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Renewed excavations at Shimao, the largest stone walled urban site in northern China dating to around 4200–3700 BP, have focused on Shimao's unusual architecture and material culture, but there remains much to be known about the subsistence system and agricultural strategies the inhabitants employed around this site. In this paper we provide new archaeobotanical and isotopic evidence for the agricultural systems and strategies that supported Shimao and nearby sites, from 5000 to 3000 BP. Our data show that the system gradually shifted from one based on common millet as the main staple—requiring a high level of labour-input—to a system dependent on extensive cultivation of foxtail millet, which is better suited to dryland cultivation in colder environments. We argue that this shift in cultivation coincided with regional climate change, and helped sustain early Bronze Age state societies, which fuelled the rapid emergence of social complexity in the semi-arid and arid area of the northern Loess Plateau from 4200 to 3000 BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a large number of carbonised plant remains recovered from the Early Bronze Age levels of the Yenibademli Höyük site, which is situated on Gökçeada (Imbros), north-western Turkey (Anatolia), in the north-east Aegean Sea, are examined to shed light on the plant-based agricultural economy. The archaeobotanical assemblage is predominantly composed of domesticated cereals and legumes and includes clover, grapevine, flax, Bupleurum and weedy species. Potential uses of the crop plants by the inhabitants, about 5000 years ago, are evaluated, based on archaeobotanical, ethnographic, ethnobotanical and historical data sources. The present study pays particular attention to finds of pure flax and Bupleurum seeds, recorded in abundance in recent excavations on the site. The flax seeds were discovered in container-related contexts, close to and within vessels. They are considered as stored products, probably for various purposes; potentially for cultivation to produce textile fibres and/or for use as food, medicine, animal feed supplement, or oil extraction. Many weaving tools recovered from the settlement are also considered to be for fabric production, potentially including linen textiles. Regarding Bupleurum, in the light of ancient Greek texts and ethnopharmacological information, it is hypothesised that its seeds found in a jug may represent storage for growing the plant to obtain its aerial and root parts, possibly for herbal medicine preparation or food and beverage preparation, or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternating laminae of charred ash and packed earth uncovered in Field VI of Tel Gezer, Israel, have been interpreted as the remains of Iron Age threshing floors. Recent geoarchaeological research has, however, led to the reinterpretation of similar deposits elsewhere as the remains of a trash heap. This paper presents the results of analysis and dating of charred plant remains that were recovered from the laminated deposit of Gezer Field VI and reassesses their implications for the origins of the strata. A broad spectrum of potentially cultivated crops and arable weeds are identified, matching contemporary archaeobotanical assemblages elsewhere in the region. The archaeobotanical remains are found to be inconsistent with the residues expected to derive from a threshing floor. Rather, they appear to derive from a range of depositional pathways. This is consistent with a context into which numerous sources of plant remains were deposited, such as a midden. Evidence for the potential use of this space as a multi-purpose activity area will be a focus of future research. The dating of the archaeobotanical remains also aligns with a recently developed radiocarbon-based chronology to suggest that the laminated deposit is dated several centuries earlier than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Can archaeobotanical material be treated as a nomenclatural type of a fossil taxon? Here we show that archaeobotanical taxa should be named according to the rules for non‐fossil taxa. Examples of archaeobotanical taxa are summarized and discussed. A best‐practice guide for the correct treatment of archaeological plant remains as the type of a new name is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bronze Age agriculture in Europe is marked by the adoption of new crops, such as broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), broad bean (Vicia faba) and gold-of-pleasure (Camelina sativa). Yet, at a regional level, it is sometimes unclear when, where and why these crops are adopted and whether they were all adopted at the same time. Croatia is one such region where archaeobotanical research is limited, making it difficult to discuss Bronze Age agriculture and diet in more detail. The discovery of a burnt-down house with crop stores at Kalnik-Igrišče provides a unique archaeobotanical assemblage and snapshot of late Bronze Age agriculture (1000–800 BC). From the carbonised plant remains discovered at Kalnik-Igrišče we see a dominance in the crops broomcorn millet, barley (Hordeum vulgare), free-threshing wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum) and broad bean. Emmer (Triticum dicoccum), spelt (Triticum spelta), and lentil (Lens culinaris) were also found, suggesting they were probably minor crops, while spatial analysis indicates distinct crop storage areas within the building. Overall, these finds support the adoption and integration of these new crops within northern Croatia by the late Bronze Age, while highlighting implications for seasonal strategies, risk management, and cultural dietary choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological plant remains are key data in the identification of the material consequences of imperial interventions in past local lifeways. In this paper, the spatial and stratigraphic analysis of plant remains preserved in a hypothesized kitchen context from the archaeological site of Dhiban, Jordan, is presented in detail. This context is dated to ca. a.d. 570–640 based on 16 AMS dates, a time when the Dhiban community was part of and