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The analysis of seeds from archaeobotanical assemblages is essential for understanding the history of crop cultivation. However, the majority of these seeds are typically found charred, a condition that not only degrades DNA, which hinders genetic studies, but also distorts their morphological features, which may bias comparisons with uncharred modern samples. While the effects of charring on several other crop seeds or fruits are well-documented, date palm seeds remain largely unexamined, limiting our ability to use charred seeds effectively to document the agrobiodiversity dynamic of this crop. In this study, we assessed the morphological changes induced by the charring of 1375 Phoenix seeds under varied conditions, including charring temperatures of 200–600 °C, exposure durations from 10 to 120 min, and oxidizing/reducing conditions. By comparing charred samples with a modern reference collection of 6991 seeds, we evaluated the extent to which charring affects the ability to discriminate between groups of interest, particularly between wild and domesticated specimens. Our study identified a significant shrinkage in Phoenix seeds, up to 25%, as a result of charring, with the extent of deformation influenced by the conditions of exposure. The shrinkage displayed an isometric pattern, keeping the proportions between seed dimensions consistent, thereby validating size ratios as a dependable metric for studying Phoenix agrobiodiversity even when dealing with charred material. Moreover, seed outlines stay predominantly unchanged, further endorsing their utility in morphometric studies. Using our results to examine 13 charred seeds from Shahi Tump and Miri Qalat, two Protohistoric settlements (5th-3rd millennia BCE) located in the Kech-Makran district of southwestern Pakistan, we deduced a predominance of wild resource utilization over the cultivation of date palms. This research sheds light on the impact of charring on seed morphology and underscores its potential in differentiating between species and groups. It moreover confirms the value of charred seeds as a crucial resource for unraveling the complex history of crop cultivation, offering a detailed framework for future studies in this domain. • Date palm seed size is drastically impacted by charring but the deformation is isometric. • Date palm seed shape (outline) is not impacted by charring. • The date palm was not locally cultivated in the Makran region in the 3rd mill. BCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Findings of archaeological textiles and fibres in Northern Iberia are extremely rare. The occurrence of a set of textile fragments, dated between the 14th and 16th centuries CE at the Pambre castle (Palas de Rei, Lugo, Spain) is exceptional. The original stone roof of the southeastern tower was intact. The dark, cold and moist conditions inside the tower favoured the preservation of a unique series of waterlogged textile remains. In addition, a set of pseudomorphs preserved by mineral replacement were recovered from the east edge of the north wing in the main hall of the castle. Fibres have been identified using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and they have been chemically characterised using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX). We also performed analytical pyrolysis-GC-MS (Py-GC-MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation (THM-GC-MS) of the wool fabrics and pseudomorphs to assess their state of degradation and the presence of chemical markers associated to the use of these textile remains. High performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD-MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) analysis were applied on wool fabrics to identify the chemical markers of dyes but without success. To expand the information related to raw material identification and the technical aspects of the fabrics, further evidence such as adherences identified as opal phytoliths, seeds, and insect remains associated to wool fabrics were examined. These findings offer a unique glimpse into the clothing dated to the end of the Medieval period, and its life-cycle. Wool scraps were probably part of at least two different garments, whereas the mineralised textiles probably formed part of at least two brigandines which were made of bast fibres, flax, or hemp. • The study offers a glimpse into clothing between the 14th and 16th centuries CE. • An interdisciplinary approach was designed to address textile biographies. • Wool fabrics were subjected to successive alterations that changed their morphology. • Metallic pseudomorphs belong to one or, more likely, several brigandines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In archaeology, the study of past plant processing activities in domestic spaces has hitherto relied greatly on the observed distribution of macrobotanical and artefactual remains. However, the surfaces where such activities took place can themselves preserve microscopic remains, potentially traceable to the activity that originated them. This paper presents new aspects of plant-related tasks, and the use of living space, at household level, in Neolithic Çatalhöyük through spatial analyses of phytoliths and starch grains recovered from two house floors. Results have revealed plant-related tasks such as crop processing, the use of plant-based crafts, and the management and culinary use of wild resources previously unrepresented in the archaeobotanical assemblage. These distinctive uses of vegetal resources in domestic spaces identified through microbotanical remains have shed light on new complex aspects of household social organisation in one of the earliest farming communities in Western Asia. • Phytoliths and starch grains reveal evidence of plant processing activities. • Post-harvest processes occurred rutinary in indoor living spaces. • Wild plants, such as geophytes, played an active role in the local foodways. • Specific houses fulfilled the food-related tasks of an extended household unit. • Microbotanical and spatial analyses are valuable tools for studying living spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable isotope analysis (N and C) of fossil cereal grains is regularly explored as a means of obtaining insights to past crop growing conditions and agricultural practices. In this study, we assessed how several growth conditions can affect δ15N and δ13C values of modern cereal grain with the aim to help understand isotopic values from ancient cereal remains. We investigated the impact of fertilizer intensity, plant density, and soil type on cereal grain δ15N and δ13C values in a short-term field experiment using hulled and naked barley, bread wheat, emmer wheat, einkorn, spelt wheat, rye, and oat. We found the following key results: 1) while fertilizing had a significant effect on δ15N values in grain, the impact varied between species, and cereals grown in heavy clay had consistently higher δ15N values in grain compared to those grown in light sandy soil, and 2) the δ13C values were significantly different between cereal species, but the difference was very similar between the two experimental site-locations. These findings obtained from plants grown under known conditions contribute to better understand how natural conditions and anthropogenic activities effect crop isotopic data and is of relevance for isotopic research on archaeological crop remains. • Field experiment assessing effects of growth conditions to cereal grain δ15N and δ13C values. • Effect of fertilizer intensity, plant density and soil type on crop isotope values. • Isotope analysis reveal cereal species are affected differently by experimental factors. • Soil type and fertilizer plays a profound role on crop δ15N values. • Difference in δ13C values between cereals similar at locations with different soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley is one of the main cereals found in archaeological sites in the north-western Mediterranean basin, over the last 8 millennia. Grains are preserved in archaeological sediments by charring after or before dehusking. Morphological criteria for distinguishing 2-row from 6-row barley, but also hulled barley from naked barley, can be affected by charring and this can complicate identification of barley subgroups. In the last decade, geometric morphometrics applied to uncharred barley grains has shown the possibility of identifying barley subgroups, but its applicability to archaeological remains still needs to be ascertained. We used 3985 raw and charred grains of 113 current varieties to (1) assess charring effects on the shape of barley caryopses, depending on their subgroup and whether they were charred husked or dehusked and (2) select the best dataset for identifying barley subgroups. We also used 700 archaeological grains, from the Neolithic period to the end of the Middle Ages, to (3) compare the morphometric taxonomic assignment of the grains with their carpological identification based on discrete anatomical features in a series of 7 archaeological samples. Our results indicate size and shape differences between barley grains when charred husked or dehusked. Although the charring process results in greater morphometric homogeneity, it allows subgroups of barley to be identified. For the 2-row vs. 6-row identification, more than 71% of the charred modern grains can be correctly identified. For the hulled vs. naked identification, the correct cross-validation percentages range from 70 to 73%. Finally, the good correlation between carpological and morphometric identifications of archaeological grains suggests that it is possible to identify archaeobotanical samples in the future. • Grains charred husked are larger than those charred dehusked. • Outline analysis of charred caryopses allows 2-row and 6-row barley to be identified with ∼71% accuracy. • Hulled and naked barley types can be identified with ∼70% accuracy. • Morphometric identification of current charred caryopses paves the way for accurate identification of archaeological grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Due to the arid environment and excellent preservation on the north coast of Peru, the evidence obtained from macrobotanical remains are the primary sources of information on plant use. However, some plants, such as potatoes, are infrequently recovered as macrobotanicals because they are usually consumed in their entirety. For this reason, we have applied starch grain analyses to ceramic and lithic materials recovered from the Late Moche (AD 600–850) site of Wasi Huachuma (Je-65) in the lower Jequetepeque valley, Peru. The results of these analyses revealed the presence of potato (Solanum tuberosum) on the ceramics indicating the regular consumption of potato at this site during this period. Prior to this, physical evidence of potato had only been recovered from one other Moche context—dental calculus from Huaca Cao Viejo. This indicates that macrobotanical analyses alone are insufficient for uncovering the spectrum of foodstuffs utilized by the Moche. We argue for a more rigorous and consistent application of starch grain analysis, in order to obtain as much information as possible about past plant utilization, rather than relying on macrobotanical remains alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The history of the grapevine and viticulture is well documented by an extensive and rich corpus of textual, iconographic, archaeological, archaeobotanical and morphometric data. However, until now, grapevine charcoal remains from archaeological contexts were largely underexploited. In this study we describe the development of a quantitative anatomical method which aims to discriminate between the wild and cultivated grapevines based on a reference collection of modern individuals. The plasticity of grapevine anatomical characters was quantified in relation to maturity or age of wood and environmental conditions. For the first time, quantitative eco-anatomical features of charcoal from archaeological sites (South of France, Bronze Age - Modern Period) were compared to the reference models established beforehand. This procedure allowed us to identify the status (wild or cultivated-domesticated) of certain sub-fossil samples. Our results complement data from archaeobotany and from traditional and geometric morphometric analyses of Vitis pips. They confirm the collection/use of the wild grapevine during the Bronze Age and the exploitation of cultivated forms on coastal or near coastal sites (Mediterranean), from the Iron Age up to the Modern Period. Furthermore, the question of an early grapevine cultivation (5th c. BCE) in regions away from the sea is raised for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental studies demonstrated that charring affects stable isotope values of plant remains. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the impact of charring to reliably interpret δ13C and δ15N values in archaeobotanical remains before using this approach to reconstruct past water management, paleoclimatic changes, and infer paleodietary patterns. Research so far has focused mostly on C 3 plants while the charring effect on C 4 plants is less understood. This study explored the effects of charring on δ13C, δ15N, %C, %N, and C:N in grains of two C 4 species, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (NADP-ME) and Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone (heterotypic synonym Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) (NAD-ME), grown under the same controlled environmental conditions (watering, light, atmospheric humidity). Sorghum and pearl millet grains were charred from 1 to 3 h at 200–300 °C. Comparing first the uncharred grains, the results show that sorghum has lower δ15N and higher δ13C values than pearl millet. This evidence is also recorded in the charred grains. The charring experiments indicate that the temperature to which the grains are exposed has a higher impact than time on the preservation, mass loss, %C, %N, C:N, and δ13C and δ15N values. Every 50 °C of increase resulted in significant increases of δ15N (+0.37‰) and of δ13C (+0.06‰) values. Increasing the duration of charring to 3 h resulted in significant changes of δ15N (+0.17‰) and no significant changes for δ13C (−0.04‰) values. The average charring effects estimated in our experiment is 0.27‰ (95% CI between −0.02 and 0.56) for δ15N and −0.18‰ (95% CI between −0.30 and −0.06‰) for δ13C. Considering the average values, our data show that pearl millet is more affected by charring than sorghum; however, according to the standard deviations, sorghum shows a greater variability charring effect than pearl millet. This study provides new information to correctly assessing the isotopic values obtained from ancient C 4 crops, providing a charring offset specific for C 4 plants. Furthermore, it suggests that NAD-ME and NADP-ME species present isotopic differences under the same growing conditions and this must be taken into account in analytical works on ancient C 4 crops. • Sorghum (NADPME) and pearl millet (NADME) were grown under controlled ecological conditions. • Sorghum and pearl millet grains were experimentally charred (1–3 h, 200–300 °C). • Isotopic differences between NADPME and NADME are greater than the charring effect. • Charring affects pearl millet more than sorghum but sorghum shows wider variability. • The specific calculated C 4 charring offsets should be used to archaeobotanical grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of morphometric analysis in archaeobotany has the potential to refine quantitatively identifications of ancient plant material recovered from archaeological sites, most commonly preserved through charring due to exposure to heat. This paper uses geometric morphometrics, first, to explore variation in grain shape between three domesticated cereal species, einkorn ( Triticum monococcum ), emmer ( Triticum dicoccum ) and barley ( Hordeum vulgare ), both before and after experimental charring at 230 and 260 °C. Results demonstrate that outline analysis reliably reflects known variations in grain shape between species and differences due to charring observed in previous experimental work, and is capable of distinguishing the species, with near-perfect results, both before and after charring. Having established this, the same method was applied to different accessions of the same species, which indicated that three different grain morphotypes of einkorn and two, possibly three, of emmer could be identified in the uncharred material, and that at least two different morphotypes for each species could be distinguished even after charring at temperatures up to 260 °C. This opens up the possibility of tracking evolutionary change in crops, both chronologically and geographically, through morphometric analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canary Islands were settled in the first millennium AD by colonizers likely originating from North Africa. The settlers developed a farming economy with barley as the main crop. Archaeological evidence suggests the islands then remained isolated until European sea-travellers discovered and colonized them during the 14th and 15th centuries. Here we report a population study of ancient DNA from twenty-one archaeobotanical barley grains from Gran Canaria dating from 1050 to 1440 cal AD. The material showed exceptional DNA preservation and genotyping was carried out for 99 single nucleotide markers. In addition 101 extant landrace accessions from the Canary Islands and the western Mediterranean were genotyped. The archaeological material showed high genetic similarity to extant landraces from the Canary Islands. In contrast, accessions from the Canary Islands were highly differentiated from both Iberian and North African mainland barley. Within the Canary Islands, landraces from the easternmost islands were genetically differentiated from landraces from the western islands, corroborating the presence of pre-Hispanic barley cultivation on Lanzarote. The results demonstrate the potential of population genetic analyses of ancient DNA. They support the hypothesis of an original colonization, possibly from present day Morocco, and subsequent isolation of the islands and reveal a farmer fidelity to the local barley that has lasted for centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stable isotopic values of charred crops are now frequently analysed in archaeology. While previous research has highlighted how grain morphology and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values change with grain charring temperature, such research has been limited to temperature ranges under 260 °C and using predominately Mediterranean cereals and pulses. For the first time, this study provides experimental data on the impact of charring on two northern European cereals, rye and oat, both morphologically and isotopically. New experimental charring of rye, oat, bread wheat and hulled barley extends the charring window to 300 °C, providing an insight into the morphological changes to the grains as well as the difference between charred and uncharred isotopic values. This range of cereals and conditions opens up potential for stable isotopic investigation of medieval agricultural growing conditions and practices in Britain. The results indicate that isotopically, a 0.16‰ and a 0.32‰ offset should be applied to δ 13C and δ 15N values, respectively, of grains charred between 230 and 300 °C. Morphological and internal structural changes, as well as external distortion, are key attributes which vary with charring temperature and duration. Guidelines are provided to enable assessment of whether archaeological grains of bread wheat, hulled barley, rye and oat fall within the acceptable charring window for isotopic analysis. • Charring of four cereals to understand morphological and isotopic impact. • Internal and external morphological changes occurred to the charred grains. • Differences between grains' charred and uncharred isotopic values were found. • Offsets recommended for δ13C and δ15N values of grains charred between 230 and 300 °C. • Guidelines provided regarding acceptability of charred grains for isotopic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of archaeological cereal grains has the potential to improve interpretations of archaeobotanical assemblages and to address a broad range of research questions related to agricultural practices in the past. However, understanding the role of the many factors that can influence the morphometrics of cereal grains is of importance to validate the application of morphometrics in archaeobotany. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of growing conditions on cereal grain size using three experimental factors: site-location with different soil types, manure intensity and plant density. A short-term field experiment was conducted at two locations (Alnarp and Holma) in southern Sweden with hulled barley, naked barley, bread wheat, emmer wheat, einkorn, spelt wheat, rye and oat. Our results show that, while all three factors investigated affect grain size, most significant effect was from manuring (p < 0.0001) and site location with different soil types (p < 0.0001), plant density had the weakest effect (p = 0.005), and that cereal species reacted differently to experimental factors. We further use the morphometric dataset to assess the relationship between grain size variation and growing conditions, using the sample range of grain size from different experimental factors. The experimental data obtained sheds light on how growing conditions may affect grain size and the results are discussed in relation to grain size composition in archaeobotanical assemblages. • Experimental study show the effect of growing conditions on cereal grain size. • Manuring and site-location had a stronger influence on grain size compared to plant density. • Wide variation in grain size was observed within and between investigated growing conditions. • Observed sample ranges of grain sizes helps to better interpret archaeobotanical assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new two-step analytical protocol has permitted the reliable structural identification of red wine thanks to the presence of dark grape (tartaric, malic, syringic acids) and fermentation markers (succinic and pyruvic acids) in a smashed, large, coarse jar and a jug excavated inside a Neolithic house destroyed by fire around 4300 BCE at the site of Dikili Tash in northern Greece. This new method, which has also been tested successfully on other vessels, exploits the chemical break-down of the clay and the simultaneous liberation and derivatization of biomarkers. Since aldaric acids are not extracted by a simple solvent extraction, but only when submitted to the second acido-catalyzed extraction, their detection in the second extract indicates organic residues are more deeply impregnated and bound to the clay structure than previously thought. Chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry leads to the very sensitive detection (<10 ng/g sherd for tartaric acid, i . e . < 10 −6 mL of wine/g sherd) and reliable identification of fermented grape biomarkers. Their identification in a Neolithic jar from Dikili Tash corroborates the finding of pressed grapes consisting of loose pips, skins, and pips still enclosed by skin in association with this jar. Our results demonstrate Neolithic wine-making in the northern Aegean, and provide the earliest solid evidence for the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe. This new method could be more widely used for detecting wine traces in all sorts of archaeological artefacts or structures. It constitutes an essential tool for a better understanding of wine-making and of contexts of consumption in ancient civilizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ancient DNA (aDNA) research, evolutionary and archaeological questions are often investigated using the genomic sequences of organelles: mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA. Organellar genomes are found in multiple copies per living cell, increasing their chance of recovery from archaeological samples, and are inherited from one parent without genetic recombination, simplifying analyses. While mitochondrial genomes have played a key role in many mammalian aDNA projects, including research focused on prehistoric humans and extinct hominins, it is unclear how useful plant chloroplast genomes (plastomes) may be at elucidating questions related to plant evolution, crop domestication, and the prehistoric movement of botanical products through trade and migration. Such analyses are particularly challenging for plant species whose genomes have highly repetitive sequences and that undergo frequent genomic reorganization, notably species with high retrotransposon activity. To address this question, we explored the research potential of the grape ( Vitis vinifera L.) plastome using targeted-enrichment methods and high-throughput DNA sequencing on a collection of archaeological grape pip and vine specimens from sites across Eurasia dating ca. 4000 BCE–1500 CE. We demonstrate that due to unprecedented numbers of sequence insertions into the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, the grape plastome provides limited intraspecific phylogenetic resolution. Nonetheless, we were able to assign archaeological specimens in the Italian peninsula, Sardinia, UK, and Armenia from pre-Roman to medieval times as belonging to all three major chlorotypes A, C, and D found in modern varieties of Western Europe. Analysis of nuclear genomic DNA from these samples reveals a much greater potential for understanding ancient viticulture, including domestication events, genetic introgression from local wild populations, and the origins and histories of varietal lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue examines new trends in phytolith scholarship and assesses the future direction of this field of research. The papers presented represent a broader shift in phytolith research into a new phase called the “Period of Expanding Applications”. It is characterized by 1) a rapid increase in the number of phytolith publications; 2) a diversification of research topics; 3) a reassessment of the use of radiocarbon and other isotopes in phytoliths; 4) the development of digital technologies for refining and sharing phytolith identifications; 5) renewed efforts for standardization of phytolith nomenclature and laboratory protocol; and 6) the development of the field of applied phytolith research. This paper argues that interdisciplinary collaborations and a continued effort to understand the basics of phytolith production patterns are essential for the growth of the discipline and its application in archaeological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of phytoliths has progressed immensely in recent years. Increases in the number of phytolith works within several disciplines has substantially extended our knowledge about these microfossils, while at the same time diversifying the approaches by which they can be used as archaeological and palaeoenvironmental proxies. The insufficient standardisation of these works, however, greatly increases the difficulty of utilising this body of research within a broader framework of powerfully integrated methodologies and models in archaeobotany and palaeoenvironmental studies. Further standardisation will facilitate the broadening of phytolith research beyond technique-oriented work, permitting greater opportunity for its application to inform on past cultures and their strategies of plant resources exploitation as well as the dynamics related to climate change and anthropic-driven environmental modifications. The aim of this paper is to drive our discipline towards a set of “best practices” that arise from current phytolith research but that are often applied in an unsystematic manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The south Florida Calusa are noted for their complex social organization coupled with their forager-fisher subsistence strategy. Social and political complexity have often been attributed to a reliable resource base, most frequently agricultural products such as maize ( Zea mays ), and surplus stored foods. Recent reconsiderations of complexity for coastal populations, however, have questioned the stability of coastal resources citing ample evidence of periods of fluctuating instability. They have in turn emphasized the importance of other cultural mechanisms, such as resource exchange, in fulfilling subsistence needs during times of uncertainty. In this paper, we consider the complex food web of the central and south Florida Gulf Coast. We combine data on the zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical remains from the archaeological sites with those from stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of archaeological human bone, and modern and archaeological plants and animals. These multiple lines of evidence confirm that marine-based protein and terrestrial C 3 plants provided a large and reliable portion of the diet in southwestern Florida as early as 4000 years ago and up to European contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication routes are an important subject in the study of the human past. They allowed interactions between communities and the dispersal of goods and ideas. Their study, therefore, can shed light on the way in which communities inhabited the landscape, related to each other and were affected by macro-regional trends. Many methods, such as archaeomorphological analysis and Least Cost Route modelling (LCR), have been devised and are routinely employed for the reconstruction of ancient routes. Their analysis in terms of communication, trade or historical significance, however, has usually been left unexplored. This is probably due to the connected nature of routes, which form communication networks: these are shaped by interconnected nodes and extend over territories surpassing the regional scale in such a way that even a change in a single node or link can affect the whole network. Consequently, the partial reconstruction of