Analysis Of Plant Macroremains Research Articles

W8banaki Subsistence Patterns During the 18th and 19th Centuries at the Fort Odanak Site, Québec, Canada

ABSTRACT Built in the early eighteenth century on the banks of the Saint-François River (Québec, QC, Canada), the fortified Jesuit mission of Saint-François-de-Sales was an important W8banaki centre during the colonial period. Between 2010 and 2021, archaeological excavations conducted by the W8banaki Nation led to the discovery of the mission’s remains at the Fort Odanak site (CaFe-7) in the historical centre of the village of Odanak. They revealed numerous pit features (used for food storage or refuse disposal), post moulds and hearths, along with diverse artifact assemblages. The analysis of plant macro-remains found in six pits and two hearths at the site was undertaken to document the evolution of culinary practices at the mission and to reconstruct the local environment and its exploitation by the mission’s inhabitants. Results suggest the persistence of traditional Indigenous subsistence patterns during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as well as the integration of European foods into the Abenaki diet via trade and close contact with Canadien (i.e. French Canadian) farmers in the region.

Interdisciplinary research of ash heap sediment near Stepnoye settlement (Chelyabinsk Oblast)

An ash heap is defined as a specific object at an archaeological site, usually in the form of a separate hillock containing a layer of finely-dispersed greyish-yellow or ash-coloured soil. The existing assumptions about the formation and functional pur-pose of ash heaps, as special archaeological objects found near the Bronze Age pastoral settlements, have so far been poorly supported by scientific data. At the ash heap near the Sintashta fortified settlement of Stepnoye, Chelyabinsk Oblast, for the first time, large-scale and comprehensive studies were carried out on the structure of these deposits, their granulometric and geo-chemical composition, in combination with the analysis of plant macroremains, paleoparasites, microbiomorphic and palynologi-cal complexes, indicative bacterial groups, and keratinophilic fungi. Judging by the archaeological materials, it is patently obvi-ous that this was a multifunctional object that developed over many centuries and played different roles at different stages. The results of the conducted analyses showed that the 45 cm thick “ash” horizon in the Stepnoye ash heap contains a significant proportion of a fine sand fraction, and not a silty fraction. An increase in the biophilic elements (predominantly calcium, as well as phosphorus and sulphur), accumulated mainly in the organic matter of faunal origin, was noted in the upper bench of the ash layer. However, the high concentration of phytoliths in the “ashy” deposits indicates that the layer was formed mainly as a result of the accumulation of a large amount of plant organic matter. The absence of charcoal and the scarcity of charred macro-remains indicate that the deposited organic material was not burnt but decomposed naturally. The increased content of sapro-trophic bacteria in the “ashy” layer also supports the natural decomposition of an organic matter. The composition of the phyto-lithic and pollen spectrum of the “ashy” horizon is not typical for the steppe of the south of Western Siberia, since it is dominated by a group of mixed herbs with elements of a ruderal flora, and not by cereals. All the data supports the hypothesis that the ash heap is the result of regular practice of cleaning of the floor and interiors of the buildings of the fortified settlement of Stepnoye. This is evidenced by the increase in the number of keratinophilic fungi, which decompose wool and hair and therefore accumu-late in the occupational layer of the structures. Based on the results of the study, the hypotheses that the Stepnoye ash heap is a place of consolidated ash removal or composting of stable manure were rejected.

