Jessica Smyth and Richard P. Evershed
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- May 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780197265758
- eISBN:
- 9780191771965
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265758.003.0018
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology
This chapter reflects on the collaboration on a recent interdisciplinary project, SCHERD (a Study of Cuisine and animal husbandry among Early farmers via Residue analysis and radiocarbon Dating), ...
More
This chapter reflects on the collaboration on a recent interdisciplinary project, SCHERD (a Study of Cuisine and animal husbandry among Early farmers via Residue analysis and radiocarbon Dating), which involved undertaking systematic molecular and compound-specific stable isotope analyses, alongside radiocarbon dating, on lipid residues from c.450 Irish Neolithic pottery vessels. Somewhat unusually, analyses were carried out by an archaeologist, who was trained ‘on the job’. The project thus provided an ideal opportunity to combine different research perspectives and to engage in two-way communication between archaeology and science. The authors explore how this dialogue developed and its implications for the study of early farming societies, as well as for the role of pottery in future research.Less
This chapter reflects on the collaboration on a recent interdisciplinary project, SCHERD (a Study of Cuisine and animal husbandry among Early farmers via Residue analysis and radiocarbon Dating), which involved undertaking systematic molecular and compound-specific stable isotope analyses, alongside radiocarbon dating, on lipid residues from c.450 Irish Neolithic pottery vessels. Somewhat unusually, analyses were carried out by an archaeologist, who was trained ‘on the job’. The project thus provided an ideal opportunity to combine different research perspectives and to engage in two-way communication between archaeology and science. The authors explore how this dialogue developed and its implications for the study of early farming societies, as well as for the role of pottery in future research.
Alasdair Whittle and Penny Bickle (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- May 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780197265758
- eISBN:
- 9780191771965
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265758.001.0001
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology
Taking the European Neolithic as its focal point, this wide-ranging set of chapters illustrates how the different disciplinary paths within scientific and interpretative archaeology can be woven ...
More
Taking the European Neolithic as its focal point, this wide-ranging set of chapters illustrates how the different disciplinary paths within scientific and interpretative archaeology can be woven together to forward our understanding of early farmers, including their origins, varied subsistence practices and social networks. Contributions to the volume present a broad range of innovative approaches, including isotopic studies of mobility and diet, lipid analysis of pottery, recent advances in osteological studies and ancient DNA analysis. These are combined with chapters considering the wider theoretical implications of these analytical advances and new directions of research. The case studies discussed range across the European continent, covering from the Near East to the UK. Together this research has forced the reconsideration of long-held assumptions about the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition, the social organisation of the earliest farmers and individual biographies of past persons. In surveying the impact of recent developments in scientific archaeology on the research questions being asked of the Neolithic, an agenda is set for future collaborative research.Less
Taking the European Neolithic as its focal point, this wide-ranging set of chapters illustrates how the different disciplinary paths within scientific and interpretative archaeology can be woven together to forward our understanding of early farmers, including their origins, varied subsistence practices and social networks. Contributions to the volume present a broad range of innovative approaches, including isotopic studies of mobility and diet, lipid analysis of pottery, recent advances in osteological studies and ancient DNA analysis. These are combined with chapters considering the wider theoretical implications of these analytical advances and new directions of research. The case studies discussed range across the European continent, covering from the Near East to the UK. Together this research has forced the reconsideration of long-held assumptions about the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition, the social organisation of the earliest farmers and individual biographies of past persons. In surveying the impact of recent developments in scientific archaeology on the research questions being asked of the Neolithic, an agenda is set for future collaborative research.
