Search

This paper presents results from the first collaborative anthracological (archaeological wood charcoal analysis) study in northern Australia’s southwest Gulf of Carpentaria region. The analysis focused on charcoal from a Late Holocene combustion feature and surrounding dispersed charcoal on a buried floor surface. The results suggest that the combustion feature likely functioned as a ground oven associated with a potential specific function, with the majority of fuel wood coming from wakuwaku/marnunggurrun (Callitris columellaris or White Cypress Pine) and Myrtaceae species. These species are found in low woodlands associated with hilly and freshwater springs settings, and their abundance and dispersal are influenced by fire regimes (e.g., Aboriginal fire regimes). Information provided by members of the Marra Aboriginal community about our findings focused on the social and cultural significance of wakuwaku/marnunggurrun, with particular emphasis around its role in past and present wood collection strategies (fire-making and transport, high value timber etc.). By exploring how anthracology and cultural knowledge intersect to generate new understandings about the relational qualities of wood (charcoal), we aim to highlight how collaborative archaeobotany can help reorient research questions in the discipline, providing an opportunity to make such specialised analyses meaningful to communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ndondondwane, an Early Iron Age settlement situated on the banks of the Thukela River, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, provides a unique record of a single, short-term occupation (c. 1300 to 1200 years ago). Several areas associated with different activities had been previously excavated and analysed, yielding various scenarios for the cultural and social organisation of the settlement. Three phases of occupation or cultural horizons have been identified and this paper largely explores the charcoal assemblage from the middle cultural horizon, during the settlement's maximum extent of occupation. Charcoal was analysed from the central part of the site, represented by a livestock byre (kraal), a meeting place, and a craft production area; as well as the peripheral areas including three domestic middens and a charcoal preparation area. Archaeological charcoal specimens were examined using reflective light microscopy to observe the characteristic anatomical features needed to determine the taxonomic group they represent and subsequently identified by direct comparison with a modern charcoal reference collection and published archaeological charcoal studies. Charcoal was identified as belonging to 15 families, 23 genera, and 29 species of trees with known fuel, construction, and medicinal uses. There was a preference for wood previously known as Acacia*, indicating that this genus was readily available and prolific in the surrounds of the site. Ndondondwane has been extensively investigated in terms of the archaeology, and this together with the anthracology data provides further insight into Early Iron Age settlement location-specific activities, cultural practices, and reasons for abandonment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first anthracological results for the Late Almoravid, Early Almohad, and Late Almohad Andalusi phases at the San Esteban archaeological site in the southeastern of the Iberian Peninsula. Archaeobotanical studies are the only way to access the information silenced in written sources: the relationship between the rural and the urban worlds and the wood fuel production cycle. We propose a field multi-sampling strategy in the recovery process by analyzing hand-picking and flotation of light and heavy fractions through >4 and > 2 mm fragment-size classes to evaluate plant taxa presence and absence in the different units of analysis. Flotation sampling offered the highest taxa representativeness but needed hand-picking to complete the anthracological results. The combustion structures in Building 1 and Building 2 yielded 27 taxa for the different phases. This allowed us to map human agency through the paleoeconomic spatial analysis of production and consumption from the perspective of carrying capacity and the resilient possibilities of the environment. The results mainly present local, opportunistic, and self-management of forest resources and pruning in fruit orchards in irrigated agriculture that contributed to the wood fuel production cycle and consumption knowledge, blurring the line between the rural and the urban spheres for wood acquisition management in maintenance activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of the NWO project "What went into the melting pot? Land-use, agriculture, and craft production as indicators for the contributions of Greek migrants and local inhabitants to the so-called Greek colonization in Italy (ca. 850–550 BC)", science-based methods are employed to analyze and compare the organization of subsistence strategies in the Greek motherland and in the indigenous and colonial milieus of Italy (Crielaard et al. 2020). As a part of the subproject 'Flora & Fauna', which focuses on farming practices, subsistence strategies and surplus production, Iron Age material from the settlement of Krania in the Pieria region of Greece was analyzed. The site was excavated in 2001 and revealed occupation phases from the 3rd millennium BC to the Hellenistic period. The amount of ceramics recovered demonstrates the importance of trade with the rest of Greece, in particular Corinth, providing evidence for long-standing contacts and networks. Two pit structures contained a high concentration of material, notably charcoal and ceramics dating to the 9th-8th centuries BC. This material constitutes an interesting case study in itself but also as a regional comparandum with other Greek assemblages. This paper discusses how anthracological analysis can contribute to our understanding of human-environment interactions, anthropogenic practices and environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-altitude site occupations of central-west Argentina and central Chile are characterized by their location in altoandino environments, the presence of stone housing structures and of ceramic material associated with cultural complexes of the Maipo-Mapocho Basin of Central Chile, as well as evidence of camelid hunting, and the processing of wild and cultivated plants. The present paper deals with the anthracological study of two sites at the archaeological locality Laguna del Diamante (3.200 m asl), dated from 2100 years BP to historic times. To characterize qualitatively and quantitatively the anthracological record of LD-S2 and LD-S4, standard methods were employed. Seven taxa were identified. The woody plant management strategies detected were oriented to the gathering of local woods (Adesmia sp., family Asteraceae), together with others coming from lower altitudinal floors either of central Chile (Acacia aff. caven , Persea lingue , and Quillaja saponaria) or Argentina (Prosopis aff. alpataco), as well as one taxa growing on both faces of the Andean mountains (Ochetophila sp.). The results obtained here are integrated with previous studies on obsidian sources and artifacts and isotopic and ceramic analyses, among others, all of which show predominant access of societies from the valleys of central Chile to Laguna del Diamante. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first insight into the interpretation of the wood charcoal from the Holocene layers of Wonderwerk Cave. Situated in the Northern Cape Province in the arid interior of South Africa, the site provides a unique and valuable chronological record of past environmental fluctuations and responding human behavioural adaptations spanning the last two million years. The Holocene strata have been dated to cover the last 12.5 ka cal BP years, but exclude the last 100 years because of contamination. A sizeable amount of charcoal was recovered from these strata and remnants have been identified, described and the species composition amongst the strata compared. Most identified species are those that tolerate hot, dry conditions, signalling an arid trend during the Holocene. Comparison with present day species distributions suggests an eastwards shift in modern vegetation. The charcoal data also indicate that during the mid Holocene there was a wetter period from 6.2 to 4.5 ka cal BP, coinciding with stratum 4a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study of firewood use and management by human groups in the Ongamira valley, Córdoba, Argentina (dated between c. 5700-950 BP). In order to understand firewood gathering practices at different periods in the Late Holocene, samples from 63 combustion events recorded in 9 rockshelters were analysed. From the anthracological analysis (14,976 fragments) 19 woody taxa, and 4 botanically indeterminate taxa, were identified belonging to Chaco Serrano forest vegetation. The identification of abundant small flat fireplaces suggests short-lived activities repeated over time. A detailed analysis of the samples (types of fire pits, alterations during combustion and taphonomic processes) permits inferring firewood gathering in the local vegetation around