This collaborative study between settler archaeologists, members of the Six Nations, and Indigenous scholars explores Attawandaron culinary practices in 15th–17th century Southern Ontario through organic residue analysis (ORA) of ceramic vessels, combined with experimental replication. Twenty-two pottery sherds from five Attawandaron settlements were analyzed from legacy collections curated at Sustainable Archaeology McMaster. Lipids were successfully extracted from all samples (7–3730 µg/g), revealing variable utilization patterns but overall excellent preservation. Fatty acid profiles, compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis, and diagnostic biomarkers identified the processing of freshwater aquatic products, wild ruminants, and plant inputs. Maize, although archaeologically well-documented in Attawandaron subsistence, was not detectable in lipid residues, likely due to lyed corn preparation. Experimental cooking using culturally informed recipes and locally sourced ingredients provided critical reference baselines for interpreting archaeological residues. Collectively, the results suggest continuity in Indigenous culinary practices across sites, with sustained reliance on aquatic resources and wild ruminants and little evidence for abrupt dietary change in the early post-contact period, despite the climatic and social disruptions. This research highlights the value of collaborative frameworks with descendant communities in refining biomolecular interpretations of Indigenous foodways, demonstrating how ORA of legacy collections can illuminate subsistence strategies, technological choices, and resilience in Northern Iroquoian societies.
