Foodways through Ceramics in

Southeast Asian Archaeology

A View from Southern Vietnam

Michelle S. Eusebio PhD Candidate, Major in Archaeology

Department of Anthropology, University of Florida

January 17, 2014

Food in Southeast Asian Archaeology Map from Bellwood 2011

from Barton and Denham 2011

(Carlos 2010, Ille Cave, Palawan, Philippines)

from Weber et al. 2010

from Hung et al. 2011

from Rispoli 2007

Ceramics in Southeast Asian Archaeology

from Sarjeant 2012

from Ono 2006

from Cort and Lefferts 2013

from Skibo 1992

“Foodways” in Neolithic-Metal Age Southeast Asia

Production and procurement

Processing

Consumption or eating

Presentation or serving

Cooking

Disposal

Definition of “foodways” (Atalay and Hastorf 2006:283; Twiss 2012) Each Stage = a different Human-Food Interaction (Twiss 2012)

Form + Technology = Intended Use

Surface Attrition + Carbon Deposition = Actual Use

Noted attributes: rim diameter with orifice percentage, rim and lip thicknesses, lip forms, rim forms, vessel forms, presence or absence of design, surface treatment, use alteration (surface attrition & carbon deposition), pottery

temper, and firing cores. Main references: Hally 1983; Kobayashi 1994; Orton et al.

1993; Rice 1987; Rye 1981; Skibo 1992, 2013

Approaches to Foodways through Ceramics

A. Technofunctional Analysis

from Vukovic 2011

“utilizes analytical organic chemical techniques to identify the nature and origins of organic remains that cannot be characterized using

traditional techniques of archaeological investigation” (because they are either amorphous or invisible; Evershed 2008:6).

Archaeobiological Biomarker Concept (Evershed 2008)

Pottery + former food contents + foodway practices (e.g., Heron and Evershed 1993; Evershed 2008; Craig et al. 2011, 2013)

Notable works in SEA: Edwards et al. (1997); Hauman (2012); Hill (1988); Lampert et al. (2002-2004); Skibo (1992); Yang and March (2008, 2012)

B. Organic Residue Analysis

(Image from http://www.si.edu/mci/english/research/technical_studies/gcms-residues.html)

Technofunctional Analysis Intended + Possible Actual Function (Skibo 2013)

Affordances (Knappett 2005)

Are the vessels the “Swiss Army Knife” of the pottery world? (after Skibo 2013: 105)

Organic Residue Analysis

Actual function (Skibo 2013, with Malainey)

How Entangled = Pottery + Food + People? (after Hodder 2012; Gibbs and Jordan 2013)

Themes that can be addressed

Pottery Function and Usage during Prehistory

Association with Cereal Agriculture, Animal Management, and/or Foraging

OR, How Entangled Pottery were with the food elements of “Neolithic Material Culture Package” and/or foraged food resources from the environment? (after Hodder 2012)

Social Diversity based on Foodway Practices across Space and Time

THEN Identity = Economic, Status, Ethnic, Gender, and Religious Distinctions (after Twiss 2012:357)

Technofunctional & Organic Residue Analyses

[Images from http://www.quickiwiki.com/en/Foxtail_millet (millet ) and http://oklahomafarmreport.com (soybean)]

Southern Vietnam aka Mekong Delta Region

from Sarjeant 2012:22

Courtesy of Dr. Philip J. Piper

Rạch Núi (Neolithic, 1500 – 1200 BC)

Campos 2014; Castillo 2014; Ceron 2014; Piper et al. 2013; Piper and Amano 2013; other works from this IPPA Congress

Excavation photos from Dr. Philip J. Piper and Fredeliza Z. Campos

from Piper and Amano 2013

An Sơn (Neolithic, 2200 – 1300 BC)

Bellwood et al. 2011; Nishimura and Nguyen 2002; Piper et al. 2012; Sarjeant 2012a,b, 2014; Willis and Oxenham 2014

from Bellwood et al. 2011

Gò Ô Chùa (Bronze-Iron Age, c. 1000-150 BC)

Francken et al. 2010; Proske et al. 2009; Reinecke 2010, 2012

from Reinecke 2010

from Reinecke 2012

Bellwood 2005, 2013 (all domesticates with farmers)

Bellwood et al. 2011; Weber et al. 2010 (rice and millet)

Piper and Amano 2013; Piper et al. 2012; Reinecke pers. comm. 2013 (dog and pig)

Berthouly-Salazar et al. 2010; Storey et al. 2012 (chicken)

Some Food Candidates

[Images from http://www.quickiwiki.com/en/Foxtail_millet (millet ) and http://oklahomafarmreport.com (soybean)]

A. Domesticated Plants and Animals

B. Wild Terrestrial and Aquatic Animals

Blench 2013a, Campos 2014; Piper and Amano 2013; Piper et al. 2012; Reinecke pers. comm. 2013

