The Encounters and Transformations in Iron Age Europe project (ENTRANS) aims to expand our knowledge regarding the nature and impact of cultural encounters during the European Iron Age. The study of ceramic vessels was included in the project, in order to further understand cultural practices in the south-east Alpine region. Organic residue analysis is an important tool in archaeological research for determining the presence of food and other organic substances associated with ceramic vessels. It has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of Iron Age societies and the interactions between them. This research focuses on the analysis of visible and absorbed organic residues from 377 ceramic vessels, from Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age sites in Slovenia and Croatia, by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry. Two methods of lipid extraction were compared in a pilot study compressing 30 potsherds from Kaptol (solvent vs. acid extraction). This study revealed that more information was obtained by acid extraction, thus it was selected as the main method of extraction for this project. Differences between settlement, funerary and ritual sites were observed, suggesting that the vessels placed in the graves were not previously used or carried foodstuff with low lipid content, such as liquids and dry foods/cereals. Some types of residues were only identified in funerary vessels, specifically potential castor oil in Kaptol, mixed with other fats and oils. Lipid biomarkers and lipid ratios revealed significant differences between contexts and different sites, suggesting that the differences in cultural practices can also be identified in the use of ceramic vessels. Some residues were also sampled for gas-chromatography compound-specific isotope ratio mass spectrometry and bulk isotope analysis (only visible residues), which identified potential dairy fats in two potsherds from Poštela. The results were also compared with the contextual information, mainly the faunal remains, and the data obtained from the osteology and diet study preformed with individuals from the same area and chronology as the ceramic vessels. / Encounters and Transformations in Iron Age Europe Project (ENTRANS); Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA); Institute Life Sciences Research (ILSR) University of Bradford.

Analysis of organic residue absorbed in to the walls of ceramic vessels has proved to be a valuable contributor to the knowledge of prehistoric societies. Based on the analysis of absorbed lipids in the wall of ceramic vessels and existing knowledge and theories about the Pitted Ware culture, an attempt of understanding of the Pitted Ware site Vendel is made. Based on the obtained results and evidences presented throughout the paper it is argued that the Vendel site is a permanent or seasonal settlement, and furthermore that the results seem to reflect a change in vessel use towards the end of the Pitted Ware Culture, and possibly even a change of society, ideology and economy.

Cette recherche doctorale porte sur l’analyse des « céramiques communes à pâte grossière » issues de 4 fouilles archéologiques de la Vénétie : celles de la cathédrale de Padoue, de Rocca de Monselice (Padoue), du château de Montagnone à Montegrotto Terme (Padoue) et de l’ancien cinéma Astra à Chioggia (Venise). Cette recherche se focalise plus particulièrement sur la « céramique commune à pâte grossière » employée pour l’usage culinaire à l’échelle de la Vénétie. Elle vise à mieux comprendre les changements de morphologies, de matières premières employées mais également de fonctionnalité entre le IVe et le XIV siècle apr. J.-C. Dans le cadre de ce travail, cette catégorie de céramique a été étudiée à travers une approche pluridisciplinaire associant, à la démarche d’archéologique et de typologique classique, des observations pétrographiques et des analyses chimiques de résidus organiques. La combinaison de ces expértises a permis d’observer :• une évolution typologique à l’échelle de la période chronologique investie pour la région de Padoue ces dernières ayant été confrontée avec des données déjà publiée pour la région de la Vénétie et des territoires limitrophes ;• des caractéristiques pétrographiques et un changement des « recettes » de pâtes employées dans la production de la céramique pour les usages culinaires ;• certains aspects fonctionnels des céramiques, notamment sur pour artefacts retrouvés lors de la fouille de la cathédrale de Padoue, permettant même de proposer des hypothèses sur les habitudes alimentaires ;• un lien entre l’évolution des « céramiques communes à pâte grossière » et les dynamiques économiques et politiques régionales. / The aim of this research is the study of cooking wares, founded in 4 archaeological sites of Veneto region (North-eastern Italy): the archaeological excavation near the Padua cathedral, the archaeological excavation of Rocca di Monselice Castle (PD); the archeological sites of Montagnone of Montegrotto Terme castle; and the excavation in the ex-cinema Astra in Chioggia (VE). Therefore the object of this research is to observe over long time (from 4th to 14/15th century) the cooking wares of a small territory of Veneto region, the central-eastern part, to understand the evolutional change of morphologies, the origins of raw materials and the pottery function.The pottery was studied with the exploitation of different techniques and methodologies: the archaeological and typological approach; the petrographical analysis and the organic residue analysis. This method allowed the observation of:$\begin{itemize}\item the pottery morphological evolution, over long time in a small territory, taking into account also the published ceramic datas of Veneto and the nearest regions;\item the petrographical characteristic and the different use of ceramic paste over a log term for the cooking wares;\item for the archaeological site of Padua cathedral, the functional aspect of pottery. This aspect permits to speculate on the diet habits;\item the link between the cooking and coarse wares and the historical and economical aspects of Veneto. \end{itemize}$Finally this research gives a database to better understand the production characteristics of Paduan cooking wares.

