Historical culinary practices in Southern Brazil: an organic residue approach

This thesis investigates historical culinary practices in Southern Brazil during the late 19th and early 20th centuries through an integrated bioarchaeological approach of ceramic artefacts, human and faunal materials. Focusing on archaeological sites in the regions of Babitonga Bay (Santa Catarina) and Patos Lagoon (Rio Grande do Sul), the research combines Organic Residue Analysis (ORA) of ceramics and Stable Isotope Analysis (SIA) of human and faunal remains to investigate dietary protein patterns, vessel use and food processing behaviours. These data are contextualised using historical sources, ceramic typology, and zooarchaeological evidence. The results of this thesis reveal distinct patterns in the use of marine and terrestrial resources, shaped by social contexts, local economies, historically documented identities, and access to commodities. ORA results indicate preserved ceramic residue patterns mainly compatible with C₃ plant inputs and terrestrial animal fats, with variable aquatic-compatible evidence, particularly in coastal contexts. SIA indicates regional contrasts in protein sources, suggesting differential access to fish, livestock, and cultivated plants across rural and urban settings. The evidence is consistent with the persistence of some practices rooted in Indigenous and Afro-Brazilian food traditions, alongside the adoption and adaptation of culinary practices associated with European immigration. By integrating molecular and isotopic data with material and documentary evidence, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of historical foodways, challenging narratives of cultural replacement and highlighting the complexity of daily domestic life during a period of major social transformation in Southern Brazil. The thesis demonstrates the potential of biomolecular archaeology to recover aspects of the past that are often absent from written records, offering a methodological framework for postcolonial and historical dietary research.