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Article Dans Une Revue Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory Année : 2018

Birch Bark Tar Production: Experimental and Biomolecular Approaches to the Study of a Common and Widely Used Prehistoric Adhesive

Maxime Rageot
  • Fonction : Auteur
Isabelle Théry-Parisot
  • Fonction : Auteur
Sylvie Beyries
Cédric Lepère
  • Fonction : Auteur
Alain Carré
  • Fonction : Auteur
Arnaud Mazuy
Jean-Jacques Filippi
  • Fonction : Auteur
Xavier Fernandez
Didier Binder
  • Fonction : Auteur

Résumé

Birch bark tar, the oldest adhesive known in Europe, was widely used during Prehistory. This material, produced by the dry distillation of birch bark, has been identified in various spheres of activities and provides valuable information on the know-how and technical and territorial systems of past societies. This biomaterial can also provide evidence on socioeconomic networks and mobility. However, very little is known about the production systems of birch bark tar during Prehistory, including the Neolithic period. The lack of findings in the archaeological record necessitates the development of an approach that combines experimental archaeology and biomolecular chemistry. We present here (1) the results of experiments in which different birch bark tar production systems were tested and (2) the molecular signatures of the birch bark tars produced according to different processes based on the use of ceramic vessels. The key role of bark quality is highlighted for the first time. This study also details direct archaeological inference of the experimental results obtained: a total of 23 samples from the site of Nice-Giribaldi (France, second part of the fifth century BCE) was investigated. Different categories of birch bark tars were identified during Neolithic in the south of France, providing evidence for the existence of complex manufacturing systems and procurement networks.
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hal-03509787 , version 1 (04-01-2022)

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Maxime Rageot, Isabelle Théry-Parisot, Sylvie Beyries, Cédric Lepère, Alain Carré, et al.. Birch Bark Tar Production: Experimental and Biomolecular Approaches to the Study of a Common and Widely Used Prehistoric Adhesive. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2018, 26 (1), pp.276 - 312. ⟨10.1007/s10816-018-9372-4⟩. ⟨hal-03509787⟩
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