In archaeological discourse, the idea of consumption is closely allied with the cooking techniques and vessel functions, because the act of food preparation, serving, and eating not only shapes our ideas on sustenance but also provides fresh insights into the ritual behaviour and social practices associated with it. Biomolecular archaeology through lipid residue analysis, compound-specific isotope analysis, proteomics, biogenic isotope studies, macro and micro botanical studies, investigated these practices, complementing ceramic typology and use-ware analysis.

This special issue invites contributions on the intersection of consumption, cooking technologies, and vessel functions, emphasising the role of biomolecular approaches in bridging material culture with lived practice. By integrating chemical datasets with archaeological theory, we emphasise food not only as an economic resource but as a cultural medium shaping social relations, ritualised acts, and identities. Themes include cooking methods (boiling, roasting, fermenting) and their archaeological correlates; lipid, protein, starch, and isotopic evidence; and vessel use across domestic, mortuary, and feasting contexts. Comparative case studies highlight cross-cultural convergences and divergences, while methodological innovations in experimental archaeology, residue mixing models, and biomolecular advances are paired with theoretical perspectives on ritual, performance, and identity. Contributions are especially encouraged on South Asia and North America, with a focus on the prehistoric and Bronze Age periods. These regions and temporal frames provide particularly rich comparative potential: the Indus and neighbouring cultures of South Asia and the diverse prehistoric traditions of North America both reveal complex food economies, evolving culinary practices, and shifting social landscapes. Focusing on these areas allows us to interrogate how biomolecular evidence can illuminate parallel or divergent pathways in the emergence of large-scale societies.

The potential contributors can focus on the following themes:

• Case studies synthesising vessel typology with biomolecular evidence.
• Inter-disciplinary approaches linking archaeology with anthropology, chemistry, and heritage studies.
• Reviews of methodological and theoretical advances in biomolecular archaeology of food.
• Animal-human interaction over different spaces and phases.
• Integration of micro- and macro-botanical evidence with biomolecular datasets.
• Analyses of faunal remains and their relationship to culinary and consumption practices

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Consuming Through the Ages: Fresh Insights into Consumption Practices, Cooking Techniques, and Vessel Functions in Archaeology of North America and South Asia