Detection of dairy products from multiple taxa in Late Neolithic pottery from Poland: an integrated biomolecular approach

Miranda Evans; Jasmine Lundy; Alexandre Jules Andre Lucquin; Richard Hagan; Łukasz  Kowalski; Jarosław  Wilczyńki; Penny Bickle; Kamil Adamczak; Oliver Edward Craig; Harry Kenneth Robson; Jessica Ruth Hendy

doi:https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230124

Detection of dairy products from multiple taxa in Late Neolithic pottery from Poland: an integrated biomolecular approach

Miranda Evans, Jasmine Lundy, Alexandre Jules Andre Lucquin, Richard Hagan, Łukasz Kowalski, Jarosław Wilczyńki, Penny Bickle, Kamil Adamczak, Oliver Edward Craig, Harry Kenneth Robson, Jessica Ruth Hendy

Archaeology

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

Abstract

The detection of dairy processing is pivotal to our understanding of ancient subsistence strategies. This culinary process is linked to key arguments surrounding the evolution of lactase persistence in prehistory. Despite extensive evidence indicating the presence of dairy products in ceramics in the European Neolithic, questions remain about the nature and extent of milk (and lactose) processing and consumption. In order to investigate past patterns of dairy processing, here we analyse ancient proteins identified from Late Neolithic Funnel Beaker ceramics, scrutinizing the principle that curd and whey proteins partition during the production of dairy foods from milk. Our results indicate the presence of casein-rich dairy products in these vessels suggesting the creation of curd-enriched products from raw milk. Moreover, this analysis reveals the use of multiple species for their dairy products in the Late Neolithic, adding to a growing body of evidence for the period. Alongside palaeoproteomic analysis, we applied well-established lipid residue analysis. Differential interpretations between these two approaches show that palaeoproteomics is especially useful where the effects from isotope mixing may underestimate the frequency of dairy products in archaeological ceramics, highlighting the potential utility of a multi-stranded approach to understand life histories of vessel use.

Original language	English
Article number	230124
Number of pages	13
Journal	Royal Society Open Science
Volume	10
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230124
Publication status	Published - 15 Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

2023 The Authors.

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https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230124Licence: CC BY

rsos.230124
2023 The Authors.
Final published version, 0.98 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Detection of dairy products from multiple taxa in Late Neolithic pottery from Poland: an integrated biomolecular approach",

abstract = "The detection of dairy processing is pivotal to our understanding of ancient subsistence strategies. This culinary process is linked to key arguments surrounding the evolution of lactase persistence in prehistory. Despite extensive evidence indicating the presence of dairy products in ceramics in the European Neolithic, questions remain about the nature and extent of milk (and lactose) processing and consumption. In order to investigate past patterns of dairy processing, here we analyse ancient proteins identified from Late Neolithic Funnel Beaker ceramics, scrutinizing the principle that curd and whey proteins partition during the production of dairy foods from milk. Our results indicate the presence of casein-rich dairy products in these vessels suggesting the creation of curd-enriched products from raw milk. Moreover, this analysis reveals the use of multiple species for their dairy products in the Late Neolithic, adding to a growing body of evidence for the period. Alongside palaeoproteomic analysis, we applied well-established lipid residue analysis. Differential interpretations between these two approaches show that palaeoproteomics is especially useful where the effects from isotope mixing may underestimate the frequency of dairy products in archaeological ceramics, highlighting the potential utility of a multi-stranded approach to understand life histories of vessel use.",

author = "Miranda Evans and Jasmine Lundy and Lucquin, {Alexandre Jules Andre} and Richard Hagan and {\L}ukasz Kowalski and Jaros{\l}aw Wilczy{\'n}ki and Penny Bickle and Kamil Adamczak and Craig, {Oliver Edward} and Robson, {Harry Kenneth} and Hendy, {Jessica Ruth}",

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AU - Evans, Miranda

AU - Lundy, Jasmine

AU - Lucquin, Alexandre Jules Andre

AU - Hagan, Richard

AU - Kowalski, Łukasz

AU - Wilczyńki, Jarosław

AU - Bickle, Penny

AU - Adamczak, Kamil

AU - Craig, Oliver Edward

AU - Robson, Harry Kenneth

AU - Hendy, Jessica Ruth

N1 - 2023 The Authors.

PY - 2023/3/15

Y1 - 2023/3/15

N2 - The detection of dairy processing is pivotal to our understanding of ancient subsistence strategies. This culinary process is linked to key arguments surrounding the evolution of lactase persistence in prehistory. Despite extensive evidence indicating the presence of dairy products in ceramics in the European Neolithic, questions remain about the nature and extent of milk (and lactose) processing and consumption. In order to investigate past patterns of dairy processing, here we analyse ancient proteins identified from Late Neolithic Funnel Beaker ceramics, scrutinizing the principle that curd and whey proteins partition during the production of dairy foods from milk. Our results indicate the presence of casein-rich dairy products in these vessels suggesting the creation of curd-enriched products from raw milk. Moreover, this analysis reveals the use of multiple species for their dairy products in the Late Neolithic, adding to a growing body of evidence for the period. Alongside palaeoproteomic analysis, we applied well-established lipid residue analysis. Differential interpretations between these two approaches show that palaeoproteomics is especially useful where the effects from isotope mixing may underestimate the frequency of dairy products in archaeological ceramics, highlighting the potential utility of a multi-stranded approach to understand life histories of vessel use.

AB - The detection of dairy processing is pivotal to our understanding of ancient subsistence strategies. This culinary process is linked to key arguments surrounding the evolution of lactase persistence in prehistory. Despite extensive evidence indicating the presence of dairy products in ceramics in the European Neolithic, questions remain about the nature and extent of milk (and lactose) processing and consumption. In order to investigate past patterns of dairy processing, here we analyse ancient proteins identified from Late Neolithic Funnel Beaker ceramics, scrutinizing the principle that curd and whey proteins partition during the production of dairy foods from milk. Our results indicate the presence of casein-rich dairy products in these vessels suggesting the creation of curd-enriched products from raw milk. Moreover, this analysis reveals the use of multiple species for their dairy products in the Late Neolithic, adding to a growing body of evidence for the period. Alongside palaeoproteomic analysis, we applied well-established lipid residue analysis. Differential interpretations between these two approaches show that palaeoproteomics is especially useful where the effects from isotope mixing may underestimate the frequency of dairy products in archaeological ceramics, highlighting the potential utility of a multi-stranded approach to understand life histories of vessel use.

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