located at the eastern edge of the Byzantine empire. Analysis of over 130 point-provenienced flotation samples reveals a local emphasis on the agricultural production of wheat, peas, and grape, in spite of the challenges of water management in a semi-arid landscape. Comparison with other nearby and contemporaneous sites indicates that while all grew a similar suite of crops, their frequencies vary, possibly indicating a community of agricultural practice specializing in different foodstuffs or crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, the University of Birmingham, UK, hosted a weekend of events for the Association for Environmental Archaeology (AEA)'s spring conference 'Pests of Society'. The event was organised in collaboration with Historic England – the publicly-funded 'Arms-Length Body' with statutory responsibility for the historic environment in England. During the course of the one day conference and workshop the following day, multiple aspects were covered of how pests have interacted, and continue to interact, with humans and their day-to-day activities, as well as their presence in the wider landscape. This paper outlines and describes the meeting, introducing the range of topics covered, and summarises the papers that have been published in the resulting special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect pests affecting standing and stored crops can cause severe damage and reduce yields considerably. Was this also the case in Neolithic Europe? Did early farming populations take a certain amount of harvest loss into account? Did they decide to change crops or rotate them when they became too infested? Did they obtain new crops from neighbouring communities as part of this process? Or did they actively fight against pests? This paper focuses on pulse crop pests, presenting the earliest evidence of fava beans displaying boreholes and of the presence of pea weevil in two different archaeological sites: Can Sadurní (in a phase dated to ca. 4800-4500 cal BC), located in the NE Iberian Peninsula and Zürich-Parkhaus Opéra (in a phase dated to ca. 3160 BC), located in Central Switzerland. Evidence suggests that early farmers were aware of the damages produced by pests and we propose different strategies for their management, including potential evidence for the use of repellent or trap plants in the plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Libyan Studies is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the traditional ecological knowledge that existed for generations along the southern coast in Korea with an example from the site of Gungokri. Traditional subsistence along the Korean coast and islands is known as half-farming and half-fishing, Ban-nong ban-eoh in Korean, and we argue that this strategy applies to over 500 years of history at the site. Our data from 150 b.c.–a.d. 400 focuses on archaeobotanical remains recovered from floated sediments, 25 radiocarbon dates, and starch granules extracted from vessels. Our research indicates that Gungokri residents practiced a rotation of crops in both wetlands and uplands to prevent the loss of soil nutrition and erosion from seawater. Furthermore, they diversified food resources by fishing, shellfishing, hunting, and harvesting wild plants from forest edges and wetlands. This type of long-term resilience and ecological flexibility in coastal adaptation was achieved through niche construction of complex seasonal resource management and inheritance of traditional ecological knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the project 'Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes', this paper aims to reconstruct human–environment interactions in the inland areas of Western Sicily during the Early Middle Ages through a comparative analysis of environmental archaeological data. We analyse carpological and anthracological finds and faunal remains originating from different layers of the rural settlement of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo), excavated in 2017–2019. The site was mainly occupied between the Byzantine and Islamic periods (late 8th to 11th c. AD). The examination of wood charcoal enabled the identification of plant species selected and exploited in the landscape of the site for each main chronological period. The archaeobotanical data indicated a precise, qualitative picture on the historical vegetation of this area, accompanied with the agricultural practices of the communities. The zooarchaeological data added further information on the reconstruction of rural economy and animal exploitation patterns. An integrated comparison of the characteristic landscape and the archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological data presented the dynamics of agricultural strategy, wood exploitation, and management of animal resources of an early medieval rural community in Western Sicily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fieldwork at Amarna in 2022 included excavation at the Great Aten Temple and the North Desert Cemetery, and the continuation of several post-excavation projects. Those post-excavation projects reported on here are the study of skeletal materials, pottery, plant and organic remains, and inscriptions from the North Desert Cemetery; pottery, plant and other organic remains from the North Cliffs Cemetery; and digital modelling of the North Desert Cemetery. A programme of community outreach in collaboration with the Amarna Visitor Centre also recommenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values of charred plant and bone collagen remains from 6th mill. BCE Halai, central Greece, together with datasets from 6th mill. BCE Kouphovouno, southern Greece, and later 6th/early 5th mill. BCE Makriyalos, northern Greece, demonstrate how early farming communities in mainland Greece adapted mixed farming strategies to distinct local environmental and cultural settings. Intra-site similarities and differences in δ13C and δ15N values of distinct crop species, along with the intra-species variabilities in stable isotopic values, are used to assess the cultivation choices that farmers at the three sites made to fulfil distinct economic goals. At Halai, farmers cultivated