POT.PUDIN · Pottery Use and Diet of Chalcolithic populations in southeastern IberiaN Peninsula

POT.PUDIN aims to analyse the use of ceramic vessels to trace culinary practices and the ingredients used in ancient societies. The project proposes a multi-proxy approach that combines morphological and typological analysis, traceology, and botanical and biomolecular techniques. Initially, a workflow will be developed to maximise the effectiveness of these methods and ensure their feasibility. This workflow will then be applied and tested on an assemblage of Chalcolithic pottery from the Los Millares site (Almería, SE Iberian Peninsula). The Los Millares pottery assemblage was selected for its scientific significance and the excellent preservation of its ceramics. Dating from 3300 to 2200 cal BC, Los Millares is a key site for understanding the Chalcolithic in southwestern Europe, providing early evidence of copper metallurgy, defensive fortifications, socially differentiated households, and monumental burials. These elements indicate the emergence of social inequality in the western Mediterranean, making Los Millares an ideal case study for testing and refining the proposed methodological framework. The ultimate goal of this project is to better understand ancient diets and foodways through an integrated study of pottery use. Moreover, this comprehensive protocol could be applied to other time periods and archaeological contexts.