The archaeobotany of Qaratepe, Azerbaijan 2nd–13th century

This paper presents the results of an archaeobotanical analysis of plant macro-remains recovered during excavations of a rural tepe site at Qaratepe, Azerbaijan, occupied during the Sasanian and Islamic periods between the 2nd and 13th centuries ad. The material derives from a 4 year Oxford University expedition which occurred between 2015 and 2018, ‘The Archaeological Exploration of Barda Project (AEB)’, established to investigate the provincial structure of the eastern Caucasus region in the Late Antique and early Islamic periods. Traditionally, archaeological practice in Azerbaijan has not embraced environmental archaeological techniques and despite the region’s importance to the understanding of early agriculture and the diffusion of crop species during the Islamic period, little archaeobotanical research has been conducted there to date. This assemblage therefore forms a rare and unique contribution to the field of archaeobotany in the Late Antique and Islamic periods in Azerbaijan and provides the first archaeobotanical evidence of crop husbandry at a rural settlement during these periods. In total, 8,676 carbonised plant remains representing a minimum of 60 species were recorded from 80 samples analysed, providing important insights into plant utilisation in Azerbaijan (Full taxonomic list available in on-line supplementary material (ESM)). Archaeobotanical evidence has revealed the range of crops cultivated and consumed at the site between the 2nd and 13th centuries. Results demonstrate that naked wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) were the primarily cultivated crops between the 2nd and 6th centuries, key crops that have been present in the Southern Caucasus for several millennia. The study has also identified the cultivation of rice (Oryza sativa), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), and melon (Melo sativa) in the 13th century, indicating a change in agricultural production in the Islamic period and the introduction of several new cultivars and agricultural adaptions.

Botanical composition of meadows and pastures and their role in the functioning of early medieval semi-artificial lake islands in Ziemia Lubuska (Lubusz land), western Poland

Continuation of archaeobotanical and palaeoecological research on three semi-artificial lake islands, Nowy Dworek, Chycina and Lubniewice, has provided new information on the history, development and use of grasslands in Ziemia Lubuska (Lubusz land) in western Poland during the early Middle Ages. Pollen analysis reveals that the reduction in woodland and opening up of the regional landscape and the appearance of grassland communities there began around the 7th century ad, which preceded the construction of the islands in the lakes. The analysis of plant macroremains collected from the settlement layers on these islands, of pollen from cores in the lakes and studies of the phytosociological plant communities of recent vegetation have helped to describe the botanical composition of these past meadows and pastures. The results show strong similarities between the three sites, which suggests that the local populations were using the same grassland types, which were on soils ranging from damp to rather dry and sandy. The main grassland in the vicinity of the islands included the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea syntaxonomical class of communities, although Festuco-Brometea grasslands were also present. The presence of plant remains associated with various other types of meadows and pastures shows the diversity of habitats represented by the plant remains.

Use of plants by hunter-gatherers at coastal sites: The case of Cabo San Pablo 2017 (Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina)

This paper presents the results of the analysis of plant macroremains (except wood), primarily seeds and fruits, from Cabo San Pablo 2017 (CSP2017), an archaeological site close to the Atlantic coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. CSP2017 has a great diversity of archaeological materials, including faunal, lithic, carpological, and anthracological remains. The data are especially relevant due to the scarcity of information regarding plant use at coastal sites in the region. At CSP2017 eleven taxa were identified. The results obtained provide data on plant use at the site and, at the same time, enable discussion of the management and use of these types of resources on Isla Grande. By placing these results in context with previously studied coastal and hinterland sites, research at CSP2017 contributes to a better understanding of plant use by hunter-gatherers of the southernmost part of South America.

Holocene environmental changes in a prehistoric mining and metallurgical region in the light of paleobotanical studies of the bogs of the Brynica river drainage basin (southern Poland)