communication networks provided by the aforementioned methods does not usually allow a holistic analysis. In this paper the relatively well understood British Roman road network is employed to explore the analytical possibilities offered by a combination of Social Network Analysis, Spatial Network Analysis and spatial interpolation-based distribution analysis. The British road network has been reconstructed using published data but also a variation of LCR in which cost surfaces are derived from cultural data obtained from large-scale cultural inventories. The distribution of introduced food plants during the Roman period serve as an excellent proxy for the study of trade along the network and its historical consequences. This multi-period archaeobotanical dataset has some evident advantages to other types of material remains: archaeobotanical remains are not reused as, for example, amphorae and, accordingly, they reflect a distribution pattern based on consumption or commerce. Some of them are imported (as they cannot be produced locally) and, consequently, their distribution would be applied through usage of the main routes. The results suggest a continuous inflow of exotics but highlight their changing transport routes, their differential access and the particular weight of certain nodal sites in the development of this commerce with direct impact on urbanisation and the overall economy of Britannia. The Roman road network acted as a major factor in the distribution of sites, their political and economic importance and their permanence or disappearance as global economic trends changed over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the interplay between subsistence strategies and settlement patterns is fundamental for understanding past social-economic and cultural changes. Around the third millennium BC in the Zhengluo region of China, settlement hierarchies with two or three -tiered settlements were established. However, the detailed economic dynamics of settlement stratification in this area have not yet been clearly illustrated. In this paper, we report the new human isotopic data and archaeobotanical evidences with radiocarbon dates from archaeological sites of different scales in the Zhengluo region. The primary objective is to further assess the manner in which human populations among different scales of settlements in the Zhengluo region organized their subsistence strategies during the late Yangshao period (around 3500BC-2600BCE) by combining these new data with previous archaeological studies. Mixed crop cultivation including millet crops and non-millet crops (rice and/or soybean) was a stable agricultural pattern in center settlements, and pure millet agricultural only appeared in ordinary settlements. Meanwhile, human dietary patterns from center settlements were more diversified compared with the homogenous diets among inhabitants of the ordinary settlements. The distinct human dietary patterns at these two different types of sites results from and reflect their different responses of subsistence strategies to social dynamics. As settlements expanded and populations increased, stable millet cultivation guaranteed the essential food supply, and that the popularization of rice (a crop from the South) and the adoption of a new crop, soybeans, could diversify the agricultural patterns, expand the food supply and reduce the risks associated with food production in center settlements. Meanwhile, ordinary settlements still persisted with a more conservative subsistence strategy focused on millet agriculture. The different and successful coping strategies by late Yangshao inhabitants in Zhengluo region were the driving force in the emergence of the episode of peak social development in this area and likely important for populations and settlements in the following revolutionary periods "Longshan-Erlitou" in the same area. • This study examined human diets and crop patterns in different scales of sites of late Yangshao period in Zhengluo region. • Food choices of humans from center settlements were more diversified. • Agricultural intensification varied in accordance with the scales of settlements. • Settlement hierarchies showed a solid correlation with agricultural intensification and dietary diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volume measurements in archaeobotany are not performed uniformly. The goal of this paper therefore is to test the different known methods and to define the obtained differences, in order to make the density values (remains per litre of sediment) for plant macroremains in the samples comparable between sites. Three methods of volume measurement were tested for a large number of samples of different sizes coming from two late Neolithic layers of the lakeshore site of Parkhaus Opéra (Zürich, Switzerland). The sampled layers were preserved in waterlogged conditions and there were samples rich in sand, loam, lake marl but mostly consisting of organic remains, including uncharred subfossil plant macroremains. In general, the classical volume (that is the upper limit of the sediment in water) measured before and after freezing as pre-treatment gave similar results. But a systematic difference was found between the classical volume measured after freezing and the displacement volume. This difference could be described by a proportionality factor of 1.5. This proportionality factor could be used to make data obtained with different methods of volume measurement comparable, although more evaluations are needed from other sites in order to test the generality of the factor proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite more than a century of detailed investigation of the Magdalenian period in Northern Iberia, our understanding of the diets during this period is limited. Methodologies for the reconstruction of Late Glacial subsistence strategies have overwhelmingly targeted animal exploitation, thus revealing only a portion of the dietary spectrum. Retrieving food debris from calculus offers a means to provide missing information on other components of diet. We undertook analysis of human dental calculus samples from Magdalenian individuals (including the “Red Lady”) at El Mirón Cave (Cantabria, Spain), as well as several control samples, to better understand the less visible dietary components. Dental calculus yielded a diverse assemblage of microremains from plant, fungal, animal and mineral sources that may provide data on diet and environment. The types of microremains show that the individuals at El Mirón consumed a variety of plants, including seeds and underground storage organs, as well as other foods, including possibly bolete mushrooms. These findings suggest that plant and plant-like foods were parts of her diet, supplementing staples derived from animal foods. As faunal evidence suggests that the Magdalenian Cantabrian diet included a large proportion of animal foods, we argue here for a mixed subsistence pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the presence of macro-botanical remains and to assess the role of food plants in sites from the Capsian culture (ca. 10,000–7500 BP). Previous research on the Capsian diet has emphasized the role of land snails and animal resources, but little attention has been paid to the consumption of plants. Here we present the results from the first systematic analysis of charred macro-botanical remains (other than wood charcoal) from a Capsian site. As a case study we have used the data from El Mekta in Tunisia occupied during both the Typical and Upper Capsian periods. Macro-botanical remains were scarce and the evidence of plant use is limited. We identified three taxa including Pinus halepensis , Quercus sp., and Stipa tenacissima . Archaeobotanical and ethnographic evidence suggests that P . halepensis and Quercus sp. could have been used for human consumption while S. tenacissima may have been utilized as a source of fiber for basketry. Decreasing frequencies of Quercus sp. from the Typical to the Upper Capsian levels match well with paleoclimatic proxies pointing to a slow process of desiccation in the region. Capsian populations could have adapted to this environmental change by focusing on the gathering of P. halepensis . We propose that both acorns and pine nuts could have played an important role in the Capsian diet, providing a highly nutritious food source which could also be stored. Archaeobotanical data is limited and definitive conclusions are still at an early stage but we encourage the application of systematic and complete sampling at other Capsian sites in order to test this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first permanent occupation in the micro-region localized around Janowice, in the middle valley of the Dunajec river in the Polish Carpathian Foothills, begun at the turn of the Middle Bronze Age and the Late Bronze Age. Different landscape forms were settled, in which the highest part of the hills or areas located in the proximity of the river were especially chosen for stable settlement. All of them were characterized by the presence of fertile loess and alluvial soils. Macroscopic plant remains found in different occupational phases of six archaeological sites represent cultivated and wild plants. The remains of cultivated plants confirmed that plant resources formed an important part of the past subsistence strategies. It was observed that the same spectrum of cultivated species was utilized during about one millennium of occupation in the forelands, from the beginning of the occupation until the end of the Early Iron Age. Hordeum vulgare , Triticum diccocon , Triticum spelta and Panicum miliaceum were the dominant cereal crops. A consistent choice of varied cereal species, along with pulses, may indicate that both winter and summer crops were cultivated and the works dedicated to crop farming were distributed along various months. This strategy could also provide higher and more reliable yields. In addition, the edaphic requirements of weed remains may confirm that people used rich and moderately moist soils for cereal