the sites, as well as some taxa belonging to different environmental settings. Archaeological evidence indicates that groups were mobile, with the establishment of a network of places in the landscape where different activities were carried out (tool production, food consumption and pottery manufacture) with fire making as a central activity. People in the past constantly used different places in the valley, focusing many of their activities in rockshelters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last twenty years, various interdisciplinary research programs have been studying human presence in high mountain environments and how the different activities carried out there have impacted on the landscape and transformed it since the Early Holocene. Grazing, hunting, mining, and charcoal-making are the most significant outdoor productive activities that have been detected. At the same time, on a day-to-day basis, there was a daily household firewood management, studied here, which was related to fires for cooking, heat and light, as basic needs to be satisfied in the caves and rock-shelters occupied in this high-mountain territory since Prehistory. This paper presents the anthracological results from three sites located in the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park (PNAESM) in the Central Pyrenees occupied between the 9th and the 1st millennia cal BCE. In the PNAESM, different types of occupations have been identified in a basic spatial distribution by a hearth and some artefacts associated with past daily life. In the limit between the upper montane and the subalpine zones, at 1790 m a.s.l., Sardo Cave contains a sequence of seasonal occupations (4600-2500 cal BCE) that used local wood selected according to their needs. In the limit between the subalpine and alpine zones, firewood-gathering would have taken place in the surroundings of the sites from what was available at any moment. However the occupations identified in the rock-shelters of Estany de la Coveta I (7001-3028 cal BCE) at 2430 m a.s.l. and Obagues de Ratera (8182-540 cal BCE) at 2323 m a.s.l. seem to be short-term. In the context of the Central and Eastern Pyrenees, this appears to be the general pattern that will be better defined as more anthracological analyses are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous charcoal kiln remains can still be found throughout the world, evidencing wood harvesting related to former industries. These remains represent effective sources and tools for studying (i) pre-industrial pressures on forest resources and (ii) past strategies related to woodland management. However, radiocarbon dating (AMS), which is the main tool to reconstruct the chronology of past charcoal manufacturing activity, doesn't provide sufficiently accurate dating, especially for the post-1650 period, due to the broad probability range of the dates resulting from wiggles in the calibration curve. In order to overcome the radiocarbon dating limitation and therefore refine the chronology of modern charcoal manufacturing, this paper proposes to apply an integrated approach combining archaeology, micromorphology, anthracology and dendrochronology. To characterise the archaeological record of a target charcoal kiln terrace from the "Forêt de Bernadouze", located in a historical iron production valley of the Northern Pyrenees, we combined classical stratigraphic analysis with a micromorphological study. The results highlight the multiperiod nature of the terrace, i.e. a palimpsest of multiple charcoal production episodes, revealing two major phases marked by an abandonment period between them. Subsequently, we constructed a beech charcoal-ring (n = 49) chronology cross-dated with the new "Forêt de Bernadouze" reference chronology from freshly felled, living beech trees (n = 24) to obtain the annual resolution of charcoal ring formation. Based on the new reconstructed master chronology covering the 1879–2016 period, we were able to calibrate the charcoal-ring chronology for the 1881–1941 period. Consequently, we (i) dated the charcoal production activity performed on the target terrace during the 1924–1942 period and (ii) identified a shift in the rate of use of the terrace, from one-off to high-intensive use. This study also provides new insights regarding (i) the particular nature of the archaeological record and (ii) the operating and timing of past charcoal-making practices in connection with silvicultural treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary study of the necropolis of Salve (Lecce-south Puglia-Italy), in which tumuli were used as funerary monuments from the mid-4th to the mid-3rd millennia BC. Both cremation and burial rituals are attested. The discovery of anthracological finds among the remains of cremations in the necropolis of Salve offered an opportunity to study the role of plants in the funerary rituals of the Eneolithic communities of Puglia. The anthracological analysis sought to reconstruct the phases of the cremation ritual not directly visible at the site, such as the ignition of the pyre and the collection and transport of the burnt remains.The identified wood species are typical of the local Mediterranean vegetation, and consist mostly of evergreen oak (Quercus type ilex), deciduous oak (Quercus type deciduous) and olive (Olea europaea). Given the high energy density of these species, it is possible that they were used to sustain the prolonged fire of the pyre. Other wood species include green shrubs (Rhamnus/Phillyrea) and plum (Prunus sp.), perhaps used to start the fire.Differences between the mounds are visible in the selection of the fuel and are partly reflected in the building technique and the arrangement of the bodies inside the funerary structures. The results of the anthracological analysis offer new insights into prehistoric funerary rituals and provide a new perspective on the funerary customs of the Eneolithic communities of Puglia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper presents a comprehensive study of all available up to date anthracological assemblages recovered from 79 archaeological settlements of the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods from the loess regions of southern-Poland. The aim of the research is to reconstruct the character of the woodland developed in the loess belt (1) in the Atlantic phase, with a focus on the primeval forests, the successive cultural phases and their impact on local forests, and (2) in the Subatlantic phase, characterized by a late-migrating of trees such as hornbeam, beech and fir. For the Early Neolithic period, related with the first appearance of the stable and agrarian settlement, the research aims at testing the hypothesis about the existence of open oak-dominated forests in the Atlantic phase , with patches of steppe-like vegetation. The anthracological data indicate that indeed open canopy forests prevailed in the loess-mantled areas and this result has important implications for understanding the expansion of the first farmers into Central Europe, who settled mainly in loess belt zones. It is likely that open oakwoods played a significant role in the selection of the landscape suitable for settle down as well as was an indicator of rich soils developed on loess-substratum. Finally, the last-arriving trees in southern Poland, that are principal constituents of present-day forests communities, appeared in high shares in the second half of the 2nd millennium BC, but became important forest components mostly in the Carpathian Foothills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to understand the ways of life for the inhabitants of Termez (Uzbekistan) and its surrounding environment through the analysis of the zooarchaeological, charcoal, and ceramic material found inside a domestic combustion structure (tannur) dated to the early Islamic period (8th and 9th centuries AD). The tannur was located in a manufacturing area outside the city walls of old Termez, discovered during the 2018-2019 archaeological campaigns of the Uzbek-Spanish team IPAEB. The analysis of the charcoal hints at an abundance of local floral taxa that was used as firewood. The faunal remains indicate the presence of birds, mammals and fish at the site. The zooarchaeological study reveals the exploitation of the fluvial resources through the presence of fish of the Cyprinidae family in the vicinity of the Amu Darya. The scarcity of cut marks on and thermoalteration of the mammalian remains inside the tannur lead us to believe that the presence of the bones inside the container is related to their disposal rather than the use of the oven for cooking. Finally, the ceramic items collected in the tannur belong to the same wares and types identified in the assemblages collected from a workshop area at the site and are typical of the early Islamic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyses through an interdisciplinary approach the wattle‐and‐daub building technique used on the Po Plain of northern Italy, focusing on the archaeological evidence from the Etruscan site of Forcello, near Bagnolo San Vito (Mantua) (540–375 bce). Wattle and daub is widespread across different times and periods, and is particularly common in regions such as the Po Plain, where stone sources for construction are not immediately available. Thanks to a combined archaeometric, geological and anthracological study, the paper provides new insights on a fifth‐century bce building structure from Forcello. The findings reveal information on the life history of this feature, including its construction, maintenance and final destruction. The research also sheds a new light on the wattle‐and‐daub technique and on the interaction between people and the Po Plain Etruscan palaeoenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ndondondwane in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is an Early Iron Age site of a single, short-term occupation within the time period A.D. 750 to A.D. 950. This makes it a unique and ideal site to study cultural and social settlement organisation in this region. The site has been extensively excavated for archaeological research and a vast assemblage of charcoal retrieved. The charcoal assemblage was collected from three Cultural Horizons and each was analysed separately. This paper, the first to analyse the charcoal from this site, deals with charcoal collected from the deepest horizon represented by the livestock byre (Dung Area). Charcoal specimens were examined using reflective light microscopy to identify their characteristic anatomical features in order to determine the taxonomic group they represent. The majority of the charcoal from this layer was identified to six distinguishable species representing the genus previously known as Acacia, indicating this thorny wood was preferentially selected for constructing the byre and providing evidence for the usage of specific woody species for a particular purpose. In order to distinguish between the closely related species, a combination of morphological features was chosen and a comparison to modern charcoal reference samples and published wood anatomy descriptions were made. An attempt has been made to document the differences, as members of this genus are difficult to differentiate in terms of wood anatomy alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cova Rosa is an archaeological site in Asturias, Spain, excavated by Francisco Jordá Cerdá in 1958, 1959 and 1964. Later, the same archaeologist and Alejandro Gómez Fuentes carried out an excavation from 1975 to 1979. They documented two levels, named Cova Rosa A and Cova Rosa B. The archaeological material resulting from this excavation has remained practically unpublished. This paper presents the biotic remains (ligneous and faunal resources) in Layer B6, dated by radiocarbon to about 15,800 BP (c. 18,700 cal BP), corresponding to the Lower Magdalenian. Anthracological analysis shows that the human groups selected mostly shrub species for their fires. Archaeozoological information indicates that hunting specialising in red deer predominated, while fishing salmonids and shellfishing (mostly limpets and periwinkles) were complementary activities to hunting and gathering plants. Other economic activities practiced in the cave were the fabrication of osseous implements and objects of adornment made with animal raw materials. Through the biotic remains that have been documented, it can be inferred that, at that time in Greenland Stadial 2, conditions were relatively cold and humid, and the vegetation was dominated by grasslands and shrubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aims to characterize forest landscapes during the Late Middle Paleolithic (LMP), Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) and Magdalenian of the NE Iberian Upper Pleistocene. In this paper we present the results of anthracological analyses from Cova Gran (Santa Linya, Spain). Results show a dominance of Pinus sylvestris type suggesting that despite the occurrence of climate changes throughout the Upper Pleistocene forest cover was continuous. The data, from Cova Gran is analyzed from a regional perspective through comparison with other sequences in the NE Iberia region. The comparison suggests a dominance of Pinus sylvestris type from the coast to the Pyrenees. Comparison with other sequences from Northern Iberia shows differences regarding the presence of cryophillous pines in some phases and a higher diversity and the presence of other plant communities. This contributes to the understanding of the local environmental differences according to the biogeographical setting of the sites. The present study also suggests that pines were available in NE Iberia throughout the Upper Pleistocene and was systematically used as the main source of firewood. Highlights • Anthracology from Cova Gran provides new data on montane pine forests in NE Iberia. • Pinus sylvestris type is a recurrent taxa in anthracological records from NE Iberia. • Montane pines forests were well distributed and persisted along the MIS 3 and MIS 2. • Montane pines covered an area from the Pyrenean mountain to the Mediterranean coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the main parameters contributing to the characterization of firewood exploitation modes, the age of the collected wood is very difficult to assess in anthracology. In this paper, we propose an original way to investigate the age of the exploited wood, the heartwood formation process which takes place in 20–25-year-old deciduous oak trees. The formation of tyloses in earlywood vessels is an important feature of the changeover of sapwood to heartwood. However, tylosis formation also occurs in sapwood. Therefore, the observation of the mere presence of tyloses in vessels, as routinely performed in anthracology, is not sufficient to distinguish sapwood from heartwood. The aim of this study was thus to use the proportion of vessels sealed by tyloses as a discriminating marker between sapwood and heartwood applicable to anthracology in order to characterize firewood exploitation in the past. The trunks and branches of ten deciduous oak trees ranging from 15 to 60 years old were sampled in three French sites. For an application to archaeological charcoal (tyloses are preserved until 800 °C), thresholds of less than 65% for sapwood and up to 85% for heartwood appear to be significant at the population level for deciduous oak ( Quercus petraea/robur ) in a temperate climate. Besides the indication of the minimal age ( ca. 25 years old in the case of deciduous oak), the variability of the proportion of vessels with tyloses in sapwood is explored as a good indicator of the vitality of the wood which opens new prospects for the exploitation of dendro-anthracological parameters, such as the discrimination of branch wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of dendroanthracological analyses conducted on the anthracological assemblage retrieved from Neolithic and Chalcolithic occupations excavated at Çatalhöyük (central Anatolia, Turkey). Besides standard botanical identification of the charcoal macroremains, a range of anatomical features were also recorded including the presence of fungal decay, traumatic growth, tyloses and discontinuous growth rings. The qualitative assessment of growth ring curvature (following Marguerie and Hunot, 2007) was supplemented by quantitative estimations of minimum wood diameter (following Paradis et al., 2013) alongside sequential ring width measurements. Botanical identifications, dendroanthracological features and quantitative measurements obtained from individual charcoal fragments, were analysed using multivariate statistical techniques. These permitted assessing the relative importance of wood size, type and species in prehistoric fuel selection, and obtaining a detailed view of environmental and management impacts on prehistoric woodland growth conditions. The results of this work indicate the deep antiquity of woodland management practices in the semi-arid continental regions of Southwest Asia dating as early as the Neolithic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central Anatolian region is characterised by an anthropogenic landscape, a product of millennia of use for farming and pastoralism. Relict natural forest communities are generally located in difficult terrain, precluding their grazing or felling, and most trees in the agricultural landscapes have been planted. In this context, this paper investigates ancient woodland use at Kaman-Kalehöyük, (Kırşehir Province, Turkey) via examination of archaeological oak ( Quercus spp.) remains. Dendrological features and components such as wood diameter, tylose density, and presence of pith, bark, and hyphae are used to identify small, medium, and large timber as well as dead/weathered wood. The quantification of these features indicates that, coinciding with peak abundance of oak use in the Late Bronze Age, there is an increase in the use of large branch, trunk, and possibly root wood. The use of collected dead and weathered wood, and smaller size timbers, such as twig wood, peak in periods where oak harvesting appears to be less intensive. Notable peaks in the presence of pith and wood with moderate wood diameter occur in the Late Iron Age, potentially indicating the use of management techniques such as coppicing and pollarding, possibly for charcoal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to compare the wood charcoal assemblages from several archaeological sites near Polgár (north-eastern Hungary) with the pollen records of the same area in order to infer the character of forest communities that developed between 7500 and 6500 cal. yr BP. One question of particular interest is the structure of the woodlands in the mid-Holocene, particularly during the Holocene Climatic Optimum, when summer mean temperatures were higher than today. Pollen studies in this period suggest the dominance of wooded steppe with significant, naturally open, steppe-covered habitats. Hazel ( Corylus avellana ) and oak ( Quercus sp.) were the most important pollen components. On the other hand, the anthracological records suggest considerably less hazel, more oak admixed with several other woody taxa, particularly heliophilous Cornus sp. and Rosaceae trees or shrubs that still remain either invisible or are poorly represented in the pollen diagrams. The two types of data thus complement each other, and serve to better characterise this key time interval when Neolithic agriculture spread across the Great Hungarian Plain. Special attention is given to the joint occurrence of cornelian cherry ( Cornus sp. cf. C. mas ) and European smoke bush ( Cotinus coggygria ), as these commonly occur in the Sub-Mediterranean-subcontinental wooded steppe and thermophilous oak forest associations in SE Europe these days, under warmer summer conditions than those experienced in Hungary today. Their appearance and, in the case of cornelian cherry, abundance in the Atlantic wood charcoal assemblages suggest that, during the Atlantic phase, the wooded steppes of the north Great Hungarian Plain could have been of a Sub-Mediterranean character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of anthracological analyses conducted to further the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of NE Iberia and to provide better insights into the impact of human activity on the landscape. This study is based on the analysis of charred plant remains from five archaeological sites located ∼ 20 km to the southwest of the city of Barcelona. The site chronology spans from the Upper Pleistocene to the mid-Holocene. The MIS 5-stage is represented by the Cova del Rinoceront (ca. 74–175 ka), which yielded scarce anthracological remains, composed primarily of angiosperms. MIS 3 and the HS4 stadial are represented by the Cova del Coll Verdaguer (ca. 33.4–55 ka) and the Terrasses de la Riera dels Canyars (39.6 ka cal BP) respectively, both pointing to the recurrent presence of Pinus sylvestris type. The Holocene record is represented by the Cova Bonica (ca. 7200–4600 cal BP), presenting a predominance of Quercus, Pinus and a considerable variability of shrubs and small tree types. Finally, Cal Maurici (ca. 6100–3700 cal BP) constitutes a natural deposit in shallow marshes, and presents charcoals washed down the river. The sequence presented is completed and compared with other sequences located in NE Iberia. The assemblages allow us to evaluate the evolution and transformation of the forested landscapes originated by the climate variations that occurred during the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene and to assess changes in the woody vegetation resulting from cultural or natural transformations. These outcomes are discussed in terms of a comparison of natural vs . anthropogenic anthracological records and the data are contextualized and examined in the broader context of the other assemblages recovered in the NE Iberian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An agrosilvopastoral system and millennium of human occupation make Santa Maria de Melque an important archaeological site in Europe. Previous archaeological work mainly focused on ceramics and wooden structural elements of a church and anthracological, palynological, and paleocarpological analyses of sediments around a rural monastery. In this paper, we extend the geoarchaeological work to dams that were constructed nearby, applying innovative techniques such as optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and seismic refraction to help understand human-landscape interactions. Our OSL dating of dams and reservoir sediments provide a first detailed chronological framework for historical water storage in Central Spain. In Melque, the four dams were built consecutively during phases of Christian occupation, thereby assuring water availability to support agrosilvopastoral activities. The maximum splendor of the rural complex occurred during Phase III (Christian occupation, 12th-16th centuries A.D.). Dam construction was an integral part of the agricultural production system, and the reservoirs were effective as water harvesting systems in support of irrigated agriculture from the 7th to 16th centuries A.D. during the Early and High Medieval occupation of the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the combined results of archaeobotanical studies, of both macro-remains (carbonised wood, seeds and fruit) and micro-remains (pollen, spores and non-pollen microfossils), at three sites in Sierra de Cantabria (Basque Country, northern Iberian Peninsula): Peña Larga, Peña Parda and San Cristóbal, dated from the early Neolithic to the Bronze Age (5500–900 cal BC). The main results show that, despite the abundance of deciduous trees, the taxa used as fuel included both deciduous species (deciduous Quercus , Corylus avellana and birch) and conifers, mainly Taxus baccata . Yew ( Taxus baccata ) was the wood most used in the Neolithic, but its importance declines in the Chalcolithic and it disappears in the final occupation phases at the rock-shelters, in the Bronze Age. Instead, the use of deciduous Quercus increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the general characteristics of this research aimed to studying the mechanisms used to collect wood by hunter-gatherers, living on the northern shore of San Matías gulf during the last six thousand years. The collected wood was used to build ires where these groups would crack the shells of the collected shellish. This paper also shows a synthesis of the irst results obtained in three archaeological localities. The results obtained through the charcoal analysis will be discussed taking into account the new data available through pollen analysis. The aim is to evaluate the mechanisms applied to the collection of irewood used during the environmental conditions depicted through the palynological techniques. These mechanisms range from a "random gathering" to a thorough "selection" of the wood types according to the properties that make them optimal to be used as fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying arboriculture and agroforestry in Polynesian Societies has usually relied heavily upon the ethnographic record in the absence of direct archaeological evidence. In this paper we outline a multi-proxy research design, including ethnography, palynology, anthracology, archaeology and a high precision chronology to evaluate arboriculture and agroforestry as components of Moriori subsistence practices before the arrival of Europeans in 1791. The colonisers of Rekohu brought with them a mainland New Zealand endemic tree, Corynocarpus laevigatus, and the technology to propagate the tree in a less than ideal climate and to process its drupe into a storable source of carbohydrate in what was a difficult environment for Polynesian cultivation practices. We also present a conceptual model of forest change due to Moriori fuel selection practices which suggests that Moriori were actively managing these forest spaces for food, fuel, medicine, construction material and as a habitation space, therefore making agroforestry an important component of Moriori subsistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine wood charcoal assemblages that were recovered from ash layers in Terminal Classic (A.D. 800- 950) burials at the Maya site of Rio Bee to understand the use of fuel wood in funerary rites. Compared to charcoal deposits from domestic and non-funerary contexts, the spectrum of wood taxa used in the burial deposits is unique, which suggests specific fire-related practices. Members of the Sapotaceae family and Cordia sp. dominated all contexts and were clearly primary fuels. In contrast, the use of pine (Pinus sp.), which does not grow locally today, was limited to ritual practices. In addition, it seems that a deliberate effort was made to maximize the taxonomic richness of the fuel wood used in burials Funerary charcoal deposits appear to have been carefully and intentionally "composed" for burning during funerary rites. We propose that this practice materialized the relationship between fire, ash, and the cycles of life and death, which are often symbolized by plant life cycles in the work/view of ancient Maya societies. This study also emphasizes the contribution of anthracological (wood charcoal) analysis to the reconstruction of human behavior and the importance of systematic paleoethnobotanical sampling in funerary contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palynological archives dating from the Pleistocene–Holocene transition are scarce in the arid zone of the southern Levant. Anthracological remains (the carbonized residues of wood fuel use found in archaeological habitation sites) provide an alternative source of information about past vegetation. This paper discusses new and previously available anthracological datasets retrieved from excavated habitation sites in the southern Levant dating to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) period. The available evidence indicates the existence of distinct arboreal floras growing in different ecological niches, which occupied areas that today are either treeless or very sparsely wooded. The anthracological data provide independent confirmation of the hypothesis that early Holocene climate in the southern Levant was significantly moister than at present. Clear North–South and East–West precipitation and associated woodland composition gradients are evidenced. Far from deducing widespread anthropogenic degradation of the regional vegetation, it is suggested that woodland expansion in the semi-arid interiors of the Levant may be attributed to the intensive management of Pistacia woodlands for food, fuel and pasture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a synthetic view of the results of anthracological studies in the Western Pyrenean Region during the Holocene. With this aim, we have compiled the results of wood charcoal analyses from archaeological sites taking into account that this region can be divided into several biogeographic areas. Firstly, we present the Aizpea archaeological site in the Pyrenees. Secondly, the deposits of Pico Ramos, Kobeaga II and El Mirón in the Coastal Area are described. Moving to the central part, into the Transition area, we describe the data of Mendandia as the main representative site, although the nearby sites of Atxoste, Kampanoste, and Kanpanoste Goikoa are also mentioned. Finally, for the southern sector of the Ebro Valley, we explain the archaeological sites of Peña Parda and Peña Larga. In addition, some specific issues that have been observed in some plant species found in this environment are also addressed. The main results show the use of different types of wood located near the archaeological sites and, in some particular cases, the selection of one of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents anthracological data from Abric del Pastor (Alcoi, Spain), a Middle Paleolithic rock shelter site. Analysis of 1077 wood charcoal remains from Stratigraphic Unit IV (S.U. IV), collected within archaeological combustion structures and from loose sediment outside of structures, allowed us to characterise the local landscape, as well as to approach the interaction between Neanderthal groups and their local environment. Taxonomic identification suggests that firewood was gathered from nearby sources, with predominance of juniper ( Juniperus sp.) followed by thermophilous shrubby taxa. Additional analysis focussing on post-depositional processes affecting charcoal have shown features indicative of biodegradation and mechanical action. The results of this study contribute significant anthracological data towards our understanding of Late Pleistocene Mediterranean landscapes and Neanderthal forest management in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroscopic charcoal analysis of lake sediment stratigraphies is a widely used approach to reconstruct past biomass burning patterns of ecosystems. The development of fire records often relies on a single quantification method of charcoal in a sediment subsample; however, recent studies have shown that additional paleoecological information can be obtained by classifying charcoal morphologies. The morphologies and diagnostic features of charcoal yields information about fuel sources, fire type, and charcoal taphonomy, and can aid in calibrating sediment records to known historical fires. This additional information enhances paleoecological inferences by providing more paleoenvironmental information than studies of total charcoal as the only metric. Here we present a classification of 27 macroscopic charcoal morphologies observed in Holocene sediments of lakes located in the mixed-conifer forests of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. This classification system builds on other morphological classifications that have been previously utilized, but is more inclusive of the morphological variability observed and is flexible to modification for use when applied to other study settings. The morphological classification presented here was developed following the observation of >100,000 macroscopic charcoal fragments >150 µm. This paper focuses on the observed morphological classes, their identification, potential fuel sources, and the morphotype assemblage stratigraphy from one site as an example. The charcoal assemblages varied throughout the mid-to-late Holocene contemporaneously with known regional scale hydroclimatic changes in British Columbia. Major changes in fire frequency were also concomitant with morphotype assemblage changes. Future work focusing on linking fuel types with charcoal morphotypes, post-fire observations of charcoal taphonomy, and the analysis of multiple attribute charcoal data sets from a variety of ecosystems will improve our understanding of biomass burning and long-term fire ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cova Colomera is one of the most important archaeological sites to explain early herding activities in the Central Pre-Pyrenees (Iberian Peninsula). Fieldworks have provided a stratigraphy that shows short occupations of the cave by Neolithic and Bronze Age human groups. The sedimentological description has revealed fumiers deposits, that are characteristic of husbandry activities. In this paper, we provide the anthracological results based on 1117 charcoal fragments. The results allow to characterise the Mediterranean vegetation landscape and its transformation, from a local perspective, related to climatic changes and anthropogenic activities. Climate changes and human activities have played a significant role in Mediterranean landscapes dynamics. However, the incidence or impact of both agents on the vegetation landscape occurred unequally among the Mediterranean region. The anthracological results from Cova Colomera suggest that the Central Pre-Pyrenees was dominated by an oak forest ecosystem, with sub- and supra-Mediterranean deciduous taxon and coniferous forest during the Middle Holocene. This ecosystem remained more or less stable during the Late Holocene, although evergreen oak showed a slight increase, and coniferous forest showed a slight decrease. The orographic characteristics of the Central Pre-Pyrenees were able to maintain temperate and humid conditions, with less impact of aridity events recorded in Mediterranean environments. From a diachronic point of view, the herding activities of Neolithic human and Bronze Age human groups do not appear to have affected highly the landscape development of the Central Pre-Pyrenees. Human activities were probably not intensive in terms of forest clearing or land use. • Middle-Late Holocene anthracological sequence of Cova Colomera. • Anthracological data shows local woodland peculiarities and changes. • Local humid conditions would have been favourable for meso-thermophilic taxa. • The earliest evidence of herding activities in the Central Pre-Pyrenees. • Human activities would have had less impact on the local forest's development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: It is commonly accepted that, following the end of the Pleistocene, semi-arid deciduous oak woodlands did not spread in the Irano-Anatolian region of Southwest Asia as quickly as they did in the Levantine Mediterranean littoral, despite the fact that climatic improvement occurred broadly at the same time in both regions. Prehistoric impacts on woodland vegetation (such as woodcutting, burning and clearance for cultivation), the harsh continental climate of inland Southwest Asia and its distance from late Pleistocene arboreal refugia have all been discussed in the literature as likely causes of the delay. In this paper we argue that semi-arid deciduous oak woodlands should not be viewed as part of the “natural” vegetation of the Irano-Anatolian region that has been progressively destroyed by millennia of human activities since the Neolithic. They represent instead one of the earliest anthropogenic vegetation types in Southwest Asia, one that owes its very existence to prehistoric landscape practices other scholars commonly label as “destructive”. Drawing on anthracological, pollen and modern vegetation data from central Anatolia we describe how the post-Pleistocene species-rich and structurally diverse temperate semi-arid savanna grasslands were gradually substituted by low-diversity, even-aged Quercus-dominated parklands and wood pastures in the course of the early Holocene. Economic strategies that encouraged the establishment and spread of deciduous oaks included sheep herding that impacted on grass and forb vegetation, the controlling of competing arboreal vegetation through woodcutting, and woodland management practices such as coppicing, pollarding and shredding that enhanced Quercus vegetative propagation, crown and stem growth. Understanding the origin and evolution of the Irano-Anatolian semi-arid oak woodlands of Southwest Asia is of critical importance for reconstructing the changing ecologies and geographical distributions of the progenitors of domesticated crop species, and the nature and scale of early agricultural impacts on the landscape. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Generally speaking, charcoal analysis is based on identifying and counting charcoal fragments in order to calculate the relative variations in taxa frequency. All post-depositional processes are likely to induce fragmentation of the anthracological material, raising the question of the representativeness of taxa. Based on an innovative experimental approach combining both charcoal analysis and biomechanics, this paper explores how the mechanical properties of charcoal can influence the fragmentation and the quantification of species in anthracological assemblages. We carried out standardized laboratory compression tests on 302 samples issued from 10 taxa, charred at three different temperatures, in order to characterize the mechanical properties of common species in temperate and Mediterranean Europe. Our results highlight the differential responses of the tested species in terms of resistance to compression and fragmentation, two processes which do not appear to be correlated. Charcoal is very resistant to pressure (up to 22.5 MPa). Our results show that significant fragmentation differences exist between taxa. The total number of fragments after compression is largely dependent on the species, regardless of the charring temperature. However, this interspecific variability is more significant for small fragments [1–2 mm], than for larger fragments [2–4 mm] and >4 mm, with the exception of Quercus, which displays differential reactions to compression. Finally, a multifactorial analysis brings to light the impact of the physical and anatomical characteristics of the different species on charcoal fragmentation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The investigated area near Flintbek (Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany) was used as a burial ground from the Neolithic until the Iron Age. Due to modern agriculture, the above-ground funerary monuments have been destroyed. Rescue excavations from 1976 to 1996 recovered the archaeological remains. In addition to the archaeological reassessment of the findings, further scientific analyses were carried out. The results of the charcoal analyses are presented in this paper. The overall spectrum of wood species represents the typical species composition of mixed oak forests. Over the whole investigated time span (Neolithic-Iron Age) these species alternate with a second group of taxa: species benefiting from better light conditions. In times of intensive human impact, these light-demanding taxa gained considerable importance, showing the opening of the wooded landscape. In phases with less human impact, a regeneration of mixed oak forest is detectable. For the Neolithic it was possible to develop a more detailed picture of wood usage based on 162 radiocarbon dates of 106 samples. These illustrate considerable changes during the Neolithic, which resulted in a varied pattern of open land and closed forest influenced by human presence and land use. Another important aspect of the Flintbek area is the handling of samples deriving from different contexts. While charcoal samples related to fire usage or grave constructions contain only slight contamination, samples from fillings (pits, burial layers) are characterized by charcoal dating being either too old or even too young for the archaeological context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper focuses on the reconstruction of Holocene climatic and environmental changes in two archaeological sites of southwestern and north-central Calabria (southern Italy). It is based on a comparison of geoarchaeological, pedological and pedoanthracological data from soil profiles in the coastal hilly and inland mountainous surroundings of Palmi and Cecita Lake, respectively. At the Palmi site, the representative soil profile includes settlements and artefacts ranging from late Neolithic to late early Bronze Age and undifferentiated historical epochs. The archaeological record of soils at Cecita spans from late Neolithic/early Eneolithic to Roman ages. At both sites, surface A horizons are affected by repeated plough marks. All soils display some Andisol-like features, related to some volcanic input during soil formation originating from late Pleistocene to Holocene explosive eruptions of the Aeolian Islands. The occurrence of clay coatings, their relict nature and overall dominant phyllosilicate clay minerals in the Neolithic soil horizons of both sites, suggest warm climate conditions with high moisture availability and some seasonal contrast, during the late early-middle Holocene climatic optimum. The post-Neolithic soils show comparable or more abundant amounts of short-range order minerals than phyllosilicates, and no to scarce clay coatings. These features indicate a transition towards (probably cooler) prolonged humid conditions, intercalated by one or more drought episodes. Severe land degradation is recorded between these major climatic phases, indicated by human impact (deforestation and agriculture) and soil erosion. Soil charcoal analysis from Cecita soils provide evidence of these anthropogenic environmental changes, as indicated by the dominance of deciduous oak forest in Neolithic soils, followed by a transition to a mountain pine forest recorded in the Roman soils. A deciduous oak forest characterizes the vegetation at Palmi from the Neolithic onward. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The sequence from Abric Romaní has provided several palaeoecological studies. This paper presents a synthesis of the results yielded by palynology, including the data from the entire non-excavated deposits, and the data obtained through the study of large mammals, micromammals, herpetofauna, and anthracology from the excavated layers. The palaeobotanical studies show that the sequence is mainly related to pine forests, and near or within these dominant forests there were smaller plant formations and/or secondary species with a Mediterranean and/or Atlantic character. Nevertheless, continuous forest did not dominate the entire region. The fauna occupying the territory indicate open spaces in which seasonal grasslands proliferated, dry assemblages in sunny areas and humid ones in mountain shadows. The non-excavated archaeological layers correspond to MIS 4, initially characterized by temperate and humid conditions, and thereafter cool and humid until HS 6 and MIS 3. Afterwards, at the beginning of the MIS 3, the Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles, ∼1500 yr rapid and abrupt climatic changes, occurred during the deposition of the archaeological levels O, N, M, L, K and J. Later, these events were interrupted by a cold and dry phase, between ca 49 and 47 ka BP, which affected levels Ja, I and H, culminating with HS 5. Finally, this cold episode was followed by the Hengelo interstadial or DO 12, characterized by a temperate and humid climate identified in levels E and D. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In archaeological literature, the study of trees and wood remains is a topic of relatively marginal interest, especially compared to texts on crops and human–animal relations. However, charcoal is the most frequent botanical remain found in archaeological sites. Charcoal analysis can therefore play a major role in the development of studies in both landscape and palaeoethnobotanical reconstruction. The majority of the archaeological charcoal assemblages reflect the exploitation of wood as an energy source (fuel). The archaeological study of firewood selection has been predominantly developed from “eco-utilitarian” or “subsistence economy” perspectives, but has not yet considered fuel collection and use as one of the most enduring categories of human–environment interactions, nor has archaeology looked into its potential as a source of empirical information on past perceptions of, and interactions with, ancient landscapes. The aim of this paper is to expand previous archaeological work on the interpretation of charcoal macro-remains through the study of firewood collection as a historically constituted, socially mediated and archaeologically observable landscape practice. In order to achieve this, we present an ethnoarchaeological case study from the Fang society of Equatorial Guinea (central Africa) aimed at gaining a better understanding of the complex interactions between cultural, ecological and economic variables in firewood collection strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

After the last glaciation, around 4000 BC, silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) spread to the area that is now the Czech Republic. This spread was not restricted to high mountains, but also took place across both highland and lowland landscapes. Historical forestry records from around AD 1500 mention a massive expansion of Abies alba, favoured by forest pasturing, litter raking and selective tree cutting. According to the current interpretation of these historical records, this expansion in Czech forests was extensive and lasted until AD 1800. On the other hand, pollen data coming mostly from the Alps consider silver fir as a species that is extremely sensitive to human impact. In this paper, we compare historical forestry reports with pollen and charcoal data from the Czech Republic. Both pollen and charcoal records show that Abies alba reached its maximum during the Bronze (2200—800/750 BC) and Iron Ages (800/750 BC—AD 0). While charcoal records indicate that silver fir wood was important also during the High Medieval, pollen data show that the High Medieval and Modern times were periods of a general decline in Abies. Our data suggest that the expansion of silver fir documented by historical records was not general but rather fragmented, probably according to actual form and the intensity of human impact, as well as environmental conditions. These historical records have contributed much evidence regarding the wider ecological tolerance of Abies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The image of the classical Mediterranean environment of the Greeks and Romans had a formative influence on the art, literature, and historical perception of modern Europe and America. How closely does is this image congruent with the ancient environment as it in reality existed? In particular, how forested was the ancient Mediterranean world, was there deforestation, and if so, what were its effects? The consensus of historians, geographers, and other scholars from the mid-nineteenth century through the first three quarters of the twentieth century was that human activities had depleted the forests to a major extent and caused severe erosion. My research confirmed this general picture. Since then, revisionist historians have questioned these conclusions, maintaining instead that little environmental damage was done to forests and soils in ancient Greco-Roman times. In a reconsideration of the question, this paper looks at recent scientific work providing proxy evidence for the condition of forests at various times in ancient history. I look at three scientific methodologies, namely anthracology, palynology, and computer modeling. Each of these avenues of research offers support for the concept of forest change, both in abundance and species composition, and episodes of deforestation and erosion, and confirms my earlier work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: During the analysis of wood charcoal remains from archaeological sites, it is common to find different microorganisms and different forms of degradation present in the plant tissue. However, one may encounter difficulties when attempting to identify these microorganisms and determine when their attack occurred. This paper focuses on preservation aspects related to the microorganisms in wood and demonstrates the structural changes that take place in different types of decayed wood after it was converted into charcoal. The study seeks to determine whether the microbial attack found in archaeological woods took place before the burning of the wood or after. Burning experiments were conducted using wood that had been decayed by various types of fungi including white-rot, brown-rot, and soft-rot. The laboratory burnt wood samples showed decay patterns that were comparable to those observed in archaeological charcoal samples, indicating that signs of fungal infestation and features of decay can be preserved after burning with micromorphological details of mycelium and cell wall attack evident. This indication may provide important information related to the gathering of deadwood as fuelwood. In addition, examples of decayed wood preserved in archaeological charcoal assemblages are described. Their relationship to the archaeological context and environmental conditions may suggest different interpretative models concerning wood management strategies applied by past societies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A discussion on the representativeness of charcoal from archaeological contexts and their potential for palaeoecological reconstruction is presented. The charcoal deposits studied are the result of human activities and natural processes, difficult to separate on the basis of their effects only. This is why “taphonomy” should not be limited to the study of charcoal, after the extinction of fire. As a result our questioning has been widened to include the entire succession of processes, from past vegetation to the anthracological diagram. We propose a review of the taphonomic processes affecting anthracological assemblages in archaeological contexts, from wood gathering to the analysis of charcoal results. Human practices appear clearly as the first filter determining or conditioning the assemblage. The combustion process can induce a double filter by limiting the taxonomic information and by falsifying the initial quantity of burned wood. Post-depositional agents represent a third level of filters between the vegetation and the anthracological assemblage. Finally, sampling and quantification methods can also induce a distortion of the assemblage. The aim of this paper is to present the state of the discipline today, the problems already solved, and the questions that remain to be studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Results and perspectives of charcoal research in Central Europe are highlighted, with special regard to the dependence of past fuel economy on the tree species composition of the natural forest vegetation. The main topic is how analyses of archaeological macrocharcoals from sites of historical mining, archaeo-metallurgical processes and charcoal burning (kiln site anthracology) can provide answers to questions on vegetation history, geography and ecology at the landscape level. This paper primarily focusses on the spatial differentiation at the regional scale. A synoptic overview is given for a diversified pilot area in the western part of Central Europe, with special regard to the natural diversity of growth conditions, forest vegetation and tree species composition at the regional scale. It includes results of 876 historical sites in the Black Forest, the Vosges and neighbouring regions. The material analysed spreads over a time scale of 7000years from the Neolithic period to Modern Times. Most samples have been selected from postmedieval charcoal burning in the Black Forest and the Vosges as well as from medieval mining in the western part of the Black Forest. Generally, no selection of distinct species for fuel wood use was made in the past. All of the tree taxa to be expected for the natural conditions were exploited. Moreover, their frequencies also reflect a natural situation. The tree species of the climax vegetation were mainly used and all other species were quantitatively unimportant. The individual sample sites show considerable differences in tree taxa composition and frequency, from which regular spatial patterns of the past tree species distribution have been deduced on local and regional scales. Linking the results of charcoal analyses with those of recent site ecology and vegetation science, these patterns can be explained by regional and local differences in the ecological conditions of the exploited forests in the vicinity of the sites studied. A pronounced dependence of the fuel wood use on the natural site specific distribution of the tree species is discernible. Moreover, taxa composition and the diameter of the wood used often indicate the exploitation of close-to-nature non-degraded forest stands in the past. The local natural availability of wood and the restricted possibilities of wood transport were important criteria for past fuel wood exploitation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the anthracological results of Cova de la Guineu. This cave, which is located at the NE of the Iberian Peninsula, has provided charcoal samples from the early Neolithic to the Iberian period enabling the identification of different phases on the basis of flora assemblage interpretation. The results show how Mediterranean forests have been present since the early Holocene stages. At the early phases of the sequence the assemblage records dominant meso-screrophyllous taxa (deciduous Quercus, Taxus baccata), then thermophilous taxa (evergreen Quercus) spread, and finally a late phase of transformation dominated by thermophilous and heliophilous taxa (Mediterranean Pinus). The interpretation and discussion deals with the development and transformation of primary and secondary forests due to human disturbances and climatic variations. The anthracological record from Cova de la Guineu suggests that both elements were important and define the evolution of vegetation during the Holocene in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High proportions of bark pieces (up to 85% of the charcoal content) were found in several hearths from Morro Grande archaeological site (Southeastern Brazil). This site, dated between 3220–2840 and 1820–1390yrscalBP, is associated to the Tupiguarani Tradition, attributed to supposed ancestors of Tupinambá native populations, who occupied the major part of the Brazilian coast in the XVIth century. Bark hearths, archaeologically associated with the mortuary ritual, were found encircling a funerary urn and associated with ceramic fragments painted with elaborated patterns in black, white, and red. Other