Pottery Junction: What’s Your Function? (Part I)

Imagine yourself opening the kitchen cabinet that holds your pots and pans. Think about how each vessel serves a particular function: boiling, frying, sautéing, baking, etc. But have you ever thought about how you know for what purpose each vessel is used? I’ve talked a bit about pottery function in the past, but I have …

Residues of the Past: Archaeological Investigations of Diet

I’m afraid the fall season made me a bit… nuts. All of this going on about acorns in my previous blog, and I haven’t even told you how we know that residents of the Cloudman site were acorn-eaters. Or how we know what people in the past were eating at all! There are three general …

A Nutty Blog with A-Corny Title: Acorns and the Human Diet

As the chilly autumnal breezes cause leaves and other flora to “fall,” my attention is brought to those little oaky morsels beloved by squirrels and interior decorators alike: acorns. This past weekend I had a table at Michigan Archaeology Day at the Michigan History Center. My display was called “Ancient Michigan Meals” and I displayed …

Food for Thought: Odds and Ends

Hi everyone! This week I was at the annual Midwest Archaeological Conference held at Notre Dame. It was great - I met a lot of new people, saw a lot of old friends, and, of course, ate some good food. There was also a great session organized by my friends Sean Dunham and Kate Frederick …

Pumpkins and Rice and Everything Nice! Seasonality at the Cloudman Site

October is here, and ‘tis the season for those warm, comforting autumn foods: soup, stew, chili, and various hot drinks. Ingredients such as winter squash, pumpkins (and related spices), and root vegetables are closely associated with fall, but why? The answer is simple, and one you probably figured out on your own, even if you’ve …