cultivation. Overall, a relatively early cultivation of spelt wheat and millet should be emphasized in the Carpathian Foothills since the oldest phase can be dated back to ca. 1500–1300 cal. BC. A relatively high abundance and ubiquity of spelt wheat resulted very interesting in the context of other cereal remains found in the Late Bronze Age in Poland. In addition, an Agricultural Predictive Model was prepared for the closest regions of the settlements in order to demonstrate areas with optimal environmental conditions for agricultural practices. Altogether, macroscopic plant remains are related mainly to synanthropic habitats from fields to ruderal ones. Moreover, human activities could be also responsible for the development of steppe-like plant communities, which are inferred after the finding of feather grass ( Stipa sp.). The remains of wood preserved as charcoals represent a separate group of plants. They were associated to firewood collections and therefore their analysis may be used for the reconstruction of local woodlands. A major formation is the oak-hornbeam forest. Interestingly, at the end of the Subboreal period, woodlands were dominated by late-arriving species to the Polish territory, such as Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica . Abies alba is also well represented, especially in settlements located on the hills. It seems that forest formations were also subjected to anthropization and the main changes included the presence of more open forests and appearance of unstable stands in different successional stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ohalo II Upper Paleolithic site was inundated for ca. 23,000 years. A unique and diverse assemblage of seeds and fruit was thus excellently preserved on its brush huts floors. Three successive floors were identified in Brush Hut 1; about 55,000 seeds and fruits were found on its lower floor, Floor III. Food preparation features were found on two of these floors: a hearth in the center of Floor III and a grinding stone in the north of Floor II. Here we analyze the spatial distribution of fourteen prominent plant taxa recovered from Floor III, and compare the results with previously published spatial distribution of the same taxa on Floor II. We describe here the plant remains' distribution around food preparation features – grinding stone (floor II) and a central hearth (floor III), and the groups of taxa which appear on both floors. The similarity in taxa as well as their concentrations on both floors indicates similar activities. We also raise the possibility that the two floors represent two different seasons of occupation – Floor III in winter and Floor II in summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present the archaeobotanical record from level TD6 of the Gran Dolina site (Burgos, Spain). The results show the presence of mineralized Celtis (hackberry) seed remains – concentrated primarily in the area where most of the archaeological material was found. Spatial distribution data indicate that the seeds are associated with archaeological remains resulting from human occupation of the cave. Celtis remains were preserved due to biomineralization of seed endocarps. The results presented here contribute to analysis of archaeobotanical Celtis remains as part of the Pleistocene human plant food consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable carbon isotopic analyses of human skeletal remains may provide fundamental evidence for human dietary reconstruction and subsistence strategies. Millet is closely associated with the emergence and development of agriculture-based societies in northern China. Although often overlooked, baseline values of millet seeds are essential for using stable isotope analysis to understand past human and animal diets. Here, we report spatial and temporal variations in the δ 13 C values of millets by analyzing modern samples, including seeds and leaves, as well as archaeological samples. The δ 13 C values of modern foxtail millet seeds range from −13.9 to −11.3‰, with a mean value of −12.3 ± 0.5‰ (1 σ , n = 66), while δ 13 C values for modern common millet seeds vary between −14.3 and −12.0‰, with a mean value of −12.8 ± 0.6‰ (1 σ , n = 19). There is an approximately 1‰ temporal change in δ 13 C for millet grains. Leaves have lower δ 13 C values than grains, implying that eaters living on different tissues of the same plant could show different isotopic values. These background δ 13 C values must be considered when reconstructing the dietary history of a millet-based society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charred hazel (Corylus sp.) nutshells are found in abundance at many archaeological sites across the northern hemisphere. This paper aims to investigate the conditions under which hazelnut shells can become charred, by comparing experimentally charred modern hazelnut shells with archaeological material shells from three western Scottish Mesolithic sites. We build on previous research by refining the temperature range investigated and use Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in order to examine the structural and chemical changes caused by charring. We find that temperature, duration and oxygen availability are key factors, with a minimum temperature of 260 °C for a relatively long duration (c. 8 h) necessary to char shells experimentally to a degree consistent with archaeological examples. Shells still resemble archaeological specimens when charred at 500 °C for short durations (c. 0.5 h) in restricted oxygen conditions. Nutshells with higher oxygen availability became charred at slightly lower conditions, while those with low oxygen availability still resembled archaeological material at slightly higher conditions. Different scenarios regarding the events surrounding the charring process are considered and compared to other research on hazelnut shell charring. These results can guide future analytical work on hazelnut shells which require an understanding of structural and chemical changes due to charring. Such an approach would likely be informative for other nutshells or similar archaeobotanical material with a tough lignocellulosic structure. • A range of temperature, time and oxygen conditions produce modern charred hazelnut shells. • Some modern charred shells resemble Mesolithic samples from western Scotland. • Cellular changes caused by heating can be seen by SEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Combined ethnographic, historic, and biomolecular approaches to Swahili cuisine. • Pottery lipid residue analysis revealed mixing of C 3 plants, milk, and meats. • Isotope results underscore C 4 plant and cattle/chicken consumption. • Informative contrasts among residue, stable isotopic, and zooarchaeological results. • Multiproxy approach provides a nuanced picture of precolonial urban cuisine. Swahili cuisine is known across Africa and globally as a highly distinctive product of a cosmopolitan, coastal, urban society. Here we present a comprehensive study of precolonial Swahili diet and culinary practices at the coastal town of Songo Mnara, positioning archaeological and ethnographic understandings of cuisine in a long-term coastal tradition. We explore contemporary food cultures and then present the first direct evidence for precolonial cuisine by combining ceramic lipid residue analysis with archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological, and faunal and human stable isotopic data. Integrating these datasets produces a detailed picture of diet at the site of Songo Mnara during the peak of precolonial Swahili urbanism. Lipid residue analysis demonstrates how plant and animal products were consumed and valued in ways not discernible from plant and animal remains alone. We also note special treatment for particular foodstuffs, including an association of fish consumption with high-status spaces and vessels, and preferential management of cattle for milk. A more complex picture of urban life emerges, recognizing influences of taste, class, and culture. Our findings demonstrate the potential of multi-layered anthropological studies for exploring cuisine and urban life in coastal contexts across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wells constitute a seldom, but important archive particularly as a source for reconstructing prehistoric economy. For the newly discovered Middle Neolithic well of the Funnel Beaker North Group at the domestic site of Oldenburg-Dannau LA77 (North Germany), a deposition of settlement refuse in a former well was documented. Due to depositional processes, the remains provided a detailed palaeo-ecological and archaeological archive for a short time-span around 3050 cal BC. The integration of wells in Middle Neolithic water management strategies, the high value of cereal production – including cereal threshing in the settlement and the documentation of a large number of querns – as well as the early management of “fruit gardens” were reconstructed. Subsequently, the probabilities of profane versus ritual social praxis associated with the depositional process were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new insights into the appearance of agriculture at the north-western edge of Europe, focussing on archaeobotanical evidence from Neolithic Ireland (4000–2500 cal BC). Previous studies were based upon a limited plant macro-remains dataset, as much of the Irish evidence is unpublished. A research project, 'Cultivating Societies', was implemented to examine the nature, timing and extent of agricultural activity in Neolithic Ireland through collation and analysis of different strands of published and unpublished archaeological and environmental evidence, with a particular focus on plant macro-remains, pollen, settlement and 14 C data. This paper will focus on results of plant macro-remains analyses. Remains from a total of 52 excavated sites were collated and analysed, representing the most comprehensive study to date of Neolithic plant remains from this region. Cereals were present at many locations and site types, sometimes