Juan José García-Granero

Archaeological ceramics in Mesoamerica sometimes display a whitish layer in the inner part of the vessels, which has been related to the use of lime to obtain alkaline solutions for treating foodstuffs, in particular maize, in a process that is called nixtamalization. In this paper we provide more evidence for this practice, and we also suggest that alkaline solutions might have been used to process other foodstuff. With this aim we have studied ceramic vessels recovered from Postclassic Xochimilco, Central Mexico. We analyzed the white layer through FT-IR to confirm it was made of calcium carbonate, and observed it by binocular microscopy, which allowed us to record the presence of several microlayers, that might have been formed during multiple uses of the vessels. Starch grain analyses were applied to identify residues preserved in these layers and the ceramic surface. The results suggest that the presence of a whitish layer was associated not only to maize, but also to other plant foodstuffs, therefore suggesting that Xochimilcans from the Mexica lordship in pre-Hispanic times were likely applying alkaline treatments to process different plant ingredients. The use of alkaline products to treat food besides maize is common in modern Mexico, but to date, it has not been reported archaeologically.

The archaeology of food offers an unparalleled means by which to disseminate archaeological knowledge. In this paper, we present the results of an outreach project in which we developed four recipes based on food remains recovered in four Eurasian Neolithic sites (Lajia, in China; Çatalhöyük, in Türkiye; Neustadt, in Germany; and Parkhaus Opéra, in Switzerland) and presented them to the public in three cooking workshops. Beyond presenting the culinary process involved in the development of the recipes, the cooking workshops aimed at disseminating general information about the society that produced each recipe (how they lived, how they acquired food, etc.), the archaeological find that inspired the recipe, and the scientific techniques used to study the find. In this paper, we focus on the dialogue that took place between archaeology and cuisine during the development of the recipes, the dialogue with the public during the workshops, and the lessons we learnt throughout this process. Online Supplementary MaterialsSupplementary Files 1–6 can be found at the end of the online version of the article. Click here for Supplementary File 7. OPEN ACCESSThis paper will be available in Open Access for three months from the date of publication (ending 22/11/2025).

Understanding the neolithisation process in northern Europe requires detailed knowledge of both the type of crop plants as well as gathered food plants from Neolithic Funnel Beaker sites (4000–2800 bce). However, although many sites from this culture are known, significant gaps remain in our knowledge on which taxa were used as well as on how plant food was prepared. Here, we present the results of combined plant macro- and microremains from the Early Neolithic site of Frydenlund in present-day Denmark. The macroremains include carbonised seeds, fruits and underground storage organs from a variety of contexts. The microremains are phytoliths and starch granules recovered from 14 grinding stones that are among the oldest from Denmark as well as the first from this region analysed using state-of-the-art methods. The data are discussed in the context of an updated overview of crop spectra, evidence of gathered plants and of plant food preparation techniques at Funnel Beaker sites in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. The results from the Early Neolithic site of Frydenlund show that the macroremains assemblage was dominated by Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (durum wheat), T. turgidum ssp. dicoccum (emmer wheat) and Hordeum vulgare var. nudum (naked barley), which apart from durum wheat fits the observed pattern from other Funnel Beaker sites in northwestern Europe. These crops were presumably cultivated separately as summer crops. Corylus avellana (hazel), Rubus fruticosus (blackberry) and R. idaeus (raspberry) were probably consumed as well, and possibly R. caesius (dewberry). While cereals were abundant in the macroremains assemblage, the microremains from the grinding stones indicate that these were used for grinding solely wild plants. The carbonised cereal grain fragments are therefore interpreted as possible evidence of cereal consumption mainly in the form of porridge or gruel, which corresponds well to comparable finds at other contemporary northwestern European sites. Future analysis of comparable high-quality data on combined macro- and microremains analysis is necessary to further refine our understanding of plant diets and plant food preparation techniques of the Funnel Beaker Culture as well as during the neolithisation process.

Considerable confusion and uncertainty persist on the cultural and chronological contexts of Holocene microlithic assemblages reported from South Asia. The paucity of securely dated sites with microlithic remains has compounded the confusion. Evidence from sites securely attributed to the Mesolithic based on a holistic approach (including direct evidence of plant and animal exploitation strategies) is needed to provide a better understanding of Mesolithic lithic tool-kits. This study uses morphometric and statistical methods to assess the nature of the Holocene hunter-gatherer microlithic tools-kit from a radiometrically secured chronological context at Vaharvo Timbo, a recently excavated Mesolithic site in North Gujarat (India). The assemblage is further compared with the nearby contemporary site of Loteshwar to highlight similarities and differences within hunter-gatherer lithic assemblages, understanding which can provide detailed information about subsistence strategies as well as patterns of settlement and mobility. The results show general standardisation between these two sites regarding raw materials and manufacturing technique but variation in the relative abundance of tool types between these two sites, despite their close proximity, indicating diverse strategies of resource exploitation by the Holocene hunter-gatherer groups in western India.

This study attempts a holistic approach to past foodways in prehistoric northern Gujarat, India, by considering evidence of food production, distribution, preparation and consumption. We present here the results of a pilot residue study, integrating lipid and starch grain analyses, conducted on 28 ceramic vessels from three Chalcolithic/Harappan settlements (c. 3300–2000 cal. BC) in northern Gujarat, which are discussed in the light of previous evidence of plant and animal acquisition and preparation strategies in this region. We aim to explore how the prehistoric inhabitants of northern Gujarat transformed ingredients into meals, focusing on how different foodstuffs were processed. When assessed on their own, the lipid and compound-specific isotopic data suggest that animal fats were primarily processed in ceramic vessels, specifically non-ruminant fats. However, lipid residue analysis favors the detection of fat-rich animal products and is often unable to disentangle signatures resulting from the mixing of plant and animal products. The incorporation of starch grain analyses provides evidence for the processing of a range of plants in the vessels, such as cereals, pulses and underground storage organs. Together, the results provide a holistic perspective on foodways and a way forward in overcoming preservational and interpretational limitations.