Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T05:53:53.041Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Chewing tar in the early Holocene: an archaeological and ethnographic evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

E. M. Aveling  and
C. Heron
E. M. Aveling
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford BD7 1DP, England
C. Heron
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford BD7 1DP, England
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In an editorial in 1897, the British Medical Journal (ii: 1112) reported on increase in the ‘disgusting habit’of chewing gum, prepared from rubber or plant resin flavoured with aniseed or peppermint. However, the use of masticants is a much more widespread and long-term behaviour with possible health implications for humans. Here, samples of Mesolithic date from Scandinavia are identified and discussed.

Keywords

tarbirch barkprehistoryEuropechemical analysis
Type
Notes
Information
Antiquity , Volume 73 , Issue 281 , September 1999 , pp. 579 - 584
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexandersen, V. 1989. Bipuren in Bronzeitlichen Klumpen von Birkenrindenpech aus Spjaid, Acta Archaeologica 60: 219–23.Google Scholar
Atawodi, S.E., Mende, P. Pfundstein, B. Preussmann, R. & Spiegelhalder, B.. 1995. Nitrosatable amines and nitrosamide formation in natural stimulants — Cola acuminata, C. nitida and Garicinia cola, Food and Chemical Toxicology 33(8): 625–30.Google Scholar
Aveling, E.M. 1997. Chew, chew, that ancient chewing gum, British Archaeology 21: 6.Google Scholar
Aveling, E.M. 1998. Characterization of natural products from Mesolithic sites in Northern Europe. Unpublished Ph.D thesis, University of Bradford.Google Scholar
Aveling, E.M. & Heron, C.. 1998. Identification of birch bark tar at the Mesolithic site of Star Carr, Ancient Biomolecules 2(1): 69–80.Google Scholar
Bang-Andersen, S. 1976. Godbiten: Mystiske Tanninntrykk I Harpiks, Frá Haag ok Heidni 4: 130–31.Google Scholar
Binder, D., Bourgois, G., Benoist, F. & Vitry, C.. 1990. Identification de brai de bouleau (Betulaj dans le Néolithique de Giribaldi (Nice, France) par la spectrométrie de masse, Revue d’Archéométrie 14: 37–42.Google Scholar
Boëda, E., Connan, J. Dessort, D. Muhesen, S. Mercier, N. Valladas, H. & Tisnerat, N.. 1996. Bitumen as a hafting material on Middle Paleolithic artifacts, Nature 380: 336–8.Google Scholar
Cattani, L. 1993. Contenuto pollinico di materiali resinosi come elemento di corredo funebre, Anthropologia contemporanea 16: 55–60.Google Scholar
Charters, S., Evershed, R.P. Goad, L.J. Heron, C. & Blinkhorn, P.. 1993. Identification of an adhesive used to repair a Roman jar, Archaeometry 35: 91–101.Google Scholar
Clark, J.G.D. 1954. Excavations at Star Carr. An Early Mesolithic site at Seamer, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Edlin, H. 1978. Trees: timbers and forests of the world. London: Salamander Books.Google Scholar
Eibl-Eibesfeldt, I. 1975. Ethology: the biology of behaviour. New York (NY): Holt, Rinehart & Winston. 2nd edition.Google Scholar
Evershed, R.P., Vaughan, S.J. Dudd, S.N. & Soles, J.S.. 1997a. Fuel for thought? Beeswax in lamps and conical cups from Late Minoan Crete, Antiquity 71: 979–85.Google Scholar
Evershed, R.P., van Bergen, P.F. Peakman, T.M. Leigh-Firbank, E.C. Horton, M.C. Edwards, D., Biddle, M, Kjølbye-Biddle, B. & Rowley-Conwy, P.A.. 1997b. Archaeological frankincense, Nature 390: 667–8.Google Scholar
Hayek, E.W.H., Krenmayer, P. Lohninger, H. Jordis, U. Moche, U.W. & Sauter, F.. 1990. Identification of archaeological and recent wood tar pitches using gas chromatogra-phy/mass spectrometry and pattern recognition, Analytical Chemistry 62: 2038–43.Google Scholar
Hayek, E.W.H., Krenmayer, P. Lohninger, H. Jordis, U. Moche, U.W. & Sauter, F.. 1991. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and chemometrics in archaeometry. Investigation of glue on Copper Age arrowheads, Fresenius’ Journal of Analytical Chemistry 340: 153–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hernek, R. & Nordqvist, B.. 1995. Varidens Äldsta Tuggummi? Kungsbacka: Riksantikvarieãmbetet Byrân for Arkeologiska Undersökningar.Google Scholar
Heron, C, Evershed, R.P. Chapman, B. & Pollard, A-M.. 1991. Glue, disinfectant and ‘chewing gum’ in prehistory, in Budd, P., Chapman, B., Jackson, C., Janaway, R. & Ottaway, B. (eds.) Archaeological Sciences 1989. Proceedings of a Conference on the Application of Scientific Techniques to Archaeology: 325–31. Oxford: Oxbow.Google Scholar
Heron, C., Nemcek, N. Bonfield, K.M. Dixon, D. & Ottaway, B.S.. 1994. The chemistry of Neolithic beeswax, Naturwissenschaften 81: 266–9.Google Scholar
