Abstract The Middle and Late Uruk period (3600–3100 BCE) is characterised by the diffusion of the Uruk culture in Mesopotamia and surroundings. Uruk sites are recognised by a special kind of pottery called bevelled rim bowls (BRBs), which comprise up to 80% of all recovered Uruk pottery. BRBs are very basic, handmade bowls produced in large quantities but their function is still under debate. Several uses have been proposed, including cooking, measurement of cereal rations, bread preparation, salt making or as votive bowls. Searching for evidence that supports the proposed hypotheses we studied BRB samples from several archaeological sites in the Middle Euphrates (Syria). We analysed fragments of pottery by pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC–MS) to identify organic molecules that could be related to past BRB contents. Additionally, we cooked bread in experimentally produced BRBs to compare results. Up to 93 organic compounds could be identified, including polysaccharides, lignin products and fatty acids. The unequivocal presence of lignocellulose residues (especially 4-vinylguaiacol and other guaiacols, which were also found in experimentally charred bread heated below 450 °C), is compatible with the proposed hypothesis of leavened bread cooking, but a source of incomplete burn off of organic temper cannot be discarded.

中文翻译：

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来自中幼发拉底河斜边碗的有机物：使用热解-GC-MS 进行分子表征的结果

摘要 乌鲁克中晚期（公元前 3600-3100 年）的特点是乌鲁克文化在美索不达米亚及周边地区的传播。乌鲁克遗址被一种称为斜边碗 (BRB) 的特殊陶器所识别，它占所有回收的乌鲁克陶器的 80%。BRB 是非常基本的、大量生产的手工碗，但它们的功能仍在争论中。已经提出了几种用途，包括烹饪、测量谷物配给、准备面包、制盐或作为奉献碗。为了寻找支持所提出假设的证据，我们研究了来自幼发拉底河中部（叙利亚）几个考古遗址的 BRB 样本。我们通过热解结合气相色谱和质谱 (Py-GC-MS) 分析了陶器碎片，以识别可能与过去 BRB 含量相关的有机分子。此外，我们在实验生产的 BRB 中煮面包以比较结果。最多可以识别 93 种有机化合物，包括多糖、木质素产品和脂肪酸。木质纤维素残留物的明确存在（尤其是 4-乙烯基愈创木酚和其他愈创木酚，也在 450 °C 以下实验烧焦的面包中发现），与发酵面包烹饪的提议假设相容，但这是有机物质不完全燃烧的来源脾气不能丢。木质素产品和脂肪酸。木质纤维素残留物的明确存在（尤其是 4-乙烯基愈创木酚和其他愈创木酚，也在 450 °C 以下实验烧焦的面包中发现），与发酵面包烹饪的提议假设相容，但这是有机物质不完全燃烧的来源脾气是不能丢的。木质素产品和脂肪酸。木质纤维素残留物的明确存在（尤其是 4-乙烯基愈创木酚和其他愈创木酚，也在 450 °C 以下实验烧焦的面包中发现），与发酵面包烹饪的提议假设相容，但这是有机物质不完全燃烧的来源脾气是不能丢的。