Organic geochemical analysis of archaeological medicine pots from Northern Ghana. The multi-functionality of pottery

• Published in: Journal of archaeological science 2012-07, Vol.39 (7), p.2506-2514
• Main Authors: Fraser, Sharon E., Insoll, Timothy, Thompson, Anu, van Dongen, Bart E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Africa; C3/C4 plants; Central and West Africa; Compound specific isotopic analysis; Excavation and methods; GC–C–IRMS; GC–MS; Ghana; Laboratory methods; Medicine pots; Methodology and general studies; Physical and chemical analysis; Prehistory and protohistory
• ISSN: 0305-4403; 1095-9238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2012.03.015

Sherds from pots found layered under a granite boulder in the Tong Hills of the Upper East Region of Northern Ghana seem, based on their deposition context to have been used for the preparation of medicines. Organic geochemical and isotopic analyses of these sherds and a modern day analogue reveal an n-alkanoic acid composition that is consistent with their being used in the preparation of plant derived substances. Isotopic analyses of the modern medicine pot indicate a contribution of n-alkanoic acids derived from plants that use C4 carbon fixation, most likely maize, sorghum and/or millet suggesting that this pot was used for cooking C4 based plant substances, perhaps, based on current analogy, staple porridge type food. The modern medicine pot could thus have had a prior use. The absence of C4 plant residues in the archaeological sherds suggests that either staple foodstuffs differed radically to today, or, more likely, were not prepared in vessels that were to be used for medicinal purposes. ► First organic geochemical and isotopic analyses of Ghana medicine pots. ► Analyses indicating a usage in the preparation of plant derived substances. ► Analyses of modern analogue indicates usage in cooking C4 based plant substances. ► Medicine was a more firmly bounded and demarcated domain of practice than today.