multiple crops under variable soil conditions, a strategy likely geared towards minimising overall risk in a relatively arid coastal setting. At better-watered Kouphovouno, by contrast, farmers practiced strategic manuring to maximise the yield of free-threshing wheat, likely grown exclusively for human consumption and rotated with nitrogen-fixing pulses. At Makriyalos, the limited sample size of cereal remains suggests a lack of intensive manuring, in contrast to the two other sites. Assessment of which crops may have been consumed by livestock sheds further light on symbiotic relationships between crop cultivation and animal husbandry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archaeologia Baltica is the property of Archaeologia Baltica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents results of the interdisciplinary investigations into the ancient wooden construction, presumably, a well, discovered near the Pamerktai village, south-eastern Lithuania. The study aims at ascertaining the context (specific geological-geomorphological situation and the habitation history of this territory) of this comparably well-preserved and very uncommon find. The discovered wooden construction and its environment were investigated applying a multi-disciplinary approach combining the archaeological survey, which includes analysis of the collected artefacts, the dendrological examination of the timber used for construction, investigations of the plant macroremains and pollen found in the infilling material, and the l4C dating (conventional and AMS) of the organic material; and the geological-geomorphological characterization of the site. A new perspective to gain data about the infrastructure that might have existed in the area in the 15th century is provided: the integrated and interdisciplinary research is believed to reveal the natural and anthropogenic context. A discussion on the feasibility of tracing the origins of the modem Pamerkiai village is generated. It is alternatively hypothesized that the discovered wooden construction is part of the stopover place on the highroad that has been archaeologically unexplored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle and Late Bronze Ages of western Anatolia (modern Turkey) remains poorly understood in comparison with its Mycenaean and Hittite neighbours, especially in agricultural economies and land use. Kaymakçı is the largest Middle and Late Bronze Age citadel excavated to date in western Anatolia and new archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological data from the site presented here shed new light on regional agricultural economies and land use. Agricultural practices at Kaymakçı focused on barley and bitter vetch farming and pig, caprine, and cattle husbandry within a diverse and extensive economic system that made substantial use of wild plants and animals for food, technology, and fuel. Goats and pigs were managed primarily for meat, while sheep and cattle were managed to produce a range of secondary products. Wood charcoal analysis reconstructs both deciduous and evergreen oak woodlands, which also dominate the contemporary landscape. In regional perspective, Kaymakçı is most similar to the northern Aegean agricultural tradition, but with elements of Anatolian practices as well, representing a hybrid position between the Aegean and Anatolian worlds as seen in other lines of archaeological evidence from the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1960s and 1970s, two copper-smelting sites (Sites 2 and 30) and a cultic place (the 'Hathor Shrine', Site 200) were excavated by Beno Rothenberg's 'Arabah Expedition' in the Timna Valley. They yielded rich archaeobotanical assemblages, most of which were never published. These data provide a rare opportunity to reconstruct plant food aspects of the daily lives of copper smelters. In this study, we were able to locate and identify some 10,000 plant remains, dated to the final phase of the Late Bronze Age and the early Iron Age (the 13th–9th centuries BCE). Most of the finds are fruits (grape, date, fig and olive). We suggest that this evidence represents dried or pickled fruits, consumed by the smelters throughout the day due to their calorie-rich value and ease of use. Plant-based food preparation was probably carried out elsewhere, in ephemeral tent encampments. In addition, the shrine's plant assemblage, which includes the same species found in the smelting camps, suggests that the metalworkers used their food as an offering to the goddess Hathor (and possibly also to other deities). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food has played a central role in death rituals throughout human history, yet finding evidence of these practices in the archaeological record can be problematic. In particular, linking charred plant remains to inhumation burials requires careful consideration of the taphonomic processes involved. Here we focus on the recovery of charred plant macro-remains from four Late Antique and medieval cemeteries and one late medieval church in Croatia. The results showed low densities of both charcoal and other charred plant macro-remains, suggesting that the remains are general settlement debris that was accidentally deposited within the cemeteries and church context. At Bribirska Glavica, the sampling of stratigraphic layers at the multi-level cemetery allowed a greater understanding of taphonomic processes and corroborated the identification of a rubbish dump linked to an adjacent Roman villa. The results provide important insights for future sampling strategies, including the importance of taking control samples outside the graves and radiocarbon dating to determine whether botanical remains are related to the burials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When compared with earlier periods, the Neolithic in Ireland (4000–2500 cal BC) witnessed enormous changes in the foods being produced, and the work involved in their production and processing. Several crops were introduced – archaeobotanical studies indicate that emmer wheat became the dominant crop, with evidence also for barley (hulled and naked) and flax. Gathered resources were not abandoned; on the contrary, there