Høeg, O.A. 1976. Planter og tradisjon. Floraen I levende tale og tradisjon 1 Norge 1925–1973. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.Google Scholar
Johansson, A.D. 1990. Barmose-Gruppen. Praeboreale Bopladsfiind i Sydsjcelland, Aarhus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag.Google Scholar
Johns, T., Mhoro, E.B. & Sanaya, P.. 1996. Food plants and masticants of the Batemi of Ngorongoro District, Tanzania, Economic Botany 50(1): 115–21.Google Scholar
Karsten, P. & Regnell, M.. 1995. Bokeberg III — Intryck och avtryk från en Senmesolitisk Inlandboplats, Limhamniana 1995: 72–83.Google Scholar
Koller, J. & Baumer, U.. 1993. Analyse einer Kittprobe aus dem Griff des Messers von Xanten-Wardt, Acta Praehistorica et Archaeologica 25: 129–31.Google Scholar
Kuhnlein, H.V. & Turner, N.J.. 1991. Traditional plant foods of Canadian indigenous peoples: nutrition, botany and use. Philadelphia (PA): Gordon & Breach.Google Scholar
Larsson, L. 1982. Segebro. En Tidigatlantisk Boplats vid Sege ås Mynning. Malmö: Malmo Museum. Malmöfynd 4 Utgiven av Malmö Museum.Google Scholar
Larsson, L. 1983. Ageröd V. An Atlantic bog site in Central Scania. Lund: Lund University. Acta Archaeologica Lundensia 12.Google Scholar
Lee, R.B. 1990. The !Kung San. Men, women and work in a foraging society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Murphey, E.V.A. 1958. Indian uses of native plants. Glenwood (IL): Meyerbooks.Google Scholar
Nordqvist, B. 1994. Huseby-Klev — marine archaeology on land, Newswarp 16: 24–7.Google Scholar
O’Connell, M.M., Bentley, M.D. Campbell, C.S. & Cole, B.J.W.. 1988. Betulin and lupeol in bark from four white-barked birches, Phytochemistry 27: 2175–6.Google Scholar
Piotrowski, W. 1997. Birch bark tar and wood pitch in old Polish proverbs and sayings (English summary), in Brzezinski, W. & Piotrowski, W. (ed.), Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Wood Tar and Pitch: 295–6. Warsaw: State Archaeological Museum.Google Scholar
Pollard, A-M. & Heron, C.. 1996. Archaeological chemistry. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry.Google Scholar
Rajewski, Z. 1970. Pech und Teer bei den Slawen, Zeitschrift für Archaeologie 4: 46–53.Google Scholar
Regert, M. 1996. Les composés organiques en préhistoire: nouvelles approches analytiques. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Université de Paris X.Google Scholar
Regert, M., Delacotte, J.M. Menu, M. Pétrequin, P. & Rolando, C.. 1998. Identification of Neolithic hafting adhesives from two lake dwellings at Chalain (Jura, France), Ancient Biomolecules 2: 81–96.Google Scholar
Regnell, M., Gaillard, M. Bartholin, T.S. & Karsten, P.. 1995. Reconstruction of environment and history of plant use during the Late Mesolithic (Ertebølle Culture) at the inland settlement of Bökeberg III, Southern Sweden, Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 4: 67–91.Google Scholar
Reunanen, M., Holmbom, B. & Edgren, T.. 1993. Analysis of archaeological birch bark pitches, Holzforschung 47: 175–7.Google Scholar
Rooney, D.F. 1993. Betel chewing traditions in South East Asia. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rottländer, R.C.A. 1981. A Neolithic ‘chewing gum’. Unpublished abstract, 21st Archaeometry Symposium, Brookhaven, USA.Google Scholar
Sandermann, W, 1965. Untersuchung vorgeschichtlicher ‘Gräberharze’ und Kitte, Technische Beitrage zur Arch$eologie 2: 58–73.Google Scholar
Sauter, F., Jordis, U. & Hayek, E.. 1992. Chemische Untersuchungen der Kittschàftungs-Materialien, in Höpfel, F., Platzer, W. & Spindler, K. (ed.), Der Mann im Eis, Band 1: 435–41. Innsbruck: Universität Innsbruck. Veröffentlichungen der Universität Innsbruck 187.Google Scholar
Schlichtherle, H. & Wahlster, B.. 1986. Archaeologie in Seen und Mooren: den Pfahlbauten auf der Spur. Stuttgart: Konrad Theiss Verlag.Google Scholar
Schoch, W.H. 1995. Analysis of plant glue from the Stone and Bronze Ages, in Kroll, H. & Pasternak, R. (ed.), Res Archaeobotanicae: 9th Symposium of the International Workgroup for Palaeoethnobotany. 301–8. Kiel: ??place??.Google Scholar
Sheldrick, C., Lowe, J.J. & Reynier, M.J.. 1997. Palaeolithic barbed point from Gransmoor, East Yorkshire, England, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 63: 359–70.Google Scholar
Spindler, K. 1994. The man in the ice. London: Weidenfeld&Nicolson.Google Scholar
Vilkuna, K. 1964. Das Kauharz, ein uraltes Genussmittel, Studia Ethnographia Uppsaliensia 21: 295–303.Google Scholar
Wolff, H. 1927. Harze und Balsame, in von Wiesner, J. (ed.), Die Rohstoffe des Pflanzenreiches, 1023–1107. Leipzig: Verlag von Wilhelm Englemann. 4th edition.Google Scholar