In this study the distribution of lipid compounds was evaluated in sediment samples of an archaeological site Rio do Meio, Santa Catarina Island, Brazil. In the total lipid extracts, analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC and GC-MS), saturated fatty acids and alcohols were predominant. At least two sources of organic matter were detected, an older and a more recent one. In the old deposit, the most abundant lipids were short-chain fatty acids (< Ac20:0), followed by a minor composition of long-chain fatty acids and alcohols (> Ac20:0 and Al20:0). In contrast, the fresh deposit was dominated by long-chain fatty acids and alcohols (> Ac20:0 and Al20:0). This paper described the incorporation of vegetal, bacterial and possible animal (fat) sources into the archaeological sediments analyzed.
archaeology; biomarkers; organic geochemistry