in large quantities and most often at sites dating to the earlier Neolithic (3750–3600 cal BC). Emmer wheat was the dominant crop, at least at this time. Other crops included naked and hulled barley, naked wheat, einkorn wheat and flax. Analysis of arable weeds indicates that early plots were not managed under a shifting cultivation regime, which has new implications for understanding Neolithic settlement practises and how communities engaged with landscapes. The variety of crops cultivated in Neolithic Ireland is similar to that in Britain, reflecting a decreasing diversity in crop types as agriculture spread from south-east to north-west Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-disciplinary study assessing the evidence for agriculture in Neolithic Ireland is presented, examining the timing, extent and nature of settlement and farming. Bayesian analyses of palaeoenvironmental and archaeological 14 C data have allowed us to re-examine evidential strands within a strong chronological framework. While the nature and timing of the very beginning of the Neolithic in Ireland is still debated, our results – based on new Bayesian chronologies of plant macro-remains – are consistent with a rapid and abrupt transition to agriculture from c. 3750 cal BC, though there are hints of earlier Neolithic presence at a number of sites. We have emphatically confirmed the start of extensive Neolithic settlement in Ireland with the existence of a distinct ‘house horizon’, dating to 3720–3620 cal BC , lasting for up to a century. Cereals were being consumed at many sites during this period, with emmer wheat dominant, but also barley (naked and hulled), as well as occasional evidence for einkorn wheat, naked wheat and flax. The earliest farmers in Ireland, like farmers elsewhere across NW Europe, were not engaged in shifting cultivation, but practised longer-term fixed-plot agriculture. The association between early agriculture and the Elm Decline seen in many pollen diagrams shows that this latter event was not synchronous across all sites investigated, starting earlier in the north compared with the west, but that there is a strong coincidence with early agriculture at many sites. After this early boom, there are changes in the nature of settlement records; aside from passage tombs, the evidence for activity between 3400 and 3100 cal BC is limited. From 3400 cal BC, we see a decrease in the frequency of cereal evidence and an increase in some wild resources (e.g. fruits, but not nuts, in the records), alongside evidence for re-afforestation in pollen diagrams (3500–3000 cal BC). Changes occur at a time of worsening climatic conditions, as shown in Irish bog oak and reconstructed bog surface wetness records, although the links between the various records, and assessment of causes and effects, will require further investigation and may prove complex. This period seems to have been one of environmental, landscape, settlement and economic change. The later 4th millennium BC emerges as a period that would benefit from focused research attention, particularly as the observed changes in Ireland seem to have parallels in Britain and further afield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents archaeological charcoal assemblages from two clusters of Neolithic sites in temperate Europe, which reveal differences in the choice of firewood acquisition areas. We advance and test the hypothesis that there is a link between firewood gathering areas and daily travelled itineraries, using two comparable, but temporally and spatially distinct, case studies. The first of these is the Hesbaye in central Belgium where the Early Neolithic occupation is made up of two settlement phases from between 5200 and 5000 BC (Linearbankeramik culture). The second is the Late Neolithic occupation of the French Jura pile-dwellings in eastern France. In Hesbaye, the firewood supply area is restricted, favouring the rapid development of light-demanding species, while this area appears to be more extensive in the Jura where there is no clear development of light-demanding taxa. We postulate that there is a close spatial convergence between firewood gathering areas and potential cultivated land in Hesbaye and the French Jura. This case study therefore addresses the potential links between firewood management and the socio-economic context and demonstrates that the concept of daily itineraries enhances our understanding of charcoal assemblages and their palaeoecological interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Elemental, isotopic and archaeobotanical analysis were performed on the contents of an intact Dressel 1B amphora from a Roman navis oneraria shipwreck dating back to 100–90 BC, discovered at a depth of 42 m near Albenga (Italy). Analysis aimed at assessing the origin and nature of the samples was carried out. The chemical characterisation, in particular lead content, was consistent with an oenological product produced using ancient techniques. The organic matrix was observed and shown to have deteriorated seriously, with infiltration of sea water and migration from the clay vessel. Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) analysis confirmed that the residue was wine, excluding the possibility of the sediment coming from the sea or the clay of the amphora. As regards palynological analysis, the pollen components were useful for diagnosing and characterising the oenological nature and geographical origin of the sample from Albenga. The extremely high percentage of grape pollen suggested that the liquid traded was must or wine subjected to little decantation. Finally, the presence of pollen from certain arboreal species widespread in central-southern Italy is in accordance with the opinion of archaeologists, who have suggested that the cargo originated in the centre-south of the Tyrrhenian area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Sediments at Raqefet Cave revealed phytoliths representing rare evidence for Natufian plant remains. [•] Occupants gathered barley and wheat as well as small-seeded grasses for subsistence. [•] Phytoliths do not seem to indicate that bedrock mortars had a highly specialized plant processing function. [•] Phytolith evidence suggests a layer of flowering vegetation accompanied the burials. [•] Results may show evidence of symbolic behavior accompanying burial and subsistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Archaeological research of shipwrecks mainly focusses on both the study of the general structure and the individual timber elements and on the provenancing of ships by dendrochronological analyses and the study of the cargo. This study now presents the analyses of a large number of samples from the mosses that have been used for the caulking of two early 14th century maritime cargo vessels. The identification of the mosses showed that different taxa have been used for the caulking of original seams, repairs and for re-caulked seams. Analyses of the botanical macroremains of vascular plants trapped in these mosses confirm the different environments these mosses have been collected in, as is suggested by the ecological characteristics of the different identified taxa. The analyses of pollen trapped in these mosses indicate a different regional origin of the mosses used within one single ship and thus show the potential of this technique for the provenancing of shipwrecks and ancient ship routes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study illustrates how archaeobotanical information is a key line of evidence for investigating the emergence of social complexity in the southern Levant during the late 6th/early 5th millennium BC. The ability of emerging elites to produce surplus agricultural produce was an important factor in social stratification. Excavations at the site of Tel Tsaf (5200–4600 cal BC) in the central Jordan River Valley, Israel revealed four courtyard buildings each containing a number of large storage silos indicating that the inhabitants of the site had the ability to store large amounts of comestibles. The results of the archaeobotanical analysis indicate the presence of barley (Hordeum sp.), wheat (Triticum sp., Triticum dicoccum, Triticum monococcum), lentil (Lens culinaris), and pea (Pisum sativum) throughout the site. Analysis of flotation samples from the silos indicate that cereals were stored relatively free of processing debris, but that weeds mimicking crops (wild grasses of a similar size to the cultivars) had not been removed. This suggests a relatively high degree of labor organization due to the large amount of work involved in cleaning cereals of processing debris post-harvest. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An assessment of a good number of archaeological datasets available so far on small-grained millets from core (Upper Indus) and peripheral regions of the Indus/Harappan civilization is made to understand their role in the ancient crop economy and their diversity and spatial extent in relation to cultural change. Among the millets, sorghum millet from the Early Harappan level (3000–2500 BC) at Kunal (3%) and Banawali (3%), Mature Harappan level (2500–2000 BC) at Banawali (3%) & Rohira (20%) and Late Harappan level (2000–1400 BC) at Mahorana (6%), Hulas (5%), Sanghol (2%) and Pirak (1%), little millet from the Early Harappan (3300–2600 BC; 3.5%), Mature Harappan (2600–1900 BC; 4%) and Late Harappan (1900–1700 BC; 12.5%) levels at Harappa and finger millet (2%) and Italian millet (2%) from the Late Harappan (2000–1200 BC) level at Hulas and Sanghol respectively have been recorded in the core region (Upper Indus). The peripheral region of Harappan civilization shows the dominance of finger millet during the Mature Harappan (2500–2000 BC) at Rojdi (68%) and the Late Harappan (2000–1800 BC) level at Oriyo Timbo (40%), sorghum (22%) and pearl millet (36%) during the Late Harappan (2100–1700 BC) at Kanmer; Italian millet during Late Harappan (2000–1700 BC) at Rojdi (41%), Oriyo Timbo (23%) and Babar Kot (95%), along with little millet (5–19%) and foxtail millet (17–47%). The present dataset suspects their wider role in the Harappan agricultural system as a whole although they were present since the Early Harappan. The shift towards drought-resistant crops in peripheral region is to be inferred as cultural adaptation in response to decline of SW monsoon during the late Holocene (∼4 ka), to which millets are better suited. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents the first study that combines the use of ancient crop and animal stable isotopes (carbon and nitrogen) and Zooarchaeology Mass Spectrometry species identification (ZooMS) for reconstructing early farming practices at Kouphovouno, a Middle–Late Neolithic village in southern Greece (c. 5950–4500 cal. BC). Debate surrounding the nature of early farming predominantly revolves around the intensity of crop cultivation: did early farmers move around the landscape while practicing temporary farming methods such as slash and burn agriculture or did they create more permanent fields by investing high labor inputs into smaller pieces of land that produced higher crop yields? The need to address these questions using a direct assessment of the intensity and scale of cultivation is apparent, and an integrated stable isotope approach provides such an opportunity. The results of this study support the model of small-scale mixed farming, where crop cultivation and animal husbandry are closely integrated. The farmers directed their intensive management towards crops grown for human consumption (free-threshing wheat), while growing fodder crop (hulled barley) more extensively. Pulses were cultivated under a high-manuring/high-watering regime, likely in garden plots in rotation with free-threshing wheat. The diets of the livestock enable us to investigate which parts of the landscape were used for browsing and grazing and indicate that animal management changed in the Late Neolithic. The sheep and goats were now kept in smaller numbers and grazed together and new pasture grasses may have been sought for the grazing of cattle. This study demonstrates that beyond its applicability for palaeodietary reconstruction, analysis of stable isotopes of archaeological crop and animal remains has important implications for understanding the relationship between humans, plants and animals in an archaeological context. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tell Seker al-Aheimar, located in the Upper Khabur, northeastern Syria, is an early Neolithic settlement that chrono-culturally spans from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) to the Proto-Hassuna period (Pottery Neolithic). The site is one of the largest and best documented Neolithic sites in this relatively poorly investigated region in Upper Mesopotamia. Among the occupation sequence of the site with well-defined architectural phases, the Late PPNB settlement (late 8th to early 7th millennium cal. BC) is characterized by an extensive mud-brick architecture, which comprises large multi-roomed rectangular buildings and gypsum-plastered floors. Our research questions center on the identification of domestic activities and their spatial distributions in the site through integrated studies of phytoliths and dung spherulites using an ethnoarchaeological approach. The ethnoarchaeological research included the study of agricultural and dung remains obtained from modern domestic structures from the top of the tell and the modern village of Seker al-Aheimar. The examined activity areas and materials comprised indoor storage and processing spaces, open areas, fireplaces, building materials and livestock enclosures. We use the ethnoarchaeological results to interpret the distributions of both phytolith and spherulite concentrations in archaeological contexts in terms of domestic activities that took place both within and outside buildings. Building spaces and their adjacent areas showed material accumulation resulting from household debris, including food remains, construction materials, matting, hearth cleaning and fuel residues. Indoor activities included the use of certain areas for storage, cereal-processing and cooking. The identification of livestock dung remains in fireplaces suggests the use of dung as a fuel source. We compare these new results with our previous studies of different phases and areas of the site to discuss diachronic and spatial trends in Neolithic household behaviors at Tell Seker al-Aheimar. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Plant macrofossil analysis, phytolith analysis and AMS radiocarbon dating at Pınarbaşı in central Anatolia confirm the presence and continuity of plant gathering practice as a key subsistence strategy from c. 9000–7700 cal BC. Results demonstrate the use of almond, terebinth and hackberry as food plants, similar to Palaeolithic/Epipalaeolithic subsistence strategies in the Antalya region. Crop and/or crop progenitor use is unsupported, with sporadic cereal macrofossils rare and shown by direct radiocarbon dating to be intrusive, a conclusion supported by the phytolith analysis. Seed exploitation is also rejected. Results confirm the presence of sedentary foragers from 9000 cal BC in central Anatolia, contemporary with the Levantine PPNA-Early PPNB, suggest a different plant subsistence focus to contemporary forager societies in the Fertile Crescent and indicate economic differences with contemporary sites in central Anatolia which were already cultivating crops. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hulled barley is one of the most frequently recovered cereals in European archaeological sites from Roman and medieval periods. In southern France this cereal is common in carbonized contexts such as cultural layers, ditches, pits, hearths, etc. The distinction between the two subspecies, two-rowed (Hordeum vulgare subsp. distichum L.) and six-rowed barley (H. vulgare subsp. vulgare L.) is usually based on morphological characters. The following criteria can be used to discriminate both subspecies from archaeological remains: the number of fertile spikelets per rachis segments, the linear or horseshoe shape depression of the lemma base, the maximum width of the caryopses and the proportion of twisted grains. The recovery of thousands of caryopses, some clearly twisted, and of rachis segments with sterile spikelets from the site of Petit Clos (Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales, France) dating to the Roman period suggests that both subspecies were cultivated during this time in southern Gaul. However evidence for two-rowed barley is usually scarce in archaeobotanical reports from Roman and medieval sites. To confirm the presence of two-rowed barley in the carbonized assemblage from Petit Clos and its cultivation, we developed a new method for analysing caryopses shape using geometric morphometrics with landmarks and sliding semi-landmarks. We compared modern reference specimens to the archaeological grains from several excavations from southern France dating from the 1st to the 11th century AD. Several varieties of both subspecies were correctly identified in the modern reference sample using GMM, both before and after carbonization. Archaeological specimens could then be accurately identified. The results confirm that both subspecies of barley were cultivated in southern France during the Roman period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study presents archaeobotanical data that allow for a better understanding of the scale and timing of agricultural production during the Late Roman/Byzantine period (A.D. 284–500) at the site of Bir Madhkur, which lies in the hinterland of the ancient Nabataean capital of Petra, Jordan. The desert of the Wadi Araba region that encompasses Bir Madhkur has not changed significantly since antiquity and is surrounded by ancient agricultural fields and associated farmhouses. Analysis of the archaeobotanical remains recovered from 62 soil samples address questions related to how and when plants were grown and what role they played in the local and regional economy. Two varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. aestivum L. and T. aestivum ssp. compactum ((Host) Mackey), several legumes and fruits have been identified. There is also evidence of crop by-products and weeds specific to crop fields, which support local agriculture. In addition to the archaeobotanical remains, evidence of dung fuel has been recovered and is likely the source of the charred chaff and weed species. The archaeobotanical data provide direct evidence of increase in agricultural production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this study is to assess the potential of charred archaeobotanical cereal grain and pulse seed δ13C and δ15N values to provide evidence of crop growing conditions and as a potential component of palaeodietary studies. In order to reliably interpret archaeobotanical δ13C and δ15N values it is necessary to take into account the impact of charring, burial and laboratory pre-treatment procedures. We examine the effects of charring and burial on bulk δ13C, δ15N, %C, %N and C:N ratios in modern cereal and pulse material, and of cleaning by acid–base–acid (ABA) pre-treatment on modern and archaeobotanical charred material. Our study utilised bulk grain and seed samples to help account for within-ear/pod and between-plant variability in δ13C and δ15N values. Heating at relatively low temperatures and for prolonged times (230 °C for up to 24 h) is conducive to the formation of well preserved, undistorted charred cereal grain and pulse seed. Heating for 24 h has a systematic and predictable effect on δ15N values, with increases of around 1‰ on average in cereal grains and pulse seeds, and no consistent impact on δ13C values. Increases in δ15N are likely due to the loss of lighter 14N via N-containing volatiles. Burial (for up to 2 years) and ABA pre-treatment have no significant effects on δ13C or δ15N values. After pre-treatment, however, the %C and %N contents of the archaeobotanical material more closely resembles that of the modern charred grains and seeds, suggesting