Little, Aimee Patrice orcid.org/0000-0003-4713-4260 and Koch, Tabea (2024) Chemical analyses reveal dual functionality of Early Mesolithic birch tar at Krzyż Wielkopolski (Poland). Journal of Archaeological Science Reports. ISSN 2352-409X
Abstract
Birch bark tar played an important role as an adhesive in the European Middle Palaeolithic and Mesolithic with key practical functions. For the Mesolithic in northern Europe, tar is suggested to have a variety of functions, including decorative, on various artefacts such as amber beads, antler and bone objects. However, no chemical characterisation has been conducted to confirm the organic composition of such decorations. To address this gap, we conducted organic residue analysis on archaeological samples taken from three artefacts excavated at the Early Mesolithic site Krzyż Wielkoposki (Poland). These include a wooden shaft, an antler point, and a perforated antler object with ornamental engravings. We further replicated two potential aceramic birch bark tar production techniques and employed Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for molecular differentiation. Our results show that birch bark tar served a dual functionality in tool hafting and ornamentation at Krzyż. We found compositional differences among archaeological samples, but comparing these results to experimental data presents significant challenges. Our findings shed light on birch bark tar versatility, and imply more widespread use of birch bark tar as a decorative element in the European Mesolithic than has hitherto been recognised.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Arts and Humanities (York) > Archaeology (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 24 May 2024 10:40 |
Last Modified: | 21 Jan 2025 18:13 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104591 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104591 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:212777 |
Download
Filename: 1-s2.0-S2352409X24002190-main.pdf
Description: 1-s2.0-S2352409X24002190-main
Licence: CC-BY 2.5