Organic residues, associated with archaeological objects or contexts, may be visible or invisible. The latter, typically preserved in a ceramic vessel wall, are the most commonly encountered type of residues. Due to their invisible and amorphous nature, these may be only be identified through analytical chemistry protocols. This is undertaken through extraction, detection and characterisation of biomarkers, which serve as ‘chemical fingerprints’ of modern organisms. Lipids, originating from plants or animals, are the most common compound class surviving in archaeological vessels.
Organic Residue Analysis 