Plant macro-remains from a large middle Neolithic settlement in SE Poland – Internal diversification and possible status of the settlers

Abstract

The Mozgawa site, covering area of ca. 40 ha, is located in the loess area in SE Poland. It belongs to large settlements of the Middle Neolithic Funnel Beaker culture (TRB) and was occupied ca. 3600–3200 BCE. The aim of the research was to assess the role of plants in the life of the settlers, including domesticated and wild food resources as well as possibilities of non-alimentary use of herbal plants. The connection of two types of plant macroremains, namely seeds/fruits and wood charcoal, found in three different parts of the site was done to evaluate possibility of spatial palaeoeconomic differentiation between the sectors of the settlement. The site is exceptional among the other TRB dry sites studied due to high quantities of flax seeds and pulses, namely lentil, although the most numerous were wheat remains, mostly emmer grains. The high number of charred seeds of gromwell, the crop weed but also a source of purple dye, which was linked to flax seeds in statistical analysis, could suggest production of purple or red textiles at the site. High significance of textile production can be supported by discovery of a broad spectrum of utensils, representing all chaîne opératoire stages. Nonetheless, there are no convincing archaeological premises according specialisation of textile production at the settlement. Taking into account the proportions of main groups of plants among the three studied parts of the site, some differences were noticed, which could indicate the diversification of past activities at the settlement. The detailed study of other categories of findings and exact spatial–temporal scheme of settlement development are necessary to confirm this diversification and assess whether it mirrors higher material and social status of people living in the central part of the settlement than those living in the NW and SE parts.