[Image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tragulus_napu.jpg (mouse deer)]

C. Other livestocks

Blench 2013b

[Image from http://english.cri.cn/11354/2013/09/26/2941s789588_5.htm (yellow duck)]

E. Beans from South Asia

Mungbean (Vigna radiata) Horsegram

(Macrotyloma uniflorum)

D. Other Plant Sources

Castillo and Fuller (2010)

Blench 2013b

[Images from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Musa_acuminata_in_india01.jpg (banana), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sa-horsegram.jpg (horsegram bean)

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sa_green_gram.jpg (mungbean)]

Materials and Methods

A. Sampling of Archaeological Pottery

B. Experimental Cooking

a. Boiling 5 Freshwater Fishes

Photo by Cat Frieman

c. Frying and Boiling Freshwater Fishes

b. Mixed Cooking: Two Dishes

Cá kho tộ Sweet Fish Adobo? Fish Sarciado with Tofu

C. Collection of ethnographic pottery

Photos that include me by Iza Campos Cá kho tộ (clay pot fish, or braised fish in caramel)

1

2

D. Technofunctional Analysis

E. Organic Residue Analysis Saponification

Esterification

Extraction

GC-MS run

Photo by Iza Campos

1 experimental pot (boiling ~5-v fishes), 2 ethnographic pots, & 6 archaeological (2/site)

2 DCM:MeoH solvent extraction, acidic fractions esterified as fatty acid methyl esters

6890N Network GC System with Agilent Technologies with Agilent Technologies 5793 Inert Mass Selective Detector, set to scan the range of m/z 50–500

Results: Technofunctional Analysis

Open bowls (21.80%)

Based on 133 pottery rims across 3 sites

Restricted bowls (5.26%) Open pots (3.00%)

Restricted pots (43.61%)

Restricted pots/jars (19.55%)

Small cups/ bowls (2.26%)

Jars (3.00%)

Cà rang/stove (2.26%)

Use-alteration

Firing cloud Carbon deposition

Non-abrasive surface attritions (pitting and erosion)

Modern Southern Vietnamese Pottery

Surface Treatment

Plain

Textured

Organic (e.g., rice husks), Sand, Grog, Shell, Lime, &/ Limestone

Temper

RT: 0.00 - 44.25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Time (min)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

Re

lativ

e A

bu

nd

an

ce

23.43

25.50

25.76

20.74

30.0428.3217.85 31.76 34.75 36.32 41.2112.894.39 17.105.82 11.28

NL:2.57E7

TIC MS MEUSEBIO_E7

Results: Organic Residue Analysis

E7. Boiling 5 Freshwater Fishes

C12

C14 C15

(IS)

C18

C19 at 26.84 min

C18:1

C17

C16

C18:2B at 26.50 min

C18:2A at 25.99 min

C20 at 27.90 min

C20:1 at 27.64 min

C20:2

C22 at 29.90 min

C22:1

C23 at 30.859 (89%)?

C24

C24:1 at 31.539-31.596 min

C16:1

? CT

• C12-C24:1 fatty acids • No ώ-(o-alkylphenyl)alkanoic acids

and isoprenoid fatty acids

RT: 0.00 - 44.25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Time (min)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

Re

lativ

e A

bu

nd

an

ce

23.43

25.54

25.77

23.12

20.74

27.6430.03

17.87 31.76 34.78 36.34 41.5913.104.37 11.495.82 9.30

NL:2.81E7

TIC MS MEUSEBIO_E10

E10. Cá kho tộ 1

C14

C15

(IS)

C18

C19 at 26.84 min

C18:1

C17

C16

C18:2B at 26.50 min

C18:2A at 25.99 min

C20 at 27.90 min

C20:1

C20:2 at 27.47 min

C22 at 29.90 min

C22:1

C23 at 30.859

C24

C24:1 at 31.534-31.601 min

C16:1

? at 26.08 min

CT C12

C18:1<C16 C16 ≈ 2(C18)

RT: 0.00 - 44.25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Time (min)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

Re

lativ

e A

bu

nd

an

ce

25.56

23.44

25.78

20.7427.64

27.8931.7617.88 34.76 36.32 39.42 41.3213.084.39 11.326.06

NL:3.46E7

TIC MS MEUSEBIO_E11

E11. Cá kho tộ 2, with pork fat

C14 C15

(IS)

C18

C19 at 26.84 min

C18:1

C17

C16

C18:2B at 26.50 min

C18:2A at 25.99 min

C20 C20:1

C20:2 at 27.60 min

C22 at 29.90 min

C22:1

C23 at 30.859

C24

C24:1 at 31.539-31.596 min

C16:1

?

