Encrustations

Pottery vessels crafted by indigenous people were likely used for cooking, storage or a combination of both.  Sometimes, during the food cooking process, adhesions of food would get baked or burned onto the pottery.  In some instances these residual food particles (often referred to as “residues”) would become carbonized and be preserved as visible “encrustations” on various surfaces of the pot. 

Carbonized food encrustations seen as the blackened area on the exterior vessel surface.

Over time the residue encrustation will naturally fall off.  Therefore, for research purposes it is important to identify when encrustations are present because, if enough of a residue sample is present, the carbonized material can be used to obtain a radiocarbon date with a direct association to the pottery vessel.  Furthermore, if plant material is present within the residue sample, it may be possible to determine the type of food being cooked in the pot.

Carbonized food encrustations seen as the black material contained within the decorative elements on the lip of the vessel.