The analyses of human-environment interactions in prehistoric and medieval mining and metallurgical centres in Europe result in various assessments of the environmental impact of early metal ore mining and metallurgy. In some mining and metallurgical sites or areas, such as the prehistoric basin on the Greek island of Kythnos or the later Morvan and Mont Lozère areas in France as well as Tjursbosjön in Sweden, the impact was significant and lasting. In others, such as: Cors Fochno in Wales, the Falkenstein region in Austria, or the Northern Vosges Mountains in France, the environmental changes were limited and reversible.The results of palaeobotanical research (pollen analysis and analysis of plant macroremains) in peat cores from southern Poland enabled the Holocene vegetation transformations in one of the oldest mining regions in Central Europe to be reconstructed. They also provided new data, used to assess the impact of settlements as well as the development of metallurgy on the environment in the region and changes in bog ecosystems. The first changes in vegetation caused by human activity were observed at the boundary between the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. They are documented by pollen indicating shepherding activity and single grains of cereal pollen. The greatest intensity of change, reflected in sediment as a maximum concentration of charcoal, was recorded at the end of the Bronze Age and attributed to the Lusatian culture. The changes in the vegetation under the impact of human activity until the early Middle Ages were reversible and had a local scope. The intensification of slash-and-burn agriculture was indicated as the most probable and important cause.

Microrrestos de vegetales cultivados y silvestres en fragmentos cerámicos. Primeras evidencias en el Centro Occidente argentino

West-central Argentina was the southern limit of the spread of agriculture in South America until European arrival, and the consumption of agricultural products varied its intensity during the last 2,000 years. A first for this region, this paper analyzes plant micro-remains adhered to the surfaces of ceramic fragments from northern Mendoza archaeological sites: Rincon de Los Helados (pre-cordillera) and Memorial de la Bandera (piedmont). Our aim is to present a preliminary study on the use of plants between ca . 2,000 and 1,000 years BP, and thereby contribute to data concerning the function of ceramic vessels. The results indicate the presence of maize and algarrobo starch, supporting previous analyses of plant macro-remains and isotopes in human bones.

Archaeological and Archaeobotanical Research at an Early Medieval Site in Wildno, Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship

The paper presents the results of the archaeological excavation of the Early Medieval site at Wildno (site 10) and the initial results of ongoing archaeobotanical analysis of plant macro-remains from the same site. During rescue excavation many archaeological features were found. Among them a few probable huts, smokehouses and tar pits were discovered. Inside them, plant macro-remains were found. Analyses showed remains of cultivated plant and weed species, which provides evidence of farming practice during early medieval times. The cultivated plants were Linum usitatissimum, Panicum miliaceum and Triticum aestivum.

Agriculture and Storage Practices in an Early Iron Age Household: Analyses of Plant Macro Remains at Tell Abu al-Kharaz, Jordan Valley

The discovery of exceptionally well-pre- served plant macroremains in an early Iron Age (11th century BCE) compound in Tell Abu al- Kharaz, Jordan Valley, sheds light on agricultural and storage practices in the Southern Levant. The samples, which primarily were intended to serve as dating material, were collected in four different basement rooms of the compound. The analysed samples consisted of edible plants such as wheat, barley, chickpea, grass pea, flax, lentil, olive, pomegranate and common grape. In contrast to other Levantine sites, where free-threshing wheat dominates in the Iron Age, the dominant cereal crop at Tell Abu al-Kharaz was emmer wheat, which is more tolerant to drought and poor soils and less susceptible to diseases. It is also easier to store, because is more resistant to pests, yet requires more work to process than free-threshing wheats. The assemblage in one of the rooms represents prime grain in the final stages of crop processing for meal preparation, which is further supported by the presence of (bread) ovens (tawabin and tananir) as well as mortars and grinding imple- ments in the compound. Judging by the storage capacity and the variety of botanical remains, it is suggested that the basement of the compound represents a private storage facility associated with domestic areas in the upper storey, rather than a communal storeroom.