is substantial evidence for a variety of nuts, fruits and leafy greens. Zooarchaeological studies indicate that new animals also arrived, including domesticated cattle, pig and sheep. Recent studies have provided substantial information on the timing and nature of these new ways of farming and living, but the focus is often on ingredients rather than food products. There are many challenges in determining which foods were being made with these new crops and animals, and in assessing their dietary and social importance. While cereals have been found at many sites, for example, it is not clear if they are being ground, boiled or other techniques are used for their processing. In this paper we explore aspects of food production, processing and foodways in Neolithic Ireland, drawing upon evidence from archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, isotopes, human skeletal remains and artefacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals and plants, both farmed and hunted/collected, were an integrated part of the Neolithic food economy. When jointly analysed these can provide a holistic view of early food production systems which goes beyond individual descriptions of herd management and crop cultivation. Exhaustive surveys of both Neolithic zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical data were collected from the western Balkans and neighbouring regions (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, southern Hungary, western Romania and eastern Italy). Here we combine both sets of data to explore the Neolithic food economy along the maritime and inland streams of Neolithisation. We demonstrate that, notwithstanding significant limitations, it is possible to compare and combine the datasets and present an integrated approach to the spread and development of farming within the western Balkans. Our research also evinces diachronic and spatial differences within the exploitation of domesticated and wild species, and the factors that may have influenced such practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeobotany today is foremost used to examine dietary practices or changing patterns in exploitation of the environment. For the prehistory of medicine it could give an exclusive insight into the life of our ancestors, coping with their diseases. The collection of over 400 sites at the archaeobotanical database ADEMNES provides an excellent opportunity to combine the knowledge that has survived until today in the ancient medical literature with the existing archaeological record. When it comes to archaeological debris aspects like taphonomy needs to be taken into account attentively. However, several plants, appreciated for their healing properties by well known scholars and physicians of the ancient world, have been found regularly in the archaeobotanical record of these sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of papers in this special issue arose from the 2018 and 2019 workshops in Integrated Microscopy Approaches in Archaeobotany (henceforth IMAA), hosted by the University of Reading, UK. The IMAA has an interdisciplinary ethos and not only brings together students and specialists to facilitate cross-sector exchanges of a broad variety of skills, but also the discussions that take place there are driven by a practical microscopy element. The IMAA crosses boundaries between archaeobotany, palaeoecology and wider geoscientific and archaeological specialisms, as well as between professional sectors, which is reflected in the contributions to this special issue. The papers continue to develop our interpretations and understanding of taphonomic processes in archaeobotanical assemblages, with several highlighting the important role ethnoarchaeological and experimental approaches have to play in untangling these complex processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern Maghreb is a key area for understanding environmental and cultural dynamics during the early and middle Holocene. Capsian populations from around 10000–7500 cal BP were among the last foragers in the region. Capsian sites are known as escargotières (land shell middens), and locally called rammadiyat (meaning ashy mound). As taphonomic conditions in Capsian open-air sites generally favour the preservation of resistant materials such as shells and bones rather than fragile plant remains, this study integrates macro-botanical and microfossil evidence from phytoliths, calcitic wood ash pseudomorphs and dung spherulites, since each is influenced by different formation and post-depositional processes. Archaeobotanical results from recent excavations in four Tunisian sites located across the lowland steppe, the Dorsale Mountains and the eastern coast display a wide range of wild plant resources, such as pine, oak, wild legumes, and grasses, in particular Alfa grass. These findings suggest that these plants could have played an important role in Capsian diet, whereas the presence of Alfa grass suggests the use of fibre sources for basketry, matting, building and fuel. Integrated macro-botanical and microfossil records contribute to a better understanding of changing subsistence practices on the threshold of early food-producing systems in north-west Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of archaeobotanical studies carried out on the Late Mesolithic layer at Melnychna-Krucha (6460–6100 cal BC) and the Linearbandkeramik (LBK) site of Kamyane-Zavallia (5295–4960 cal BC), close to the Southern Bug River. Despite the relatively modest dataset presented in this paper, these preliminary results provide new data for a region where the environmental setting and the uses of plant resources during the Early Atlantic period are poorly understood. The main taxa used for firewood are quite similar at Melnychna-Krucha and Kamyane-Zavallia, although they were occupied 1000 years apart. Fraxinus (ash) and Quercus (oak) dominate both charcoal assemblages. These taxa, as well as Ulmus (elm), could have grown together in the alluvial deciduous forest, probably on the Southern Bug riverbank, close to both sites. Carpinus (hornbean) was present but probably still not abundant around Kamyane-Zavallia at the end of the 6th