Elucidation of Rituals and Food in the 'Cult Area' of Roca Through Chemical Analyses

The application of analytical chemistry to archaeological research has increased substantially over the last half-century and today represents a major methodological subfield within archaeological science. The paper reports the results obtained onto a selection of Final Bronze Age ceramic materials from Bronze Age site of Roca. Two pithoi in fine fabric -figulina- and five vessels in coarse fabric -impasto- (one olla, one dipper, three small cups) have been selected and analyzed. Regarding the archaeological contexts of provenience, one pithos comes from the so called Capanna-Magazzino located in SAS VI and all the other materials come from the South-East sector of the so called Capanna-Tempio located in SAS IX. Using high temperature gas chromatography and compound specific isotopic ratio, it has been possible to identify different types of lipids absorbed by the ceramic core. The pithos from the Capanna-Tempio shows residues of lipids clearly identified as olive oil. The olla and the dipper show residues of lipids referable to non-ruminant animals. One of the three small cups does not contain any traces of lipids but quantities of beeswax and some evidence of conifer's resins. Two cups contain residues of animal lipids that can be attributed to ruminant animals, particularly to sheep. The pithos from the Capanna-Tempio demonstrates processes of accumulation of huge quantities of olive oil in a ritual context characterized by precise comparisons with the Bronze Age Aegean. The traces of resin in the pithos from the Capanna-Magazzino could be interpreted both as results of surface treatment or as residues of various contents different from olive oil, such as flavored wine. The animal lipids found in the olla seem to confirm the use of this shape in food-preparing activities.