From weeds to wheat: a diachronic approach to ancient biocultural diversity in the Santa María valley, northwest Argentina

The aim of this paper is to analyse continuities and changes in plant diversity and use in the southern part of the Santa Maria valley in northwest Argentina, from the 1st millennium ad up to the Spanish Conquest in the 16th century. Variable degrees of association between people and plants (wild, weedy and domesticated), as well as various management practices (gathering, cultivation, tolerance, eradication, protection and encouragement) were studied to investigate the biocultural history of this region through the analysis of plant macroremains from archaeological sites. Samples were obtained from four archaeological sites located in the valley, Rincon Chico 1, Rincon Chico 15, Soria 2 and El Colorado. As a result, we identified 628 macroremains belonging to 20 taxa and determined whether they were either wild plants, weeds or crops, related to strategies of gathering and cultivation. The results suggest that there were changes through time, with a dominance of ruderal weeds in the earliest of the archaeological sites along with a diversity of association degrees, while a division was found between wild and domesticated plants, represented by maize and Prosopis (algarrobo), in the sites of the Late period. This last scenario suggests that the growing of trees and shrubs together with crops and pasture (agroforestry), or woodland management together with grazing (silvopasture), could have been part of the past land management practices in the area. Chenopodium remains indicate past complexes of wild plants, weeds and crops growing together in the cultivated plots; the newly introduced crops brought from Spain, such as wheat and barley, did not replace the local plants, mainly Prosopis (algarrobo) and Zea mays (maize), which were still grown during early colonial times. This paper offers a diachronic perspective on plant management in a particular region, considering a plant record that is still limited, but which allows us to get a first glimpse of how plant management strategies may have changed in this part of South America.

Macrobotanical remains and shell-midden formation processes, are they related? The case of Poças de São Bento (Portugal)

The analysis of plant macroremains from Pocas de Sao Bento, a shell-midden in the Sado Valley (Portugal), has provided interesting insights into the shell-midden formation processes and the presence of resources which are often “invisible” in this kind of sites. Preservation and representation issues are discussed in a bidirectional way. Potential complementary explanations for the presence of such plant remains in hunter-gatherer open-air sites are offered. The understanding of plant exploitation patterns by these last hunter-gatherers in Portugal is crucial for the comprehension of the multifaceted phenomena of Neolithisations, in this case, characterised by a long availability phase and ultimate adoption of domesticates.

Aportaciones de la antracología al conocimiento del marco paleoecológico y paleoeconómico del castillo de Juslibol (Zaragoza) en época medieval

The results of the wood charcoal analysis of plant macroremains contained in the walls of the Juslibol (Zaragoza) medieval castle built in Islamic period (tenth century) are presented. Analyzed samples have been recovered in fallen walls. The approach to archaeobotanical record occurs from two perspectives. On the one hand, from a palaeoecological perspective, the data show the characteristics of vegetation around this fortification composed of a typical Mediterranean climate, steppe and semi-arid species. On the other hand, we documented a high percentage of species related to arboriculture. Walnut high percentages and relative distance of its potential natural habitats, indicate a possible abundance of this tree in surrounding areas as irrigation crop. This provides palaeoecological information through use strategies of the forest environment, such as the amortization of pruning in the construction of the wall of Juslibol (Zaragoza) castle, in the context of the defense of Saraqusta against the advance Christian troops from the north, which seems to be due to economic criteria.

Environmental and climate changes reflected in the Domuraty 2 section (NE Poland) based on analysis of plant macroremains

Abstract Research in the Domuraty 2 section was focused on a series of lacustrine-river-swamp deposits in which the full spectrum of vegetation and climate changes was recognised in a detailed analysis of plant macroremains and a comparison with the results of pollen analysis. Based on plant macrofossil data, two (Dom II, Dom III) of three palynologically documented warm units were distinguished in the Domuraty succession. The palaeobotanical data from the Domuraty succession document several successive local vegetation changes in both interglacial and glacial periods, which can be related to global climate oscillations. The succession of local vegetation stands and changes in the vegetation, climate, water level, and trophy during the period of the Domuraty succession were analysed and compared with corresponding parameters of the Augustovian and Ferdynandovian interglacials. The taxonomically most diverse unit is Warm unit Dom II, with the highest share of taxa with high thermal requirements, which was compared to the older Augustovian (A II) and younger Ferdynandovian (F II) units. The comparison of the Domuratovian interglacial flora to that of the Korchevian interglacial in Belarus shows high similarity; most of the extinct taxa or taxa unknown in the present-day flora are common to the Korchevian and Domuratovian floras, suggesting similar age for these two communities. However, the Domuratovian flora lacks a few species important to the Korchevian flora, such as Stratiotes goretskyi, Carex rostrata-pliocenica, Brasenia sp., Caulinia antiqua, Aldrovanda borysthenica, and A. zusii.