millennium. Macroremains and phytoliths demonstrate that the plant production economy (cultivation, cereal processing) was well developed and very similar to other European LBK sites. At Melnychna-Krucha, plant macro- and microremains did not indicate a productive subsistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the 23rd Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) in August to September 2017 in Maastricht, NL, two sessions explored how archaeobotanical analysis can be used to explore plant use beyond arable agriculture. Session 203 (The Archaeobotany of Non-Food Plant Exploitation) focused on the non-food uses of plants, while Session 346 (Within the Woodlands: Exploitation of Wild Plants during the Medieval and Post-Medieval Period) explored the various uses of wild plants. A key aim of both sessions was to encourage archaeologists to consider the many varied uses of plant materials in the past, including food, fuel, construction materials, textiles, cordage, pigments, medicine and ritual, and to consider also that many of these materials will be collected from the wider landscape rather than cultivated. Many of these themes have been taken forward by ARCHWILD, an EAA Community with a focus on research on wild plant resources founded by the organisers of these sessions, amongst others. This editorial introduces a special issue comprising papers stemming from these sessions, which together provide an exploration of the 'state-of-the-art' in the investigation of wild and non-food plant exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent archaeological excavations carried out at the site of Bayovar-01 (occupied from the 5th to 8th centuries AD) in the Sechura Desert provide new data on the activities and adaptations of the desert's ancient inhabitants. The presence of two small structures, a large activity area containing a significant amount of fish remains and traces of large hearths, indicate that Bayovar-01 was an opportunistic settlement, benefitting from favourable environmental conditions and serving as a specialised site for fishing and the preparation of fish. The analysis of charcoal remains from features corresponding to large hearth remains sheds light on practices of firewood gathering and usage. Taxonomic and morphological analyses reveal strong preferences for certain taxa, possible gathering strategies combining dead wood collection and tree felling, the usage of several different tree parts, and consistent combustion conditions across the processing features. Despite selection biases, taxa composition suggests the existence of different environmental conditions in the desert in the past, related to the presence of a palaeo-lagoon. Anthracological analysis thus has a potential that exceeds mere taxonomic identification of firewood, revealing gathering and usage practices, as well as insights into taxa availability that have implications for ecological and environmental variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the distribution of box (Buxus sempervirens L.) in the Holocene vegetation of NE Spain and its use during prehistory. The scarcity of box in pollen records contrasts with the frequent presence of box charcoal at archaeological sites in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Box charcoal has been documented in 41 Holocene sites, indicating its systematic use as firewood. To date, wooden artefacts have only been documented at La Draga, an early Neolithic site (5324–4977 cal BC) located on the shore of Lake Banyoles (Spain). The abundance of B. sempervirens among the artefacts is remarkable, with 85 out of 155 objects made from this wood, including sickle handles, digging sticks, wedges, adze handles, needles, combs and other objects of unknown function. The evaluation of B. sempervirens charcoal and pollen data from different Holocene sites, and the evidence of its use for the manufacture of objects, demonstrate the importance of this species for prehistoric societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphometric analysis offers an alternative or augmentation to traditional archaeobotanical methods to address differences within and between plant species and their remains, refining and enhancing taxonomic resolution. Morphometrics, the measurement of size and shape, and the multivariate statistical analysis of generated quantitative variables, have long played a major role in biological research, including plant taxonomy and systematics, although its application in archaeobotany is relatively recent. Over the last few decades, there has been an increasing interest in the use of morphometrics for analysing a varied range of archaeological plant materials (mainly seeds, pollen, phytoliths, and starch grains). In particular, morphometrics have contributed to the study of the domestication and spread of many cereals world-wide, as well as that of other taxa including legumes, underground storage organs (USO), and fruits (such as olives, grapes, and dates). This paper reviews current methodologies, recent applications, and advances in the use of morphometrics in archaeobotanical research, discusses its role in exploring major research questions, and suggests possible future directions for its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Northern Europe, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has been cultivated for almost 6000 years. Thus far, 150-year-old grains from historical collections have been used to investigate the distribution of barley diversity and how the species has spread across the region. Genetic studies of archaeobotanical material from agrarian sites could potentially clarify earlier migration patterns and cast further light on the origin of barley landraces. In this study, we aimed to evaluate different archaeological and historical materials with respect to DNA content, and to explore connections between Late Iron Age and medieval barley populations and historical samples of barley landraces in north-west Europe. The material analysed consisted of archaeological samples of charred barley grains from four sites in southern Finland, and historical material, with 33 samples obtained from two herbaria and the seed collections of the