that archaeobotanical remains accumulate non-structural material during burial but retain their original carbon and nitrogen content. Therefore %C, %N contents and C:N ratios can provide useful criteria for assessing archaeobotanical preservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Agriculture has been crucial in sustaining human populations in South Asia across dramatically variable environments for millennia. Until recently, however, the origins of this mode of subsistence in India have been discussed in terms of population migration and crop introduction, with limited focus on how agricultural packages were formulated and utilised in local contexts. Here, we report the first measurements of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values in well-preserved charred crop remains from sites spanning the Neolithic/Chalcolithic to the Early Historic in two very different environmental zones: tropical East India and the semi-arid Deccan. The results show that this approach offers direct insight into prehistoric crop management under contrasting environmental constraints. Our preliminary results plausibly suggest that early farmers in India experimented with and made strategic use of water and manure resources in accordance with specific crop requirements and under varying environmental constraints. We suggest that the development of modern crop isotope baselines across India, and the application of this methodology to archaeological assemblages, has the potential to yield detailed insight into agroecology in India's past. • First archaeobotanical stable isotope data from Neolithic/Chalcolithic peninsular India. • Direct insight into crop management by early farmers. • Early farmers strategically used water resources to tackle environmental constraints. • Early farmers exploited dung and dung-ash as manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent investigations of an apparently 'empty,' partly disturbed Viking chamber grave in Denmark (Fregerslev II, dated around the mid-10th century CE) provided an opportunity to develop a novel multi-scale and multi-method analysis of burial and post-burial processes. To overcome the limitations of poor preservation of artefacts and bones, and the lack of a clear macrostratigraphic sequence, we integrated multi-proxy analyses of organic and inorganic materials to study the spatial architecture, burial, and post-depositional processes, including soil chemistry (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry - ICPMS, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer - pXRF), soil micromorphology, archaeobotany (wood, seeds, fruits, phytoliths), palynology (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs), and faecal lipid biomarkers. The results enabled the detailed characterisation, spatial analysis, and sequencing of burial deposits, and the identification of post-depositional factors responsible for the poor preservation of the burial. Soil, phytolith and pollen data indicated that the base of the grave was covered with a matting of plant material, and there was no wooden floor. Faecal biomarkers detected substantial amounts of faecal matter, most probably originating from horse faeces, suggesting that a horse died in situ , and trace amounts of pig faeces, which are more likely to have been trampled into the grave. Enriched phosphorus concentrations could be linked to the bodies in the northern and southern sector of the grave. Furthermore, enrichment in lead was found where metal objects were recovered. The findings from Fregerslev II show that integrating high-resolution approaches to the analysis of poorly preserved burial contexts can fundamentally transform archaeological interpretations. • Multi-proxy analyses reveal burial practices at a Viking grave with no bone preserved. • Geochemistry, micromorphology, archaeobotany and palynology define spatiotemporal burial processes. • Faecal biomarkers and elemental mapping detect traces of human and horse inhumations. • Soil, archaeobotanical and palynological data show a bedding of grass and herbs on the grave base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is often assumed that the colonisation of Greenland by Norse settlers in c. A.D. 985 had a sudden and dramatic effect on the environment, involving substantial vegetation clearance and environmental degradation. Consequently, it has been argued that charcoal-rich horizons, visible in many sections in Greenland, represent the initial burning of the vegetation by Norse farmers to create land suitable for agriculture. In this study a charcoal-rich layer, visible in a modern drainage ditch beside the Norse farm of Ø69, was analysed using archaeobotany, sedimentary analysis and radiocarbon dating to test the date and formation processes of the horizon. It is demonstrated that the charcoal-rich layer at Ø69 was not derived from in situ vegetation burning in the 10th century and concluded that the layer was probably formed by the addition of midden material to the infields around Ø69 in the 13th and 14th centuries cal AD, perhaps as part of a soil amendment strategy. It is argued that caution must be exercised when interpreting charcoal-rich horizons as time-specific chronological markers in palaeoenvironmental sequences in Greenland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A review of archaeobotanical data, together with new, still unpublished data, from Roman sites in conventus Bracaraugustanus suggests the Romanization of the northwest Iberia brought little changes to the agricultural strategies of local communities in indigenous-type settlements. The main crops remain the same as in the Iron Age: Triticum aestivum/durum, Panicum miliaceum, Hordeum vulgare subsp. vulgare, Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccum and T. aestivum subsp. spelta, Avena and Vicia faba. The first secure reference for the cultivation of Secale cereale in the region comes from a Roman context, suggesting that it was introduced in this period, although it probably remained a minor crop. It is possible that during Roman times we have the first evidences for the cultivation of vine in the southernmost part of the conventus, near the river Douro but there are no signs of olive trees cultivation. Overall, not all the innovations usually attributed to the Romans are recorded in northwest Iberia. This fits the general scenario of a region which maintained its rural character, although with some differences in territorial organization. However, the fact that almost all the sites with fruits and seeds are indigenous-type settlements (hillforts) demands caution while interpreting the data, namely the proportion between continuity and innovation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This research aims to shed light on the early stages of agricultural development in Northern Africa through the analysis of the rich macro-botanical assemblages obtained from Ifri Oudadane, an Epipalaeolithic–Early Neolithic site from North-East Morocco. Results indicate the presence of domesticated plants, cereals (Hordeum vulgare, Triticum monococcum/dicoccum, Triticum durum and Triticum aestivum/durum) and pulses (Lens culinaris and Pisum sativum) in the Early Neolithic. One lentil has been dated to 7611 ± 37 cal BP representing the oldest direct date of a domesticated plant seed in Morocco and, by extension, in North Africa. Similarities in both radiocarbon dates and crop assemblages from Early Neolithic sites in Northern Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula suggest a simultaneous East to West maritime spread of agriculture along the shores of the Western Mediterranean. Wild plants were abundantly collected in both the Epipalaeolithic and the Early Neolithic periods pointing to the important role of these resources during the two periods. In addition to fruits and seeds that could have been consumed by both humans and domesticated animals, fragments of esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima) rhizomes have been identified. This is a western Mediterranean native plant that may have been used as a source of fibres for basketry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fruit stones were discovered in Mr. Tiao Lei''s Tomb (around 300 AD) at Nanchang, China. The morphology and anatomy of the fruit stones were investigated. They are identified as belonging to three species, namely, Chinese plum (Prunus salicina Lindley), red bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.), and Chinese date (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.). These stones suggest the possibility of orchards in the local area, and the fresh or processed drupes of these three species probably played important roles in the tomb owner''s life. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents, for the first time, a detailed study, from an archaeological perspective, of the morphological characteristics of the starch grains within the kernels of selected native wild grasses found in the Central Pampas of Argentina. We compared native wild grasses to maize starch grains, which can be distinguished from each other based on their size, shape and other attributes. The majority of the studied grains did not share morphological characteristics with maize starch grains. Considering this, it can be said that, if irregular and polyhedral grains with transverse or radial fissures dominate the starch assemblage, maize identification may be done on the basis of both morphology and size. Additionally, this research contributes to the characterization of the starch grains of the Panicoideae subfamily, which includes maize. Several classes of simple and compound starch grains are described and defined for native species of Pooideae, Chloridoideae, Arundinoideae, and Panicoideae subfamilies. The results obtained may constitute a baseline for the future determination of maize and wild grass use in archaeological contexts belonging to Middle/Late Holocene hunter–gatherers in the Pampas of Argentina and neighboring areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]