hearths, spatially isolated from the funerary area, were associated to fragments of utilitarian non-painted ceramics and therefore attributed to domestic contexts. These ones presented few or no bark fragments. It is clear that bark was intentionally selected as fuel for the funerary hearths. Although bark is related, in historic accounts, as a specialized firewood for ceramics firing, its presence in ritual context has not been previously recorded. In this paper, the anthracological record is discussed in the light of ethnographic and historic accounts. A possible explanation for the presence of bark hearths in funerary context is proposed, suggesting it might be a symbolic parallel with the quotidian: the potency and power of transformation of bark as a fuel would be regarded in a spiritual level, achieving the transformation of the body soul in the revered soul – an Ancestor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract  The analyses of archaeobotanical assemblages recovered in recent excavations in the northern French Alps permit a better understanding of the way people managed plant resources in a mountain context during the Middle Neolithic (4500–3500 cal b.c.). The aim of this paper is to shed new light on the question of crop cultivation as well as wood gathering and management from the results of the new archaeobotanical investigations at “Le Chenet des Pierres” in Bozel (Savoie, France; 1,000 m. a.s.l.). The study reveals the presence of cereals like einkorn (Triticum monococcum), emmer (T. dicoccum), naked wheat (T. aestivum/durum/turgidum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare/distichon). In addition wild fruits and nuts, probably gathered, such as hazelnuts (Corylus avellana), wild apples (Malus sylvestris), arolla pine kernels (Pinus cembra), sloes (Prunus spinosa) and raspberries (Rubus idaeus) were recorded. The anthracological analysis shows that the occupants exploited mostly a mixed oak forest, and the available woodland from the alluvial forest to the mountain areas. With the archaeobotanical study of “Le Chenet des Pierres” we also want to raise the question of crop cultivation in a mountain context. Although present data show that cultivation at higher altitudes is common, it is still difficult to demonstrate the inhabitants cultivated plants near their settlement during the Neolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a reconstruction of the Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution in the central São Paulo State (Brazil) based on anthracological analyses, in association with soil isotopic composition (δ[sup 13]C) and radiocarbon dating from four sites. Anatomical identification of charcoal particles allows the reconstitution of past plant associations, and consequently of the vegetation and climate history. Rather precise interpretations may be achieved when associating anthracology and soil δ[sup 13]C analysis. In the early Holocene, climate was dry and an open cerrado vegetation (savanna) covered most of this area. A cerradão (forested savanna) or a semideciduous forest existed in the more humid localities. After 3500/3000 [sup 14]C yr BP the climate was more humid, similar to the present, leading to the establishment of forested vegetation in all the studied sites. Comparison of these results with various palaeoenvironmental studies carried out in the Brazilian phytogeographical zone of cerrado and semideciduous forest suggests that at least its greater part presented a similar trend in the climatic evolution during the Holocene. This phytogeographical zone presented a dry climate during the early Holocene, then a more humid climate during the late Holocene. Climatic conditions similar to the present appeared from 5000 to 1000 yr BP, depending on the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fire rituals were performed in political buildings after city abandonment. • Charcoal spectra compared to regular Terminal Classic abandonment deposits in houses. • Display diverse patterns in terms of formation process and plant composition. • Probably reflect post-collapse occupations instead of Late Postclassic pilgrimages. • Question population mobility dynamics in Maya cities' hinterlands after collapse. This paper focuses on the process of abandonment in pre-Hispanic Maya societies. Toward the end of the Classic period (250–950 CE), the general desertion of the Central Lowland cities gave place to multiple acts – including fires and on-floor ash spreading – intended to ritually terminate the occupation of houses and buildings. While the urban area of Naachtun, Northern Peten, was apparently depopulated by the end of the Terminal Classic (830–950 CE), fire ceremonies were performed in two political buildings during the Early Postclassic (950–1250 CE). The detailed study of the remaining charcoal deposits and their comparison with habitual Late and Terminal Classic abandonment deposits in households allows us to examine the material, social and environmental dimension of these fire ceremonies. We argue that these late rituals were held by people who were still tied to the city and that they are thus distinct from those performed as part of pilgrimages to sacred landscapes during the Late Postclassic and Colonial times. Instead, we state that they reflect the continuity of rites and of collective memory drawn from Naachtun's history, providing indirect evidence that human settlements persisted around the abandoned cities for some time after the collapse of Classic political systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical tree floras are highly diverse and many genera and species share similar anatomical patterns, making the identification of tropical wood charcoal very difficult. Appropriate tools to characterize charcoal anatomy are thus needed to facilitate and improve identification in such species-rich areas. This paper presents the first computer-aided identification key designed for charcoals from French Guiana, based on the wood anatomy of 507 species belonging to 274 genera and 71 families, which covers respectively 28%, 67% and 86% of the tree species, genera and families currently listed in this part of Amazonia. Species of the same genus are recorded together except those described under a synonym genus in Détienne et al. (1982) that were kept separately. As a result, the key contains 289 'items' and mostly aims to identify charcoals at the genus level. It records 26 anatomical features leading to 112 feature states, almost all of which are illustrated by SEM photographs of charcoal. The descriptions were mostly taken from Détienne et al.'s guidebook on tropical woods of French Guiana (1982) and follow the IAWA list of microscopic features for hardwood identification (Wheeler et al. 1989). Some adjustments were made to a few features and those that are unrelated to charcoal identification were excluded. The whole tool, named CharKey, contains the key itself and the associated database including photographs. It can be downloaded on Figshare at https://figshare.com/s/d7d40060b53d2ad60389 (doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.6396005). CharKey is accessible using the free software Xper2, specifically conceived for taxonomic description and computer aided-identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional wooden houses are an integral part of the identity of the majestic Ifugao rice terrace landscape as the architectural heritage of the indigenous Ifugao people. These traditional houses function as family residences and serve as rice granaries, refuge, and special housing for unmarried people in the community. In as much as the materials used for the construction of the traditional house are sourced from the surrounding wood lots and communal forests, the traditional house serves as an important record of the history and value of indigenous and endemic trees found in the central Cordillera mountain range. This study identified 206 traditional houses in Kiangan town, and from these houses, transverse sections of house parts from the dismantled and standing houses were examined. Thirty-two species of mostly indigenous and endemic trees were used to construct traditional houses across four periods: (1) before 1931, (2) 1931–1960, (3) 1961–1990 and (4) 1991–2020. The Ifugaos consistently utilized the preferred wood species such as Amugawon (Vitex parviflora), Udyo (Pterocarpus indicus), and Itangan (Weinmannia luzoniensis) for traditional house construction. Wood species such as Yakal (Shorea astylosa), Gmelina (Gmelina arborea), and Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) were also identified from recently constructed houses. The disappearance of certain premium hardwoods and a shift to commonly available but less quality wood is noticeable, as the former were over-utilized but never mass-propagated. Finally, a conservation planning workshop on traditional houses was organized among local homeowners, barangay , and municipal officials, agreeing on the following points: (a) creation of an ordinance to protect and conserve existing traditional houses; (b) development of information, education, and communication materials on the importance of traditional houses; and (c) enhanced collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]