Angara Region) as an Indicator of the Ancient Human Diet

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Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Biology. 2024 17 (3)
Authors
Okrugina, Anastasia K.; Boyandin, Anatoly N.; Mandryka, Pavel V.; Rogozin, Denis Y.
Contact information
Okrugina, Anastasia K. : Siberian Federal University Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation; ; Boyandin, Anatoly N.: Institute of Biophysics SB RAS Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS” Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation; ORCID: 0000-0002-9190-2792; Mandryka, Pavel V.: Siberian Federal University Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation; ; ORCID: 0000-0002-8647-3823; Rogozin, Denis Y.: Institute of Biophysics SB RAS Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS” Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation; ; ORCID: 0000-0002-9350-2936
Keywords
fatty acids; gas chromatography; Bronze Age; pottery; lipid residue analysis; biomarkers
Abstract

The research of the diet of ancient people provides valuable information about the conditions of their habitat in a certain area and climate changes, which determine the shift in types of economic activity of various ancient cultures. Certain components of food products, particularly fatty acids and other lipids, are adsorbed into the walls of pottery pots used for food preparation, remaining unchanged for millennia. Modern chromatographic methods make it possible to determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of these substances and, thus, assess the components of the diet of the ancient individual that used the vessel. In this study, the composition of fatty acids adsorbed into the walls of a clay vessel found at the Elchimo‑1 site in the Lower Angara region (Krasnoyarsk Krai) in layers corresponding to the Bronze Age was identified using gas chromatography. The composition of fatty acids demonstrated that the vessel contained markers of ruminant animals (moose, roe deer, noble deer, northern deer). Additionally, other products were present, the identification of which requires further research. The obtained results suggest that that vessel was used for preparing various foods; however, the proportions of plant-based food and fish products were relatively low

Pages
337–347
EDN
JSRKNO
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/153851

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