Characterisation of charred organic matter in micromorphological thin sections by means of Raman spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: Burned or charred organic matter in anthropogenic combustion features may provide important clues about past human activities related to fire. To interpret archaeological hearths, a correct identification of the organic source material is key. In the present work, Raman spectroscopy is applied to characterise the structural properties of char produced in laboratory heating- and open-fire experiments. This reference data set is compared to analyses of three different archaeological sites with Middle Palaeolithic combustion contexts. The results show that it is possible to determine whether a charred fragment is the product of burning animal-derived matter (e.g. meat) or plant-derived matter (e.g. wood) by plotting a few Raman spectral parameters (i.e. position of G and D bands, and intensit

SUBMITTER: Lambrecht G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7788033 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature