TAPHONOMIC OBSERVATIONS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WHEAT PHYTOLITHS FROM NEOLITHIC ÇATALHÖYÜK, TURKEY, AND THE USE OF CONJOINED PHYTOLITH SIZE AS AN INDICATOR OF WATER AVAILABILITY*

Abstract

An investigation of wheat husk phytoliths from a midden deposit at Neolithic Çatalhöyük provided the opportunity to investigate the impact of taphonomic processes on conjoined phytolith size. Wheat husk phytoliths from a possible crop processing deposit were examined using three methods. The results indicate that the size of conjoined forms decreases significantly as a result of laboratory extraction and slide preparation. Observations of the phytolith layer in thin section show some of the depositional and post-depositional processes affecting phytolith size. These results indicate that these taphonomic factors need further investigation before conjoined phytolith size can be used to infer past water availability and agricultural practices.