CT

C12

? at 26.07 min

C18:1>C16 C16 ≈ 2(C18)

RT: 0.00 - 44.25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Time (min)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

Re

lativ

e A

bu

nd

an

ce

23.35

25.72

31.75

22.07

30.03 34.3238.80

38.08

39.0729.91 40.6219.934.39 18.854.77 8.56 14.6910.37

NL:3.08E6

TIC MS MEUSEBIO_A5

A5. 08GOCH1L11-1 Provenience: Layer 11, 2008 Trench 1, Northern Mound of Gò Ô Chùa

C12

C14 C15

(IS)

C18

C19 at 26.84 min

C18:1

C17

C16

C18:2B at 26.50 min

C18:2A at 25.99 min

C20 at 27.89-27.95 min

C20:1 at 27.64 min

C20:2

C22

C22:1

C23 at 30.817-30.931 min

C24

C24:1 at 31.539-31.596 min

C16:1

? m/z = 315

CT

C26 at 33.463-33.510 min (93%)

Olean 12-ene (92%) m/z = 218

C26 and C27 alkanes at 31.357-

31.497 min (96% and 98%, resp),

before C24

C18:1<C18 C16 ≈ 3(C18)

C12 C14 C16 C16

:1

C17 C18 C18

:1

C18

:2A

C18

:2B

C19 C20 C20

:1

C20

:2

C22 C22

:1

C23 C24 C24

:1

C26

E7 FF

5V

X X X X X X X X X X X X X? X X? X X X

E10 CK

T1

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

E11 CK

T2

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X? X X

A1 RN1 X? X X X X?

A2 RN2 X?

X X X X? X?

A3 AS1 X?

X X X X X? X? X?

A4 AS2 X?

X? X X? X X? X?

A5 GO

C1

X?

X X X X X X X X X

A6 GO

C2

X X X? X X X? X? X

A6. 08GOCH1L11-3, Layer 11, 2008 Trench 1, Northern Mound of Gò Ô Chùa

A1. 12RNH3L2/20D4, Layer 2, 2012 Trench 3, Rạch Núi

A4. ASH1L12-13-1 ST, Layers 12-13, 2009 Trench 1, An Sơn

A3. 09ASH2L2-3 C3-1 ST, 20-30cm, 2009 Trench 2, An Sơn

A2. 12RNH1F2E/4c.1007-1, Feature 2, 2012 Trench 1, Rạch Núi

Summary of Detected Fatty Acids

Restricted pots ≈ cooking pots

Jars and restricted pots/jars ≈ storage, fermentation, &/ transport

Open pots, open and restricted bowls, and small cups/bowls

≈ serving & cooking/heating

Texturing stove and vessel surfaces

≈ use-life and cooking efficiency

Aquatic resources X??

Differences in preparation ??

Plant and nonfood sources ??

In Sum

Then

Continuing qualitative analysis, alternative libraries

Quantitative analysis

Compound Specific Isotopic Analysis

Analysis of Neutral fractions

Continue with samples chosen based on technofunctional analysis

Experimental cooking w/ millet, marine fishes, & beans

Beyond Southern Vietnam???

Subsistence (food+ceramics+contexts+other material remains) Foodways

= Social Diversity based on Foodway/Culinary Practices?

= How Social Processes affect Foodway Practices?

= Change and Continuity?

Present ‘Cuisine’ =/# Past Foodway Practices in Southern Vietnam???

Cảm ơn! Thank you!

Rạch Núi 2012, An Sơn 2009, & Gò Ô Chùa 2008 Excavations

Dr. Philip J. Piper, Prof. Peter Bellwood, Dr. Hsiao-Chun Hung, Dr. Nguyen Kim Dung, Dr. Carmen Sarjeant, & Dr. Andreas Reinecke

Nguyen Khanh Thrung Kien, Bùi Chí Hoàng, & Center for Archaeological Studies, Southern Institute of Sustainable Development

Dir. Bui Phat Diem, Vice Dir. Vuong Thu Hong, Van Ngoc Bich, Do Thi Lan, Nguyen Thi Sau, & Nguyen Thi Hong Tri at Long An Provincial Museum

Luu Quoc Cuong of Thuy Ta Restaurant & La Ngoc Diep

Dr. John Krigbaum of Department of Anthropology & Dr. Neill Wallis and Ms. Ann Cordell of Florida Museum of Natural History at University of Florida (UF)

2012 James C. Waggoner Jr. Grants-In-Aid

2013 John M. Goggin Research Award

Dr. Timothy Garrett, Dr. Eoin Quinlivan, and Dr. Sergui Palii of Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Core, CTSI, UF

Dr. Cynthianne Spiteri and Dr. Cris Dancel Fredeliza Campos, Jasminda Ceron, Michael Herrera, Amy

Jordan, Michelle Asuncion, and Kim Le Department of Anthropology, Office of Research, Graduate

Student Council Conference Travel Grant (UF), and Wenner-Gren Foundation Conference Grant for travel support

Dr. Ian Lilley and Dr. Nancy Beavan

Except those that include me &/ credits are indicated, the rest of the photos were taken by myself.