Residue analysis of pre-contact small and miniature pottery: a multi-proxy approach

Abstract

Small and miniature pottery vessels are common in North American archaeological sites, although they have rarely been the focus of study. These vessels are variously interpreted to be mortuary or ceremonial vessels, practice pots, toys, bowls, cups, and are often believed to be associated with children. The majority of studies conducted on pottery rely on visual examinations, while this thesis combined visual techniques with organic residue analysis for a more comprehensive study. Using multiple analytical techniques on vessels from three collections, biochemical residues were located and extracted, and then analyzed to infer possible function of the vessels. This process also takes into account cross-contamination from curatorial processes. The techniques used include microscopic examination, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microfossil starch and phytolith analysis, and gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This research design is non-destructive, and tailored to address the fact that many specimens have been curated and held in museums for some time. Many adjustments to the methodological approach were made to account for the various difficulties and limitations that arise when working with pottery. Results from the analysis indicate that the methodology used had a limited success rate. While a small number of results were successful in suggesting possible functions of vessels, the majority of results were indicative of contamination, although these were easily ruled out as non-archaeological. Overall it was determined that the combination of these methods, especially if further testing was performed, could be a feasible route of analysis for unique samples where standard destructive methods are not suitable, but where further analysis is desired.