A team of Cornell University researchers has found that plant oils, including olive oil, may not be as easily detected in ancient pottery recovered from Mediterranean calcareous soils. Their study shows that organic residues of plant oils do not preserve well in these soil conditions. As a result, archaeologists over decades might have misidentified olive oil present in ceramics, potentially confusing it with other plant oils or animal fats.

The study involved an interdisciplinary team from Cornell’s Engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and College of Arts and Sciences. Their findings suggest that previous interpretations of pottery contents should be reexamined to better understand the economic, political, and social factors in the ancient world.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Ithaca, NY

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