FATTY-ACID ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTTERY VESSELS EXCAVATED IN TELL-MASTUMA, SYRIA

Fatty acids extracted from archaeological pottery vessels (B.C. 900-72 0 y) excavated at Tell Mastuma, Syria, are characteristic of individua l vessels. The molecular-distribution patterns of n-fatty acids of the se vessels are different from those of the underfloor soil and a human hand, indicating that the fatty acids recovered are proper to the sam ples. The lamps show a predominance of hexadecanoic and octadecanoic a cids with a near absence of other acids in the patterns, suggesting th at olive oil was used in the lamps. On the other hand, large pottery j ars show a clear presence of nonanoic acid in their patterns. The acid presence is also strikingly noted in carbonized olive, suggesting tha t olive and/or a chemically olive-related material was stored in the j ars. The relative concentration of cis-9-octadecenoic acid to octadeca noic acid decreases drastically from modern olive pulp to carbonized o live, and further in the jars and lamps. Apparently, a degradation of the acid had occurred intensely during burial in the soil. A compariso n of the molecular-distribution patterns of the jars and lamps to the carbonized olive and olive pulp allows one to conclude that olive and its oil were commonly utilized at the tell.