1. Domestic activities and pottery use in the Iron Age Corsican settlement of Cuciurpula revealed by organic residue analysis
- Author
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Léa Drieu, Kewin Peche-Quilichini, Martine Regert, Thibault Lachenal, Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France (C2RMF), Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap), Archéologie des Sociétés Méditerranéennes (ASM), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Culture et Environnements, Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen-Age (CEPAM), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA), and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)
- Subjects
Mediterranean climate ,Archeology ,[SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory ,Spatial organisation ,Iron Age ,Corsica ,01 natural sciences ,Beeswax ,Adhesive making ,Visible surface ,Spatial distribution ,0601 history and archaeology ,Pottery function ,060102 archaeology ,010401 analytical chemistry ,[CHIM.MATE]Chemical Sciences/Material chemistry ,06 humanities and the arts ,Archaeology ,language.human_language ,0104 chemical sciences ,Molecular analysis ,Geography ,visual_art ,visual_art.visual_art_medium ,language ,Pottery ,Organic residue analysis ,Corsican - Abstract
International audience; The excavation of the protohistoric site of Cuciurpula (South Corsica, France) revealed a significant amount of potsherds, often bearing visible surface crusts, sometimes very thick. This exceptional case in the Mediterranean region, suggesting a good preservation of organic substances, provided a unique opportunity to address questions related to pottery function and natural organic substances exploited in Corsica during the first half of the 1st millennium BC. The molecular analysis (GC and GC/MS) of organic residues from three houses of the site, preserved in both pottery walls and charred surface crusts, highlighted the wide diversity and the various roles of substances contained and processed in ceramic vessels: animal fats, plant oils and waxes, beeswax, and conifer resin. These molecular data, considered together with the shapes of the vessels and their location into the habitation units, revealed the diversity of pottery function (culinary and technical) and spatial organisation of domestic activities between houses or in a house (distinction between storage and cooking areas).
- Published
- 2018
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