The potential of palaeoecological studies in archaeological wetland sites of the southern Baltic regions

The ancient lake settlement tradition is not characteristic of one particular geographical area or time period, but it is spread over various European regions and dates from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages (Menotti and O’Sullivan 2013). Already in the 19th century, lake settlements were discovered in the Baltic region as well as elsewhere. Although research concentrated on sites in Poland up to the end of the 20th century (Pydyn and Gackowski 2011; Pranck _ enait _ e 2014, this volume), recent discoveries have directed attention to Lake Luokesa (Luokesai ežeras), Lithuania, as the five articles in the present issue show. The Luokesa lake settlements L1 and L2, dated to the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, were discovered at the very beginning of the 21st century and excavated between 2000 and 2011. The excavation (mainly of L1) was carried out underwater and revealed a thick cultural layer, containing extraordinarily well preserved organic material, which allowed an unprecedented interdisciplinary palaeoecological investigation. In contrast, site L2 which was located on the opposite side of the lake consisted of a barren wooden platform without any cultural layers. Excavations were carried out by a team from the Department of Archaeology at Vilnius University and the Lithuanian Cultural Heritage Centre which included Z. Baubonis, R. Kraniauskas, M. Kvedaravicius, G. Motuzait _ e-Matuzeviciūt _ e, E. Pranck _ enait _ e and numerous volunteers. Part of the excavations and, above all, the entire palaeoecological investigations, which comprised soil micromorphology, pollen and plant macroremain analyses and dendrochronological studies carried out between 2008 and 2011, were fully funded by the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research within the Project ‘‘Understanding human occupation in later prehistoric Europe’’ (No. NF K-13K1-117893), directed by Francesco Menotti (IPAS, Basel University). The first article by E. Pranck _ enait _ e gives a comprehensive overview of the history of lake settlement research in north-eastern Europe. The excavated settlement structures and finds at L1 and L2 are presented and the importance and unusual nature of the settlements stressed. Formerly raised hypotheses and interpretations of the origins as well as the development and use of the region’s lake settlements are discussed. This article forms an important review and starting point for the other papers dealing with the Luokesa sites, which present results of dendrochronology, geoarchaeology, palynology and archaeobotany. The dendrochronological study by N. Bleicher allows the Luokesa lake settlements to be placed within a precise Late Bronze/Early Iron Age (LBA/EIA) chronology for the first time. A 90 year long floating chronology of the settlement could be established and fitted to the time axis by wiggle-matching radiocarbon dates to 625 and 535 BC (2r range). The duration of the settlements however was much shorter, for example L1 was in use for only ca. 16 years. S. Jacomet (&) Department of Environmental Sciences, Basel University, Institute for Prehistory and Archaeological Science, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland e-mail: stefanie.jacomet@unibas.ch

The environmental and cultural contexts of the late Iron Age and medieval settlement in the Mazurian Lake District, NE Poland: combined palaeobotanical and archaeological data

