A medium-throughput approach for improved taxonomic identification of lipids preserved in ancient pottery

Léa Drieu; Jasmine Lundy; Rachel K. Smith; Ed Bergström; Helen Talbot; Milena Primavera; Girolamo Fiorentino; Oliver E. Craig; Jane Thomas-Oates

doi:10.1111/arcm.12976

A medium-throughput approach for improved taxonomic identification of lipids preserved in ancient pottery

Léa Drieu, Jasmine Lundy, Rachel K. Smith, Ed Bergström, Helen Talbot, Milena Primavera, Girolamo Fiorentino, Oliver E. Craig, Jane Thomas-Oates

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Abstract Organic residue analysis (ORA) is a valuable tool for the study of ancient diets, but conventional methods remain limited in terms of taxonomic identification or to resolve mixtures. Here, we propose a method to further explore a class of compounds?triacylglycerols (TAGs)?using high-resolution mass spectrometry to overcome these limitations in an attempt to better characterise culinary practices. Over 70 medieval Sicilian pots and a wide range of authentic fresh products were studied by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation?mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS and MALDI-MS/MS). MALDI-MS analysis can distinguish fresh foodstuffs but provides little additional information regarding the contents of archaeological pottery compared to conventional ORA methods. In contrast, product ion analyses were able to deconvolute a range of animal carcass fat mixtures. In addition, detailed analysis of the composition of saturated T44 and unsaturated T50?T54 TAGs was able to provide greater taxonomic resolution regarding dairy products and plant oils.

Original language	English
Number of pages	20
Journal	Archaeometry
Early online date	7 May 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12976
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 7 May 2024

Bibliographical note

This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.

Keywords

dairy products
MALDI
medieval Sicily
organic residue analysis
plant oils
triacylglycerols

Access to Document

10.1111/arcm.12976

Accepted version
This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.
Accepted author manuscript, 1.65 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "A medium-throughput approach for improved taxonomic identification of lipids preserved in ancient pottery",

abstract = "Abstract Organic residue analysis (ORA) is a valuable tool for the study of ancient diets, but conventional methods remain limited in terms of taxonomic identification or to resolve mixtures. Here, we propose a method to further explore a class of compounds?triacylglycerols (TAGs)?using high-resolution mass spectrometry to overcome these limitations in an attempt to better characterise culinary practices. Over 70 medieval Sicilian pots and a wide range of authentic fresh products were studied by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation?mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS and MALDI-MS/MS). MALDI-MS analysis can distinguish fresh foodstuffs but provides little additional information regarding the contents of archaeological pottery compared to conventional ORA methods. In contrast, product ion analyses were able to deconvolute a range of animal carcass fat mixtures. In addition, detailed analysis of the composition of saturated T44 and unsaturated T50?T54 TAGs was able to provide greater taxonomic resolution regarding dairy products and plant oils.",

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AU - Drieu, Léa

AU - Lundy, Jasmine

AU - Smith, Rachel K.

AU - Bergström, Ed

AU - Talbot, Helen

AU - Primavera, Milena

AU - Fiorentino, Girolamo

AU - Craig, Oliver E.

AU - Thomas-Oates, Jane

N1 - This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.

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N2 - Abstract Organic residue analysis (ORA) is a valuable tool for the study of ancient diets, but conventional methods remain limited in terms of taxonomic identification or to resolve mixtures. Here, we propose a method to further explore a class of compounds?triacylglycerols (TAGs)?using high-resolution mass spectrometry to overcome these limitations in an attempt to better characterise culinary practices. Over 70 medieval Sicilian pots and a wide range of authentic fresh products were studied by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation?mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS and MALDI-MS/MS). MALDI-MS analysis can distinguish fresh foodstuffs but provides little additional information regarding the contents of archaeological pottery compared to conventional ORA methods. In contrast, product ion analyses were able to deconvolute a range of animal carcass fat mixtures. In addition, detailed analysis of the composition of saturated T44 and unsaturated T50?T54 TAGs was able to provide greater taxonomic resolution regarding dairy products and plant oils.

AB - Abstract Organic residue analysis (ORA) is a valuable tool for the study of ancient diets, but conventional methods remain limited in terms of taxonomic identification or to resolve mixtures. Here, we propose a method to further explore a class of compounds?triacylglycerols (TAGs)?using high-resolution mass spectrometry to overcome these limitations in an attempt to better characterise culinary practices. Over 70 medieval Sicilian pots and a wide range of authentic fresh products were studied by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation?mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS and MALDI-MS/MS). MALDI-MS analysis can distinguish fresh foodstuffs but provides little additional information regarding the contents of archaeological pottery compared to conventional ORA methods. In contrast, product ion analyses were able to deconvolute a range of animal carcass fat mixtures. In addition, detailed analysis of the composition of saturated T44 and unsaturated T50?T54 TAGs was able to provide greater taxonomic resolution regarding dairy products and plant oils.

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