Archaeology meets science : biomolecular investigations in Bronze Age Greece : the primary scientific evidence, 1997-2003 / edited by Yannis Tzedakis, Holley Martlew and Martin K. Jones.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Section 1. Organic Residue Analysis-Ceramic Artefacts : Introduction to the history of organic residue analysis / Curt W. Beck -- Certainty and doubt in organic residue analysis / Curt W. Beck and Edith Stout -- Methods and Primary Evidence for Analytical Results-Ceramic Artefacts-Neolithic and Bronze Age Sites : Analysis of organic remains in the fabric of Minoan and Mycenaean pottery sherds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry / Curt W. Beck [and others] -- Absorbed organic residues in pottery from the Minoan settlement of Pseira, Crete / Curt W. Beck, Edith C. Stout,...[et al] -- Organic residue analysis : Pseira / Ruth F. Beeston, Joe Palatinus and Curt W. Beck -- Organic residue analysis : Chrysokamino / Ruth F. Beeston, Joe Palatinus and Curt W. Beck -- Chrysokamino : occupational health and the earliest medicines on Crete / Robert Arnott -- Organic residue analysis of ceramics from the Neolithic Cave of Gerani, West Crete / Oliver Craig -- Organic residues in pottery of the Bronze Age in Greece / the late John Evans-completed by Victor Garner -- Alternative approaches to organic residue analysis : the Early Hellenic Cemetery at Kalamaki ; the Mycenaean settlement on Salamis ; the Late Hellenic Cemetery at Sykia ; Vivara, settlement of Punta d'Alaca, Bay of Naples, Italy / Victor Garner -- Atypical calcium carbonate precipitates in narrow-necked Late Hellenic jars : a potential indicator of organic residues / Andrew P. Gize [and others] -- The chemical identification of resinated wine and a mixed fermented beverage in Bronze Age pottery vessels of Greece / Patrick E. McGovern [and others] -- Section 2. Methods and Primary Evidence for Stable Isotope Analysis Neolithic and Bronze Age Sites - Skeletal Material : Stable isotope evidence of past human diet at the sites of the Neolithic Cave of Gerani : the Late Minoan III Cemetery of Armenoi ; Grave Circles A and B at the Palace site of Mycenae ; and the Late Hellenic Chamber Tombs / M. P. Richards and R. E. M. Hedges -- Stable isotope results from new sites in the Peloponnese : cemeteries at Sykia, Kalamaki and Spaliareika / M. P. Richards and E. Vika -- Section 3. Lessons for the Future : Protocols : ceramic artefacts and skeletal material / Holley Martlew -- Biomolecular archaeology in the Aegaen context : problems and prospects / Curt W. Beck [and others] -- Appendix : Site descriptions and catalogue entries.

The 'Archaeology meets Science' project is currently transforming our understanding of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations, through the in-depth application of state of the art scientific analyses to ceramic artefacts and skeletal material. This book is the fruit of this acclaimed research, which was carried out between 1997 and 2003, and presented in an exhibition in a number of museums across Europe and the United States, starting with the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Moving beyond the standard archaeological format of illustrations with descriptions of contexts, the book analyses each object from the inside , and consequently each has a different story to tell. Organic residue and stable isotope analysis has extended our knowledge beyond anything previously gleaned through conventional archaeological research, and we now have a much better understanding of the food and drink consumed by ordinary people in Bronze Age Greece. There are some fascinating insights, such as the origin of modern Greek retsina, which was traced first to the time of Agamemnon, then to Crete in the 17th century BC and finally to the Early Minoan Period, c. 2000 BC. The book provides the primary scientific evidence on which the world renowned scientists who have carried out this work have based their conclusions.