Pollen analysis of sediments from three lakes and analysis of plant macroremains including charcoal from archaeological sites in the Mazurian Lake District provide new data for the reconstruction of vegetation changes related to human activity between the 1st and 13th century ad. At that time settlements of the Bogaczewo culture (from the turn of the 1st century ad to the first part of the 5th century ad), the Olsztyn Group (second part of the 5th century ad to the 7th or beginning of the 8th century ad), and the Prussian Galinditae tribes (8th/9th–13th century ad) developed. The most intensive woodland clearing occurred between the 1st and 6th/7th century ad. Presence of Cerealia-type, Secale cereale and Cannabis-type pollen, as well as macroremains of Hordeum vulgare, S. cereale, Triticum spelta, T. cf. monococcum, T. cf. dicoccum, Avena sp. and Panicum miliaceum documented local agriculture. High Betula representation synchronous with microcharcoal occurrence suggests shifting agriculture. After forest regeneration between c. ad 650 and 1100, the area was strongly deforested due to the early medieval occupation by Prussian tribes. The archaeobotanical examination of samples taken in a cemetery and a large settlement of the Roman Iron Age revealed strong differences in the taxonomic composition of the fossil plant remains. An absolute dominance of birch charcoal in the samples from the cemetery indicates its selective use for funeral pyre construction. There is a difference between cereals found in both contexts: numerous grains of Triticum have been found in the cemetery, while in the settlement crops were represented mostly by Secale and Hordeum. Grass tubers, belonging probably to Phleum pratense, are among the particularly interesting plant remains found in the cemetery.

Fuelwood, crops and acorns from Iritegi cave (Oñati, Basque Country)

We present the analyses of plant macroremains from Iritegi, a cave from Northern Iberia with archaeological levels dated from the Chalcolithic to the Iron Age. Wood charcoal assemblages are dominated throughout the sequence by Fraxinus. Other important taxa are Quercus subg. Quercus, followed by Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Ilex aquifolium, Taxus baccata and Ulmus. Acer, Alnus and Maloideae occur in very low numbers. The high percentages of Fraxinus are possibly result from the selection of ash for fodder. Evidence for the use of crops (Hordeum vulgare, Triticum aestivum/durum) comes only from the Chalcolithic contexts. The identification of acorns in one Chalcolithic hearth shows that roasting of these nuts was taking place maybe to improve taste and to facilitate further processing or to improve storage conditions. The results show that plant food gathering still played a role within the subsistence of farming human groups in the region.

Long-term dynamics of fire refuges in boreal mixedwood forests

Burned areas in boreal mixedwood forests usually include tree patches that partially or entirely escaped fire. Some of these post-fire residual stands – called fire refuges – can escape several consecutive fires due to particular microsite conditions. Despite their potential importance as biodiversity hotspots, the long-term forest dynamics of fire refuges is unknown. High-resolution analysis of plant macroremains retrieved from forest organic matter profiles sampled in five fire refuges allowed us to describe up to 8000 years of forest dynamics. Our results display the importance of local conditions in forest dynamics. Wildfire was probably prevented by high moisture, as indicated by the presence of aquatic taxa and moisture-tolerant tree species. Lack of stand-replacing fire, coupled with organic matter accumulation, favored the millennial persistence of late-successional tree species. Shifts from spruce/larch dominance to fir/cedar dominance were noted at different occasions during the Holocene, probably resulting from endogenous processes.

Palaeobotanical evidence for agricultural activities in the Eifel region during the Holocene: plant macro-remain and pollen analyses from sediments of three maar lakes in the Quaternary Westeifel Volcanic Field (Germany, Rheinland-Pfalz)

