Pots, plants and people: Lipid residue analysis in archaeology

Abstract
Lipid residue analysis has a long history in archaeology from pre-instrumental ‘wet chemical’ investigations to highly sensitive and selective instrumental techniques probing a wide range of molecular compound classes, alteration products and compound-specific isotopic characteristics. These approaches are advancing on a global stage and offer opportunities for addressing questions of archaeological significance, from culinary patterns, artefact function and technology.

In this presentation, Carl Heron will chart the key developments, highlighting milestones in the pages of the journal Archaeometry. Through a small number of case studies, he will provide a focus on the detection of plants and plant residues in pottery vessels. Like all applications of laboratory science to the study of the past, the most fruitful inquiries are embedded in explicit archaeological research programmes and integrated with other evidential approaches.

Biography
Carl Heron is Director of Scientific Research at the British Museum. He was appointed in 2016 after spending more than 25 years at the University of Bradford as an academic in the Department of Archaeological Sciences. He has a degree in Archaeological Sciences (Bradford), a PhD in Chemistry (Cardiff) researching the detection of food residues in pottery vessels and he spent two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Liverpool. His research interests are varied but focus largely on analytical organic chemistry applied to the study of the past and the history of scientific investigations in archaeology.

All are welcome. The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.