Scientists have uncovered new chemical evidence of early dairy consumption and plant processing in South India after analysing ancient pottery fragments dating back to between 600 BCE and 100 BCE.
The research, published in the journal npj Heritage Science on October 29, examined unglazed pottery fragments recovered from two archaeological sites: Keeladi in Tamil Nadu and Gottiprolu in Andhra Pradesh.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Scientists identify ancient chemical traces of dairy consumption and plant processing in South Indian pottery.
Location: India.
Authority/Organisation: Vellore Institute of Technology, Archaeological Survey of India and collaborating research institutions.
Action Taken: Researchers analysed four ancient pottery fragments using advanced mass spectrometry and X-ray micro-computed tomography.
Impact: The findings provide new molecular evidence for studying ancient food practices and improve scientific methods used in archaeological research.
The research team identified chemical traces consistent with cow's milk consumption and a complex plant-derived molecule that had not previously been reported in an archaeological context. The findings provide direct molecular evidence that researchers can use to investigate food practices in ancient South Indian communities.
The study involved researchers from Vellore Institute of Technology, the Archaeological Survey of India, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women and the Tamil Nadu Department of Archaeology.
To examine the pottery, scientists used advanced laboratory techniques, including ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-ToF-MS/MS). They also used non-destructive X-ray micro-computed tomography to examine the internal structure of the pottery fragments.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Archaeological discoveries often reveal how ancient communities lived through buildings, tools, pottery and animal remains. However, the actual contents of cooking vessels can be difficult to establish after thousands of years. Chemical residue analysis offers another way to investigate the past. By identifying molecules preserved inside pottery, researchers can gather evidence about the food materials that may have been processed or consumed. The South Indian study is important because it demonstrates the value of combining modern analytical chemistry with archaeological investigation. It also adds evidence from southern sites to the scientific understanding of prehistoric food practices, which have often been reconstructed using a limited range of archaeological and biomolecular records. The findings could encourage further research using larger collections of pottery fragments from different archaeological sites.
The analysis identified a molecule known as a linear A-type procyanidin tetramer. This complex plant-derived compound had not previously been recovered from an archaeological context. Its chemical characteristics point towards the processing of peanuts or similar plant foods.
Researchers compared the ancient chemical signatures with modern peanut samples to help interpret the finding. The comparison showed matching molecular characteristics, strengthening the possibility that peanut-related material contributed to the residues found in the pottery.
The team also identified six distinct lipid biomarkers consistent with cow's milk in the archaeological samples. These findings align with animal remains recovered from the two sites, where cattle remains, including those associated with Bos indicus, were prominent.
The results provide a new scientific window into food preparation and consumption practices during the period represented by the pottery.
One important aspect of the research is the use of advanced molecular analysis to identify substances that conventional laboratory techniques may fail to detect. Traditional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry can have limitations when examining complex, high-molecular-weight organic compounds preserved in heavily degraded archaeological material.
The researchers used a more advanced analytical approach to identify these molecular traces, demonstrating how modern chemistry can help archaeologists investigate ancient diets and food-processing practices.
However, the researchers have also highlighted an important limitation. The analysis involved only four pottery fragments, two from each archaeological site. Therefore, the findings demonstrate the potential of the method and should not be treated as a complete representation of the diets of all people living in ancient South India.
The identification of particular food sources is based on chemical comparisons and supporting archaeological evidence rather than definitive identification of every ingredient consumed by the ancient communities.
The discovery is significant because organic residues trapped inside pottery can survive for thousands of years. Food molecules released during cooking may become embedded in microscopic pores in unglazed clay vessels, preserving chemical traces that can later be examined.
Such evidence can complement traditional archaeological methods, including the study of pottery, animal bones, tools and settlement remains.
The study therefore adds a new scientific dimension to understanding ancient South Indian food practices and demonstrates how molecular science can help recover details of everyday life that may not be visible through conventional archaeological examination.
