Speuren naar sporen: bewerkingssporenonderzoek aan natgeconserveerde subfossiele resten van consumptieplanten

Samenvatting

Searching for clues: processing-wear analysis on water-logged preserved subfossil edible plant remains. The archaeobotanical remains of several cesspits and wells from Vlissingen were analyzed to determine if ‘processing marks’, the resulting marks on the plant remains from specific preparation methods, are present and if these marks can be used to differentiate between kitchen waste and consumption waste or excrement. By combining the results from archaeobotanical analysis with historical recipes and experimental research, it was possible to associate some processing marks with a specific type of preparation method, such as chewing, pressing, cutting and cracking, for the hazelnut fruit, almond, walnut and cherry stones, and also apple and pear seeds. Though other types of preparation methods were more difficult to distinguish, this study shows that in some cases it is possible to distinguish kitchen waste and consumption waste or excrement.