Lithic Residue Analysis: A review and guide to techniques

Croft, Shannon

doi:doi:10.30861/9781407358024

Lithic Residue Analysis: A review and guide to techniques

Shannon Croft

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Archaeological lithic residue analysis investigates the microscopic and chemical traces left behind by people on stone tools. These lithic residues provide detailed and compelling evidence of specific food and technological activities, and tool manufacturing choices. Interest in the study of lithic residues has grown substantially in the past decade, reflected by an increasing number of publications and a proliferation of techniques applied to their study. This monograph offers a recent and critical review of these technical advances to help archaeologists determine best practice today. The book focuses on the development of appropriate methods for improving the identification and interpretation of residues on stone tools. Over 40 techniques are reviewed, including transmitted and reflected visible light microscopy (VLM), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Raman microspectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM).

Cover
Title page
Copyright page
Of Related Interest
Acknowledgements
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Abbreviations
1. Introduction
- 1.1. Why review lithic residue analysis?
- 1.2. Who is this monograph for?
- 1.3. What types of archaeological residues can be found on stone tools?
- 1.4. Brief history
2. Current Issues in Lithic Residue Analysis
- 2.1. Formation mechanisms
- 2.2. Preservation mechanisms
- 2.3. Identification
- 2.4. Contamination
3. Visual Microscopy Techniques
- 3.1. Microscopy: in situ
  - 3.1.1. Reflected visible light microscopy (VLM)
  - 3.1.2. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM)
  - 3.1.3. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
  - 3.1.4. Combined microscopic approaches
- 3.2. Microscopy: extraction
  - 3.2.1. Transmitted visible light microscopy
  - 3.2.2. Stains
    - 3.2.2.1. Iodine potassium iodide
    - 3.2.2.2. Phloroglucinol
    - 3.2.2.3. Safranin
    - 3.2.2.4. Congo red
    - 3.2.2.5. Picrosirius red (PSR)
    - 3.2.2.6. Trypan blue
    - 3.2.2.7. Rhodamine B
    - 3.2.2.8. Eosin
    - 3.2.2.9. Sudan III
    - 3.2.2.10. Sudan IV
    - 3.2.2.11. Orange G
    - 3.2.2.12. Toluidine blue
    - 3.2.2.13. Methylene blue
    - 3.2.2.14. Wright’s stain
  - 3.2.3. Presumptive tests
    - 3.2.3.1. Haemoglobin (Hb) crystallisation
    - 3.2.3.2. Dot blot test
    - 3.2.3.3. Urinalysis test strips
    - 3.2.3.4. Luminol
4. Chemical Characterisation Techniques
- 4.1. Chemical characterisation: elemental analysis techniques
  - 4.1.1. Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X–ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS)
  - 4.1.2. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS)
  - 4.1.3. Particle–induced X–ray emission spectroscopy (PIXE)
  - 4.1.4. X–ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF)
  - 4.1.5. Energy dispersive X–ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDXRF)
  - 4.1.6. Microscopic X–ray diffraction spectroscopy coupled with microscopic X–ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μ–XRD–μ–XRF)
  - 4.1.7. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP–AES)
  - 4.1.8. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS)
- 4.2. Chemical characterisation: molecular analysis techniques
  - 4.2.1. Light–based spectroscopy techniques
    - 4.2.1.1. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
    - 4.2.1.2. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM)
    - 4.2.1.3. Raman spectroscopy
  - 4.2.2. Chromatographic separation–based techniques
  - 4.2.3. Mass spectrometry–based techniques
    - 4.2.3.1. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS)
    - 4.2.3.2. Other mass spectrometry–based techniques
  - 4.2.4. DNA techniques
- 4.3. Chemical characterisation: crystal structure
  - 4.3.1. X–ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD)
- 4.4. Chemical characterisation: immunological techniques for proteins
  - 4.4.1. Crossover immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP)
  - 4.4.2. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
  - 4.4.3. Radioimmunoassay (RIA)
  - 4.4.4. Concerns and limitations of immunological methods
  - 4.4.5. Future work on ancient proteins
- 4.5. Chemical characterisation: summary
5. Methodological Critique and Possible Solutions
- 5.1. Improving the impact of lithic residue studies
- 5.2. Sampling
- 5.3. Use of artefacts from insecure contexts
- 5.4. Collection of sediment samples for comparison
- 5.5. Storage
- 5.6. In situ versus extractive approach
- 5.7. Cleaning
- 5.8. Residue distribution mapping
- 5.9. Problems with microscopic identification of residues by analogy
- 5.10. Presentation of visual results
- 5.11. Best practice guide for lithic residue analysis
  - 5.11.1. Essential planning
  - 5.11.2. Excavation
  - 5.11.3. Sample selection
  - 5.11.4. Storage
  - 5.11.5. Prior to analysis
    - 5.11.5.1. Test consumables and lab spaces
    - 5.11.5.2. Artefact photography
    - 5.11.5.3. Artefact cleaning (or not)
  - 5.11.6. Analysis
    - 5.11.6.1. Visual examination of in situ residues
    - 5.11.6.2. Chemical characterisation
    - 5.11.6.3. Experimental controls
6. Conclusion
Appendix
References
Back cover

Citable Link

Published: 2021

Publisher: BAR Publishing

ISBN(s)

9781407358024 (paper)
9781407358031 (ebook)

BAR Number: S3023

Series

International

Subject

Lithic Residue Analysis: A review and guide to techniques

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