Birch tar
Birch (bark) tar or birch pitch is a substance (liquid when heated) derived from the dry distillation of the bark of the birch tree.
Chemical composition
Birch tar/pitch is mainly composed of
Ancient and modern uses
Birch tar was used widely as an
Birch tar also has been used as a disinfectant, in leather dressing, and in medicine.[citation needed]
A piece of 5,000-year-old chewing gum made from birch bark tar and still bearing tooth imprints, has been found in Kierikki in Finland.[10] Genetic material retained in the gum has enabled novel research regarding population movements, the types of foods consumed, and the types of bacteria found on their teeth.[11]
A different chewing gum sample, dated to 5,700 years old, was found in southern Denmark. A complete human genome and oral microbiome was sequenced from the chewed birch pitch. Researchers identified that the individual who chewed the pitch was a female closely related genetically to hunter-gatherers from mainland Europe.[12]
Ends of
Birch tar was more frequently discovered in archaeological contexts dating from the
Birch tar is also one of the components of Vishnevsky liniment.[27]
Birch tar
Birch tar oil has strong antiseptic properties[29] owing to a large amount of phenol derivatives and terpenoid derivatives.
Birch tar oil was used in the eighteenth century alongside
References
- ^ Hayek, E.W.H., Jordis, U., Moche, W., Sauter, F., 1989. A bicentennial of betulin. Phytochemistry. 28, 2229–2242.
- ^ Hayek, E.W.H., Krenmayr, P., Lohninger, H., 1990. Identification of Archaeological and Recent Wood Tar Pitches Using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Pattern Recognition.
- ^ Aveling, E., Heron, C., 1998. Identification of Birch Bark Tar at the Mesolithic Site of Star Carr. Ancient Biomolecules. 2.
- ^ Regert, M., 2004. Investigating the history of prehistoric glues by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. journal of separation science. 27, 244–254.
- ^ Rageot, M., 2015. Les substances naturelles en Méditerranée nord-occidentale (VIe-Ie Millénaire BCE) : chimie et archéologie des matériaux exploités pour leurs propriétés adhésives et hydrophobes (Doctorat). Université Nice Sophia Antipolis.
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- ^ "Student dig unearths ancient gum, 2007". 20 August 2007.
- ^ Ancient gum DNA, Science, The New York Times, December 17, 2019
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- ^ Bosquet, D., Regert, M., DUBOIS, N., Jadin, I., 2001. Identification de brai de bouleau sur quatre vases du site rubané de Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher «Podrî l’Cortri». Premiers résultats.
- ^ Urem-Kotsou, D., Mitkidou, S., Dimitrakoudi, E., Kokkinos, N., Ntinou, M., 2018. Following their tears: Production and use of plant exudates in the Neolithic of North Aegean and the Balkans. Quaternary International. 496, 68–79.
- ^ Urem-Kotsou, D., Stern, B., Heron, C., Kotsakis, K., 2002. Birch-bark tar at Neolithic Makriyalos, Greece. Antiquity. 76, 962–967.
- ^ Rageot, M., Lepère, C., Henry, A., Binder, D., Davtian, G., Filippi, J.-J., Fernandez, X., Guilaine, J., Jallet, F., Radi, G., Thirault, E., Terradas, X., Regert, M., 2021. Management systems of adhesive materials throughout the Neolithic in the North-West Mediterranean. Journal of Archaeological Science. 126, 105309.
- ^ Morandi, L.F., Porta, S.N., Ribechini, E., 2018. Evidence for Birch Bark Tar Use as an Adhesive and Decorative Element in Early Iron Age Central Italy: Technological and Socio-Economic Implications. Archaeometry. 60, 1077–1087.
- ^ Hayek, E.W.H., Krenmayr, P., Lohninger, H., 1990. Identification of Archaeological and Recent Wood Tar Pitches Using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Pattern Recognition.
- ^ Regert, M., Vacher, S., Moulherat, C., Decavallas, O., 2003. Adhesive Production and Pottery Function During the Iron Age at the Site of Grand Aunay (Sarthe, France)*. Archaeometry. 45, 101–120.
- ^ Sauter, F., Ulrich, J., Graf, A., Werther, W., Varmuza, K., 2000. Studies in organic archaeometry I: identification of the prehistoric adhesive used by "Tyrolean Icemen" to fix his weapons. Arkivoc. V, 735–747.
- ^ Regert, M., Rolando, C., 2002. Identification of Archaeological Adhesives Using Direct Inlet Electron Ionization Mass Spectrometry. Analytical chemistry. 74, 965–75.
- ^ Courel, B., Schaeffer, P., Féliu, C., Thomas, Y., Adam, P., 2018. Birch bark tar and jewellery: The case study of a necklace from the Iron Age (Eckwersheim, NE France). Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 20, 72–79.
- ^ Balsan, L., 1951. L’industrie de la résine dans les Causses et son extension dans l’empire romain. Gallia. 9, 53–55.
- ^ Trintignac, A., 2003. La production de poix dans la cité des gabales (Lozère) à l’époque gallo-romaine. RAP. n°1/2, 239–248.
- ^ Regert, M., Rodet-Belarbi, I., Mazuy, A., Dantec, G., Dessì, R.M., Henry, A., Rageot, M., Briz, S., 2019. Birch bark tar in the Roman world: the persistence of an ancient craft tradition. Antiquity. 93.
- ^ "Production of Russia Leather" (PDF). The Honourable Cordwainers' Company. 1807. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
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- ^ .
- ^ Wanamaker, L, "Birch Tar Oil A Powerful Antiseptic", OtzisPouch, 2020-04-01