Archaeometry 35 (2)

A review of the ways in which assemblages of pottery have been quantified throughout the twentieth century, and the use to which such data have been put. The values of various ways of quantifying pottery are compared, and a theoretical basis for the comparison of assemblages is described. Finally, the practical steps that need to be taken to make best use of the theory are set out.

Reports organic residue analysis carried out on sixty-two reconstructed vessels from Raunds (Northamptonshire). In order to establish regions of lipid accumulation within a vessel, sherds were sampled from different parts of a vessel and submitted to lipid extraction procedures. The techniques of high temperature gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were then used to analyse the sherd lipid extracts. The quantitative results obtained show differential accumulation and preservation of lipid in various parts of the same vessel. This latter observation has serious implications for the sampling of potsherds for organic residue analysis. Furthermore, the amount of absorbed lipid varies quite considerably between vessel use by comparing the concentration of lipid present in different parts of the same vessel.

Reports the results of experiments on rats grown on test diets to observe the correlation between said diets and levels of ten elements traceable in the femurs and humeri.