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Kurgans are human-made geomorphological elements of the Eurasian steppe zone. In the Carpathian Basin, their construction is connected to the burial customs of Bronze Age societies. Their importance is multifold and it is not limited to their archaeological significance only. These monuments are also bearers of significant botanical, zoological, pedological and geomorphological values. Furthermore, they are key elements of the cultural heritage, representing unique aesthetical and cultural historical significance within the landscapes of the Great Hungarian Plain. In the close vicinity of Hajdúnánás, the so called Zagolya-dűlő gives home to multiple burial mounds. The history of this territory arches over – at least – five millennia, starting with the construction of these burial mounds. The current study focuses on the historical ecology of Zagolya-dűlő by integrating various environmental and historical sources. The environmental history of Zagolya-dűlő was researched through the paleoecological assessment of an excavated kurgan and through historical maps. Results of the land use history revealed that ploughing avoided the core territory of Zagolya-dűlő. The higher part of the area was used for grazing, while the depressions in the landscape were occupied by reed and marshy areas. The soilscape of Zagolya-dűlő is characterised by alkaline and chernozem soils today. Similar soil conditions are reflected by the buried soil found under kurgan ETA-01. In addition, the botanical survey of the kurgans revealed regionally significant natural value. The identified plant species indicate moderate human disturbance, which supports the results of the land use historical reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Želeč I stratified site (Želeč na Hané cadastral area, Prostějov District), located in the area of the Ondratice sand mine, has been systematically surveyed since 2009 (Mlejnek et al. 2016). In 2022, the research of this Early Paleolithic site was financially supported by the Visegrad Fund, enabling the continuation of investigation in the Zel_4a trench (Fig. 27). An additional area of 9 m2 was excavated, and the sediment was sampled for paleobotanical (charcoal and phytolith) and geoarchaeological (geochemical and micromorphological) analyses, as well as for radiocarbon and OSL dating. All these samples were analysed in 2023 and the final results will be published in 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the excavation carried out at the outskirts of Hajdúböszörmény (NE-Hungary) in 2011, the remains of a 12–13th century settlement were brought to light. Linguistic and historical research has previously presumed that one of the main centres of medieval Hungary's Muslim (Ishmaelites) population is located in the northern-eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain. At Hajdúböszörmény–Téglagyár '2' archaeological site several household units were systematically sampled for archaeobotanical analysis. The recovered ceramics differ from the known ceramic production of the Árpád Age, whereas significant differences were detected in the zooarchaeological assemblage, too. The archaeobotanical record, representing 23 features, consists of 2679 items of charred macro-botanical remains that belong to 54 taxa. The record is predominated by the presence of cereals among which rye (Secale cereale L. subsp. cereale) and common barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) are the most frequent. Besides the dominance of cereals, pulses and vegetables, as well as gathered fruit remains were identified. By the comparison of results to other Árpád Age sites, we assume that the revealed ethno-archaeobotanical information identifies a population that used similar plant resources, but in a different way and strategy than the known Christian population of the Carpathian Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ancient burial mounds, so-called 'kurgans' have a great importance in the history of the Carpathian Basin. They are considered as significant elements of the cultural and natural heritage, and moreover they represent unique landscape, archaeological, botanical and zoological values. We can meet them in many areas of Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, the different agricultural activities resulted in their continuous degradation and their number also decreased over the past centuries. There were remarkable changes in agricultural regulation concerning the mounds in the EU -- and in Hungary, too -- in 2010. They were declared protected landscape elements and therefore they became part of cross-compliance. In our research we checked the results of the new regulation in relation to the changes in the state of the mounds in Békés County (SE Hungary). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro- and macro-archaeobotanical investigations were carried out on a selection of Late Avar graves from the archaeological site of Nuštar with the aim to reveal interactions between burial customs and plants of the Late Avar (710-810) population in Eastern Croatia (Croatian Danube region). During the excavation 108 soil and sediment samples were collected from the graves; due to the fact that there was a great amount of material, samples were collected from different depths and places in graves. Moreover, a little less than 100 whole vessel contents were recovered. Twenty sediment samples from grave-fill for macro-archaeobotanical study, as well as ten samples from vessels for microarchaeobotanical study were chosen according to a “difference key” (samples from all gender and age and different burials). Overall the archaeobotanical assemblages were poor with none of the samples yielding high amounts of seed or fruit remains. Thus, only six different cereals and three different weed species were identified. Cereals form 67.31% of the entire assemblage, whilst weeds form 12.50% and food remains 15.38%. Phytolith analyses also show the presence of cereal related phytoliths, but most of the samples were considered sterile. Based on the micro- and macro-archaeobotanical investigations of selected graves from the Late Avar cemetery we may consider that the use of plants in burial customs at Nuštar did not play a significant role. In light of previous studies at Late Avar settlements and cemeteries in the surrounding geographical environment (Carpathian Basin, and Middle Danube valley) animal-derived products might have therefore had a more prominent role in ritual and burial contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]