Swedish museum of cultural history. The DNA concentrations obtained from charred archaeological barley remains were too low for successful KASP genotyping confirming previously reported difficulties in obtaining aDNA from charred remains. Historical samples from herbaria and seed collection confirmed previously shown strong genetic differentiation between two-row and six-row barley. Six-row barley accessions from northern and southern Finland tended to cluster apart, while no geographical structuring was observed among two-row barley. Genotyping of functional markers revealed that the majority of barley cultivated in Finland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was late-flowering under increasing day-length, supporting previous findings from northern European barley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The introduction of agriculture is a key defining element of the Neolithic, yet considerable debate persists concerning the nature and significance of early farming practices in north-west Europe. This paper reviews archaeobotanical evidence from 95 Neolithic sites (c. 4000–2200 cal bc) in Wales, focusing on wild plant exploitation, the range of crops present, and the significance of cereals in subsistence practices. Cereal cultivation practices in Early Neolithic Wales are also examined using cereal grain stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis. The Early Neolithic period witnessed the widespread uptake of cereals alongside considerable evidence for continued wild plant exploitation, notably hazelnuts and wild fruits. The possibility that wild plants and woodlands were deliberately managed or altered to promote the growth of certain plants is outlined. Small cereal grain assemblages, with little evidence for chaff and weed seeds, are common in the Early Neolithic, whereas cereal-rich sites are rare. Emmer wheat was the dominant crop in the Early Neolithic, while other cereal types were recorded in small quantities. Cereal nitrogen isotope (δ15N) values from Early Neolithic sites provided little evidence for intensive manuring. We suggest that cultivation conditions may have been less intensive when compared to other areas of Britain and Europe. In the later Neolithic period, there is evidence for a decline in the importance of cereals. Finally, the archaeobotanical and crop isotope data from this study are considered within a wider European context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kiva is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research reports for the first time the inclusion of Oryza sativa straw, root, and husk as a vegetal additive in the fifth century CE decorative mud plaster of the Buddhist cave of Bezeklik. The investigation is based on the morphological, anatomical, and silica bodies study of the vegetal additives accomplished through a light microscope, stereomicroscope, Fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometer, and scanning electron microscope from the isolated fragments of the painted plaster, transported to India in the nineteenth century and presently housed in National Museum, New Delhi. Studies indicate that loamy sand soil sourced locally for the earthen plaster was mixed with paddy straw in the proportion of 25–30% by volume for cohesion and strength. The excess of sand and absence of clay-size particles in plaster is, however, causing disaggregation of the grains due to lack of cohesion. As locally available materials are preferably used for any plaster works, this study also raises the question – was ancient Bezeklik, now a desert of Northwest China, once a rice-growing area in addition to the crops of Triticum aestivum (wheat), Setaria italica (Foxtail millet), and Hordeum vulgare (barley) reported by many researchers, based on hypothetical environment recreation. This study will help prepare a compatible plaster for the restoration of fragile-painted plaster fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial amount of macro-botanical remains has been recorded at Tel Megiddo since the initiation of the renewed excavations in 1992. We constructed a database with 1,162 identified samples and analysed them diachronically. This dataset enables us to trace environmental trends and human impact on the vegetation in the vicinity of the site during the Bronze and Iron Ages (∼3,500–500 BCE). The earlier periods in the studied sequence are characterised by a higher availability of common natural arboreal elements (oak, conifers and terebinth) and the later periods by a dramatically reduced presence of these elements, with a much stronger occurrence of anthropogenically dependent species (olive), foreign species (cedar of Lebanon, sycamore fig), and less prevalent forest/maquis elements. Our investigation also provides some context for the appearance of both horticultural and rare/special species in the assemblage (almond, walnut, myrtle, laurel, sage). The appearance of prestigious species such as the imported cedar in one sector of the site (Area H) provides botanical support to other finds which rendered this area an elite neighbourhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archeologické Rozhledy is the property of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The recovery of new plant remains from eastern Croatia are discussed here in order to determine their ritual significance and how this evidence may fit into chronological and regional observations on ritual plant offerings in the Roman world. Samples collected from inhumations, cremations and an altar dedicated to Silvanus Domesticus, dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD, are presented and show that a range of more ‘common’ plant remains, such as cereals and pulses, were an important part of ritual life. These results are also compared to the growing archaeobotanical data collected from shrine and cremation burials across Europe. Although the archaeobotanical data from the Croatian sites are limited, the increasing evidence of ritual plant use allows observations regarding the wider context of Roman social and religious change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roman Gordion, on the Anatolian plateau, is the only excavated