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Biomolecular analyses reveal grape-based beverages, dairy processing, and pottery function in Kura-Araxes culinary practices.

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Title: Biomolecular analyses reveal grape-based beverages, dairy processing, and pottery function in Kura-Araxes culinary practices.
Authors: Rageot, Maxime1 rageot@uni-bonn.de, D'Anna, Maria Bianca2, Huseynov, Muzaffar3, Jalilov, Bakhtiyar3, Decaix, Alexia4,5, Berthon, Rémi4, Zeng, Qi1, Perez, Jeremy6, Guliyev, Farhad3, Drieu, Léa7, Mazuy, Arnaud7, Regert, Martine7, Palumbi, Giulio7,8 giulio.palumbi@uniba.it
Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 5/5/2026, Vol. 123 Issue 18, p1-11. 11p.
Subjects: Dairy processing, Grapes, Biomolecules, Food habits, Archaeological cultures, Archaeology, Pottery design
Geographic Terms: South Caucasus
Abstract: The Kura-Araxes culture emerged in the South Caucasus in the mid-4th millennium BCE as an expression of small-scale, household-based communities. It subsequently expanded across the highlands, becoming the most widespread cultural tradition of the early to mid-3rd millennium BCE Bronze Age Southwest Asia, clearly distinct from the contemporaneous urban trajectories of early state societies in Mesopotamia. Ceramics were among the most distinctive expressions of the Kura-Araxes tradition and key markers of its expansion. They played an important role in the dynamics of social integration as well as in the material and cultural reproduction of the Kura-Araxes communities over space and through time. By adopting an integrated methodological approach combining technological, morphological, use-wear, and biomolecular analyses of pottery from the settlement of Qaraçinar (Azerbaijan), this study sheds light on the functions of ceramics within the framework of Kura-Araxes foodways. The results reveal a diverse diet supported by a mixed subsistence economy, and emphasize the cultural importance of grape-derived beverages, alongside the central role of dairy products and ruminant carcass fats in Kura-Araxes cuisine. Novel markers of culinary practices are identified, including thermal processing of carcass fats and dairy, as well as preliminary evidence of food transformation and preservation techniques that may have involved the use of fruits and conifer-derived plant products. A functional distinction is also observed between the versatile Monochrome Ware and Red-Black Burnished Ware, the latter likely dedicated to fruit- or grape-based and dairy beverages, suggesting the existence of codified cultural behaviors related to food preparation and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America is the property of National Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Biomolecular analyses reveal grape-based beverages, dairy processing, and pottery function in Kura-Araxes culinary practices.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rageot%2C+Maxime%22">Rageot, Maxime</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> rageot@uni-bonn.de</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22D'Anna%2C+Maria+Bianca%22">D'Anna, Maria Bianca</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huseynov%2C+Muzaffar%22">Huseynov, Muzaffar</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jalilov%2C+Bakhtiyar%22">Jalilov, Bakhtiyar</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Decaix%2C+Alexia%22">Decaix, Alexia</searchLink><relatesTo>4,5</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Berthon%2C+Rémi%22">Berthon, Rémi</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zeng%2C+Qi%22">Zeng, Qi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Perez%2C+Jeremy%22">Perez, Jeremy</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Guliyev%2C+Farhad%22">Guliyev, Farhad</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Drieu%2C+Léa%22">Drieu, Léa</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mazuy%2C+Arnaud%22">Mazuy, Arnaud</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Regert%2C+Martine%22">Regert, Martine</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Palumbi%2C+Giulio%22">Palumbi, Giulio</searchLink><relatesTo>7,8</relatesTo><i> giulio.palumbi@uniba.it</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dairy+processing%22">Dairy processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grapes%22">Grapes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Biomolecules%22">Biomolecules</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food+habits%22">Food habits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Archaeological+cultures%22">Archaeological cultures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Archaeology%22">Archaeology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pottery+design%22">Pottery design</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Caucasus%22">South Caucasus</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The Kura-Araxes culture emerged in the South Caucasus in the mid-4th millennium BCE as an expression of small-scale, household-based communities. It subsequently expanded across the highlands, becoming the most widespread cultural tradition of the early to mid-3rd millennium BCE Bronze Age Southwest Asia, clearly distinct from the contemporaneous urban trajectories of early state societies in Mesopotamia. Ceramics were among the most distinctive expressions of the Kura-Araxes tradition and key markers of its expansion. They played an important role in the dynamics of social integration as well as in the material and cultural reproduction of the Kura-Araxes communities over space and through time. By adopting an integrated methodological approach combining technological, morphological, use-wear, and biomolecular analyses of pottery from the settlement of Qaraçinar (Azerbaijan), this study sheds light on the functions of ceramics within the framework of Kura-Araxes foodways. The results reveal a diverse diet supported by a mixed subsistence economy, and emphasize the cultural importance of grape-derived beverages, alongside the central role of dairy products and ruminant carcass fats in Kura-Araxes cuisine. Novel markers of culinary practices are identified, including thermal processing of carcass fats and dairy, as well as preliminary evidence of food transformation and preservation techniques that may have involved the use of fruits and conifer-derived plant products. A functional distinction is also observed between the versatile Monochrome Ware and Red-Black Burnished Ware, the latter likely dedicated to fruit- or grape-based and dairy beverages, suggesting the existence of codified cultural behaviors related to food preparation and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America is the property of National Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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        Value: 10.1073/pnas.2529600123
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 11
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      – SubjectFull: Dairy processing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grapes
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      – SubjectFull: Biomolecules
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Food habits
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      – SubjectFull: Archaeological cultures
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      – SubjectFull: Archaeology
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      – SubjectFull: Pottery design
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      – SubjectFull: South Caucasus
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              Text: 5/5/2026
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