Characterising life in settlements and structures: incorporating faecal lipid biomarkers within a multiproxy case study of a wetland village

Mackay, H. et al. (2020) Characterising life in settlements and structures: incorporating faecal lipid biomarkers within a multiproxy case study of a wetland village. Journal of Archaeological Science, 121, 105202. (doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2020.105202)

[img] Text
220314.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.

33MB

Abstract

Roundhouses are ubiquitous features of Iron Age landscapes across North West Europe, yet the way they were used internally is not well understood. We demonstrate how spatial analyses of steroid lipid biomarkers advances our understanding of household activities, living conditions and animal management associated with a well-preserved 5th century BCE roundhouse from Scotland's first Iron Age wetland village, Black Loch of Myrton, especially when combined with more traditional archaeological approaches. Faecal steroids (5β-stanols and bile acids) are well preserved within the wetland roundhouse floor deposits. Diffuse faecal inputs are identified within these deposits, limiting the resolution of faecal source discrimination compared with studies of concentrated faecal remains. However, analysis of both 5β-stanols and bile acids enables discrimination between ruminant (sheep, goat and cattle), pig and horse/human faecal remains. By integrating faunal data and entomological dung indicators we are able to characterise the on-site presence of animals associated with these archaeological structures. Steroids indicate short-lived and/or temporary pulses of dung deposition within the Iron Age roundhouse case study structure, which can be very difficult to determine using other archaeological proxies. Furthermore, our multiproxy results demonstrate the molecular preservation of steroids within deposits that have been subjected to regular floor cleaning, which is associated with the removal macrofossil proxies. Comparisons of multiproxy faecal signatures of the inner and outer sections of the structure show temporal and spatial heterogeneity in usage and living conditions. The faecal signature points to temporary sheltering of animals within the inner section of the structure. The multi-use and division of different activities within the roundhouse, determined by steroids, marks an important contribution to broader archaeological debates surrounding structures, their functions and re-use.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:This research was conducted as part of the AHRC project ‘Celtic Connections and Crannogs: A Study of Lake Settlements across the Irish Sea’ [AH/M005259/1] awarded to AB, ACGH, AC, FM and NW. Faecal steroid analyses of Structure 2 was funded by a NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Facility grant ‘Timing and duration of human occupation of crannogs, and their anthropogenic use during the Iron Age in SW Scotland’ [BRIS/92/1016] to ACGH. The excavations and post-excavations at Black Loch of Myrton were led and undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group and funded by Historic Environment Scotland [AMJ/9127/4/18].
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Whitehouse, Professor Nicki
Authors: Mackay, H., Davies, K. L., Robertson, J., Roy, L., Bull, I. D., Whitehouse, N. J., Crone, A., Cavers, G., McCormick, F., Brown, A. G., and Henderson, A. C.G.
College/School:College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Archaeology
Journal Name:Journal of Archaeological Science
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0305-4403
ISSN (Online):1095-9238
Published Online:25 July 2020
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd.
First Published:First published in Journal of Archaeological Science 121: 105202
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record