rural military settlement in a pacified territory in the Roman East, providing a unique opportunity to investigate the agricultural economy of a permanent Roman garrison. We present combined results of archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological analyses, assessing several hypotheses regarding Roman military provisioning. The garrison adapted its dietary preferences to local agricultural systems, but maintained its traditional meat supply of pork, beef, and chickens as well. There is evidence for economic interdependence with local farmers and cattle herders, self-sufficiency in pork and chicken production, and complex relationships with autonomous sheep and goat herders who pursued their own economic goals. If the Roman military in Gordion exercised a command economy, they were able to implement that control only on specific components of the agricultural sector, especially cereal farming. The sheep and goat herding system remained unaltered, targeting secondary products for a market economy and/or broader provincial taxation authorities. The garrison introduced new elements to the animal economy of the Gordion region, including a new pig husbandry system. Comparison with contemporary non-military settlements suggests both similarities and differences with urban meat economies of Roman Anatolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We report an archaeobotanical analysis of flotation samples taken from Shirenzigou, an Early Iron Age agro-pastoralist site dated between the fourth and first century BC, located on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, China. The charred macro-botanical assemblage is dominated by naked barley grains with a few broomcorn and foxtail millet grains. In the context of Trans-Eurasian exchange of cereal crops, southwest Asian crops (wheat and barley) and two Asian millets (broomcorn and foxtail) were introduced to Xinjiang a few centuries to a millennium before Shirenzigou was occupied. The choice of barley cultivation in preference to wheat and millet may have been possibly driven by the relatively extreme local environment and the scheduling requirements of mobile pastoralism. Barley is well suited to this environment, and the choice of naked barley in preference to hulled barley may have been driven by the whole grain tradition prevailing in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We integrate functional weed ecology with crop stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to assess their combined potential for inferring arable land management practices in (semi-)arid regions from archaeobotanical assemblages. Weed and GIS survey of 60 cereal and pulse fields in Morocco are combined with crop sampling for stable isotope analysis to frame assessment of agricultural labour intensity in terms of manuring, irrigation, tillage and hand-weeding. Under low management intensity weed variation primarily reflects geographical differences, whereas under high management intensity fields in disparate regions have similar weed flora. Manured and irrigated oasis barley fields are clearly discriminated from less intensively manured rain-fed barley terraces in southern Morocco; when fields in northern and southern Morocco are considered together, climatic differences are superimposed on the agronomic intensity gradient. Barley δ13C and δ15N values clearly distinguish among the Moroccan regimes. An integrated approach combines crop isotope values with weed ecological discrimination of low- and high-intensity regimes across multiple studies (in southern Morocco and southern Europe). Analysis of archaeobotanical samples from EBA Tell Brak, Syria suggests that this early city was sustained through extensive (low-intensity, large-scale) cereal farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little work has been done to examine the political ecology and environmental legacy of sugar colonies in the Caribbean. Material excavated from the Morne Patate plantation in southern Dominica occupied from the late seventeenth to mid-nineteenth century offer a perfect opportunity to examine the intersections between Caribbean colonial enterprises and the domestic economises of enslaved households. Analysis of macrobotanical remains associated with the houses, gardens, and provision grounds of the enslaved inhabitants at Morne Patate reveal a mixture of African, American, and European cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Maize (Zea mays) dominates the assemblage, and the recovery of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and millet (Pennisetum glaucum) indicate a concern with high yield cereals and perhaps experimentation with producing crops in a range of local microenvironments. Remains of several coffee cherries (Coffeasp.) from a household context suggest that the enslaved inhabitants at Morne Patate were producing some amount of coffee either for personal consumption or possibly for sale at local markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archaeologia Lituana is the property of Vilnius University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper reports on the results of archaeological field excavations at the site of Kara-tepe, in the semi-autonomous region of Karakalpakstan in northwestern Uzbekistan. Investigations at the site in 2008–2009 turned up an unusually rich assemblage of remains from a household context. Combined analysis of the household botanical and faunal remains has allowed us to reconstruct the agropastoral practices of local inhabitants in this oasis region during a critical period of social and environmental change in the Early Medieval transition (4th–5th centuriesa.d.). The results of the study raise important new questions about agropastoralism in the oases of Central Eurasia, highlighting continuities of practice between oasis and steppe populations, and revealing dynamic changes in these systems over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal spores and other 'non-pollen palynomorphs' are an overlooked and valuable analytical resource available to palaeoecologists and archaeologists as part of a multi-proxy dataset. Both complementary and antagonistic data gleaned from these analyses are