As a part of the ELSA-project (Eifel Laminated Sediment Archive) new pollen and plant macro-remain analyses have been carried out on a series of Holocene lacustrine sediments from three open maar lakes of the Quaternary Westeifel Volcanic Field. In combination with already existing pollen analyses, the archaeological record and written sources, the present study casts new light on settlement activities and henceforth the development of agriculture from the prehistoric to historic times in this region. While there are clues that wood pasturing was practised in the Eifel region from the Michelsberg Culture onwards (c. 4300 cal. b.c.), the Vulkaneifel is a remote area with relatively poor soils and a humid climate and was not constantly settled until the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, when cereal pollen was found regularly in the deposits. Plant macro-remains (chaff), which give us direct evidence for arable agriculture in the surroundings of the maars, were also found in layers belonging to the Early Bronze Age (c. 1900 cal. b.c.). At the same time we can observe the massive spread of Fagus sylvatica (beech) in all pollen diagrams, which was most probably caused by a combination of climatic, anthropogenic and competitive factors. Later impacts of agriculture were an abundance of crop weeds and pollen in the following Middle Bronze Age. Nevertheless human impact remained discontinuous until the Urnfield Culture (1200–800 cal. b.c.). A layer of weeds dating at the end of the Urnfield Culture was found and also flax (Linum usitatissimum) cultivation first becomes apparent. However, the subsequent Iron Age and Roman Period reveal only crop weeds and cereal pollen in slightly higher concentrations, but the abundance of Poaceae pollen at this time is most probably consistent with grazing activities. There follows compelling evidence of the importance of flax cultivation and processing at the maars from the Merovingian Period (5th century a.d.) onwards. A detailed insight into the agriculture of the High Medieval comes from flash flood layers of the 14th century a.d., where remains of Secale cereale (rye) and crop weeds reflect winter-sown cultivation of rye. Cannabis sativa (hemp) was also cultivated and processed during the medieval. Finally we can trace the Prussian reforestation in the 19th century a.d., with an increase in Pinus sylvestris (pine) and Picea abies (fir), by both pollen and plant macro-remains.

Relations between assemblages of carpological remains and modern vegetation in a shallow reservoir in southern Poland

This paper explores relations between assemblages of carpological remains and vegetation in and around a small, shallow reservoir in southern Poland. The study was conducted from 2006 to 2008. Quantity and distribution of species in the reservoir were recorded annually during the growing season. In October 2008, 40 samples of surface sediment (top 2 cm) were collected along transects at 10 m intervals. Samples of 100 cm3 were prepared for analysis of plant macroremains. Assemblages of carpological remains generally reflect local vegetation well. In some cases, however, even analysis of numerous samples failed to fully capture the species composition or reflect plant ratios in the parent phytocenosis. Reasons for this include factors that affect seed production, transport and fossilization, which differ among species. Among the best-represented macroremains were plants of the rush phytocenosis. In analysed samples, macroremains of 68.8 % of extant rushes were identified. Sixty percent of submerged and floating-leaf taxa were found in carpological samples, whereas 26.7 % of the trees and bushes were represented in sediment deposits. Species composition of phytocenoses in the reservoir and in surrounding areas was best reflected by macroremains from the nearby reed bed. Numbers of diaspores of Mentha aquatica, Hippuris vulgaris and Carex reflected well their relative abundance in phytocenoses. Chara sp., Juncus inflexus and Eupatorium cannabinum were overrepresented, whereas Typha latifolia and Sparganium minimum were poorly represented in relation to contemporary plant cover. There were no diaspores of Phragmites australis, which dominates the contemporary reed bed. Besides the shape of a reservoir, the key factor influencing diaspore numbers is distribution of plant cover. In many cases, single diaspores (Potentilla erecta, Myosotis scorpioides, Lythrum salicaria, Scutellaria galericulata), or higher concentrations (Hippuris vulgaris, Mentha aquatica, Eleocharis palustris, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Chara sp.) reflected well the location of parent vegetation. The findings indicate that carpological remains in sediments can be an important source of information about plants in and around lakes. They generally reflect well local vegetation and in some cases may be used to identify taxa that dominated in the past.

Archaeological and Archaeobotanical Research at an Early Medieval Site in Wildno, Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship

Abstract The paper presents the results of the archaeological excavation of the Early Medieval site at Wildno (site 10) and the initial results of ongoing archaeobotanical analysis of plant macro-remains from the same site. During rescue excavation many archaeological features were found. Among them a few probable huts, smokehouses and tar pits were discovered. Inside them, plant macro-remains were found. Analyses showed remains of cultivated plant and weed species, which provides evidence of farming practice during early medieval times. The cultivated plants were Linum usitatissimum, Panicum miliaceum and Triticum aestivum.