Les grains de poussière se trouvant dans les nuages moléculaires denses jouent un grand rôle dans la formation de molécules organiques complexes. Ces grains sont recouverts d'un manteau glacé contenant des molécules primitives. Au cours de l'évolution des nuages moléculaires vers des systèmes planétaires, les grains sont soumis à des processus énergétiques transformant la matière organique présente dans les glaces. Les grains finissent par être intégrés dans les petits corps du système solaire tels que les comètes et les astéroïdes. Cette thèse cherche à simuler en laboratoire l'évolution chimique de ces glaces. Des analogues de ces glaces sont formés sur un substrat à basse température, et sont irradiés avec des photons UV et/ou réchauffés afin de simuler les processus astrophysiques. On forme ainsi un résidu organique que l'on caractérise grâce à la spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier (IRTF) et la spectrométrie de masse à très haute résolution (VHRMS) par Orbitrap.Nous avons d'abord effectué des études mécanistiques centrées autour de la formation d'aminoalcools et d'hydroxynitriles lors du réchauffement de glaces contenant de l'acétaldéhyde (CH$_3$CHO) ou de l'acétone ((CH$_3$)$_2$CO) avec NH$_3$, HCN et H$_2$O. Nous avons ensuite étudié la composition globale de résidus issus de l'irradiation et du réchauffement de glaces contenant H$_2$O, CH$_3$OH, et NH$_3$. Nous présentons une nouvelle approche pour interpréter les données Orbitrap de ces résidus. Les similarités trouvées avec des analyses de matière organique météoritique issues de la littérature laissent à penser qu'une partie de son évolution pourrait être semblable à celle de nos résidus. / Dust grains located in dense molecular clouds play a major role in the formation of complex organic molecules. These grains are covered by icy mantles containing primitive molecules. Dense molecular clouds can collapse and lead to the formation of planetary systems such as our own. During this evolution, the grains are exposed to energetic processes which transform the organic matter inside the ices. The grains are ultimately incorporated into small solar system bodies such as comets and asteroids, which can then contribute to the exogenous delivery of organic matter on Earth. In this context, this thesis focuses on simulating the chemical evolution of ices. To that end, ice analogues are formed by condensing a relevant gas mixture on a cold substrate. These interstellar ice analogues are irradiated with UV photons and/or heated in order to simulate astrophysical processes. An organic residue is formed which we characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and very high resolution mass spectrometry (VHRMS) by Orbitrap.First, we performed mechanistic studies focused on the formation of aminoalcohols and hydroxynitriles from the warming of ices containing acetaldehyde (CH$_3$CHO) or acetone ((CH$_3$)$_2$CO) with NH$_3$, HCN and H$_2$O. Secondly, we studied the global composition of residues made from irradiation and warming of ices containing H$_2$O, CH$_3$OH, and NH$_3$. We present a new approach to interpret Orbitrap data of the residues. Similarities observed with meteoritic organic matter analyses found in the literature could mean that some of the evolution that led to meteoritic organic matter is shared with the evolution of our residues.