useful for making inferences concerning past human behaviour, as anthropic activity may have many microbotanical correlates. The use of fungal spores in palaeoecology and archaeology is reviewed, followed by analysis of pollen, fungal spores, and microcharcoal from a sediment core collected at Mtwapa Creek, Kenya. These proxies are analysed against palaeoclimatic data from the region in order to identify unexpected patterns and hypothesise as to possible scenarios which might have created them, and conclude with suggestions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its burial by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, the level of biological preservation in the Roman town of Herculaneum is very high. The recovery and analysis of large quantities of material from the city's Cardo V sewer has provided the rare opportunity to study the diet of middle and lower class Romans living in an urban context in mid-1st century AD Italy. The sewer lacked an outflow point and instead functioned as a cesspit to collect the human and kitchen waste generated by those living in the multi-storey shop and apartment complex (Insula OrientalisII) situated above. In total, 220 l of soil was examined for carbonised and mineralised material, seashells, eggshells, otoliths and fish bones. 194 taxa were identified, including 94 botanical, 45 fish, 53 shellfish and two bird taxa. One-hundred and thirteen of the 194 taxa can be considered edible foodstuffs indicating a high level of dietary diversity. This article compares preservation conditions with those found in Pompeii and assess diet in relation to these findings. The level of preservation is found to be comparable between the two sites and no major taphonomic biases are observed. The diet of non-elite individuals in Herculaneum is found to consist of a few staple foods that are frequently supplemented by a wide range of other goods. Subtle differences in diet are observable within the sewer assemblage, most likely related to differences in wealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diachronic changes of dietary human habits between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age are mainly identified through archaeological artefacts and archaeozoological and archaeobotanical studies. This paper aims to demonstrate the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach for palaeodietary studies and to identify the food changes between Neolithic and Bronze Age human groups in northern France. These changes are probably linked to the introduction of new crops, such as millet, and the use of stable isotope analysis on bones and teeth proves to be an effective method for assessing the role of this specific cereal in the diet and the economy. Stable isotope analyses were performed on bone and tooth collagen and apatite from eight humans and five domestic animals from a Late Bronze Age site (LBA; Barbuise; 15th–13th c. BC; Aube). The studied corpus is compared with isotopic data from human and animal bones from a nearby Neolithic site (Gurgy; 5th mill. BC; Yonne) and regional Neolithic to Iron sites located in northern France. Moreover, Barbuise data are supplemented by information from an important archaeobotanical study carried out on 21 LBA and Early Iron Age sites in the region. Neolithic and LBA human collagen isotopic ratios (δ13C, δ15N) differ statistically, as do those of some animals. Carbon isotopic ratios of human apatite corroborate collagen results indicating the consumption of13C enriched food by LBA humans and animals compared to Neolithic samples. The high number of occurrences of plant remains in the Bronze Age settlements near the site points to the consumption of C4plants, such as millet, and would account for these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeobotanical research on prehistoric crops in Britain has primarily focussed on cereals and the potential importance of alternative crops, such as pulses, has often been overlooked. This paper reviews evidence for Celtic bean (Vicia fabaL.) in British prehistory, using a database of archaeobotanical assemblages from 75 sites. Celtic bean is rare in the Neolithic – Early Bronze Age and it only becomes frequent from the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1500 cal BC) onwards, particularly in southern England. Though there is a paucity of evidence at many sites, it is suggested that this reflects a preservation bias and in some areas at least, Celtic bean formed an important element of past agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents the results of inter-disciplinary work drawing on archaeobotanical and archaeometric studies to trace the agroforestry landscape and the supply economy at thevicusof Thamusida in north-west Morocco at the border of the Roman Empire. The available data indicate the self-sufficiency of the settlement in both forestry and agricultural products throughout the period investigated from the end of the 1st century BC to the beginning of the 4th century AD. Charcoal data testify to the presence of aQuercus suberforest in the close surroundings of the site and its exploitation for a variety of forestry products such as timber, fuelwood, cork, and probably also leaves and acorns to feed livestock. The overwhelming presence ofQ. suberin the archaeological layer investigated clearly indicates that this forest was under human influence prior to Roman occupation and was already partially degraded. Charred seed and fruit remains suggest that the diet of both troops and civilians was mainly based on locally grown products and that all the inhabitants of the site had access to good cereals such as barley, naked wheats and pulses with large seeds such as horse bean and pea; quality fruits, such as olive and grape, were also produced locally for fresh consumption. Organic residue analyses of the contents of ceramic vessels and plastered vats allowed archaeobotanical data to be complemented, thereby shedding light on some of the imports at Thamusida. Despite the remote location of this settlement, imported goods such as oil and wine were transported here in amphorae from different parts of the Empire. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]