With the increase of the demand for forest seedlings, both training for business stands and recovery of degraded areas, there is a growing concern with the reduction of costs and the need to follow sustainability standards in the production of seedlings. For this reason, renewable materials have been studied and used for formulation of substrates, and the lump of peach has potential to be used with this purpose, which has the physical structure rigid that do not decomposes with ease and, when triturated, retains particles of various granulometries. The present study had as objectives: I - Evaluate the characteristics peach lump triturated for use as a component of the substrate for plants; II - to investigate the influence of substrates with different proportions of peach lump triturated seedling growth of E. dunnii seeds in the nursery and the performance in the field. Were used different proportions of mixture [100:0%, 80:20%; 60:40%; 40:60%; 20:80%; 0:100% (volume:volume)] from peach lump triturated (C) and commercial substrate (S), composing the group 1 (CxS), and C and peat brown (T), called the group 2 (CxT). It was evaluated the physical, chemical and the content of the macronutrients of mixtures. In the nursery evaluations were made of height (H), collar diameter (DC), H/DC, dry mass carrier, root dry mass, total dry mass, the quality index of Dickson, leaf area, root length and volume, ease of withdrawal of the seedlings in the polyethylene tube, aggregation of roots and photochemical efficiency of photosystem II maximum In the field, it was evaluated the survival, the increment in the growth in height and diameter of the stem base diameters and physiological variables during 240 days. In general, the results obtained allow us to infer that the peach lump triturated presents physical and chemical characteristics suitable for use as a component of substrates, increasing the density wet and dry, the material consisting of aeration and pH, while the total porosity, water holding capacity and the electric conductivity had lower values for the substrates with or with a higher proportion of peach lump triturated. In the production of seedlings of E. dunnii seeds, this material reduced the growth of the same, but can be used as a component of substrate in all the proportions of the mixture with commercial substrate without interfering with their development in the field, but with proportions greater than 20% change has difficulty be removed from the cartridge and less aggregation, reducing the yield of the operations in the field. Mixed with brown peat, it is recommended to use proportions between 15% and 30% of crushed peach kernel allowing better growth of seedlings in the nursery and good performance after planting. / Com o aumento da demanda por mudas florestais, tanto para formação de povoamentos comerciais quanto para recuperação de áreas degradadas, houve uma consequente preocupação com a redução dos custos e necessidade de seguir padrões de sustentabilidade na produção de mudas. Para isso, materiais renováveis vêm sendo pesquisados e utilizados para formulação de substratos e o caroço de pêssego possui potencial para ser utilizado com essa finalidade, o qual possui estrutura física rígida que não se decompõe com facilidade e, quando triturado, mantem partículas de diversas granulometrias. O presente estudo teve como objetivos: I Avaliar as características do caroço de pêssego triturado para uso como componente de substrato para plantas; II Investigar a influência de substratos com diferentes proporções de caroço de pêssego triturado no crescimento de mudas de Eucalyptus dunnii no viveiro e o desempenho em campo. Foram utilizadas diferentes proporções de mistura [100:0%, 80:20%; 60:40%; 40:60%; 20:80%; 0:100% (volume:volume)] de caroço de pêssego triturado (C) com substrato comercial a base de composto orgânico (S), compondo o grupo 1 (CxS), e C com turfa marrom (T), denominado grupo 2 (CxT). Avaliaram-se as propriedades físicas, químicas e o teor de macronutrientes das misturas. No viveiro foram realizadas avaliações da altura (H), diâmetro do coleto (DC), relação H/DC, massa seca aérea, massa seca radicular, massa seca total, índice de qualidade de Dickson, área foliar, comprimento e volume radicular, facilidade de retirada das mudas do tubete, agregação das raízes e eficiência fotoquímica máxima do fotossistema II. No campo, avaliou-se a sobrevivência, o incremento no crescimento em altura e em diâmetro do coleto e variáveis fisiológicas durante 240 dias. De maneira geral, os resultados obtidos permitem inferir que o caroço de pêssego triturado apresenta características físicas e químicas adequadas para uso como componente de substratos. Esse material aumenta a densidade úmida e seca, o espaço de aeração e pH, enquanto que reduz a porosidade total, a capacidade de retenção de água e a condutividade elétrica. Na produção de mudas de E. dunnii, esse material reduziu o crescimento das mesmas, mas pode ser utilizado como componente de substrato em todas as proporções de mistura com substrato comercial a base de composto orgânico sem interferir no seu desenvolvimento a campo, porém com proporções superiores a 20% a muda apresenta dificuldade de ser retirada do tubete e menor agregação, reduzindo o rendimento das operações no campo. Em mistura com turfa marrom, recomenda-se utilizar proporções entre 15% e 30% de caroço de pêssego triturado permitindo melhor crescimento das mudas no viveiro e bom desempenho após o plantio.

Farming transformed societies globally. Yet, despite more than a century of research, there is little consensus on the speed or completeness of this fundamental change and, consequently, on its principal drivers. For Northern Europe, the debate has often centered on the rich archaeological record of the Western Baltic, but even here it is unclear how quickly or completely people abandoned wild terrestrial and marine resources after the introduction of domesticated plants and animals at approximately 4000 calibrated years B.C. Ceramic containers are found ubiquitously on these sites and contain remarkably well-preserved lipids derived from the original use of the vessel. Reconstructing culinary practices from this ceramic record can contribute to longstanding debates concerning the origins of farming. Here we present data on the molecular and isotopic characteristics of lipids extracted from 133 ceramic vessels and 100 carbonized surface residues dating to immediately before and after the first evidence of domesticated animals and plants in the Western Baltic. The presence of specific lipid biomarkers, notably omega-(o-alkylphenyl)alkanoic acids, and the isotopic composition of individual n-alkanoic acids clearly show that a significant proportion ( approximately 20%) of ceramic vessels with lipids preserved continued to be used for processing marine and freshwater resources across the transition to agriculture in this region. Although changes in pottery use are immediately evident, our data challenge the popular notions that economies were completely transformed with the arrival of farming and that Neolithic pottery was exclusively associated with produce from domesticated animals and plants.

Yes / Red Lustrous Wheelmade ware is one of the most recognisable classes of pottery from the Late Bronze Age of the east Mediterranean. Yet both its production source and the nature of its contents and use remain a source of some debate. These questions are tackled here through an intensive programme of scientific analysis involving 95 samples of Red Lustrous Wheelmade ware and related wares from seven sites in Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt. Petrography and instrumental neutron activation analysis are combined in the study of the ceramic fabrics, with a view to specifying the source of this ware; while gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry are used to analyse absorbed and visible residues in and on the sherd samples, in the hope of shedding light on vessel contents and possible use. The results of the fabric analysis show the ware to be extremely homogeneous, indicative of a single source: northern Cyprus is at present the most likely candidate, although further analysis, particularly of clay samples from the region in question, would certainly be desirable. The residue analysis suggests that Red Lustrous Wheelmade ware might have been used to carry some kind of plant oils, possibly perfumed, and that in some instances the vessel interior was coated with beeswax as a sealant. / AHRC