Archaeobotanical Analysis Research Articles

Plant Based Subsistence Strategy of the Medieval Ishmaelite (12th–13th c.) Population in the Carpathian Basin (NE-Hungary)

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

Archaeobotanical Approaches in the Study of Food Production in Remote Oceania

This short topical review discusses recent archaeobotanical approaches to understanding food production in Remote Oceania (eastern Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia). The region presents some preservation and interpretative challenges, both due to the lack of cereal crops and the hot and humid climate that prevails through much of the area. Nevertheless, archaeobotanical analyses provide insight into topics such the transport of crops between islands and anthropogenic environmental change.

Trees of eternity-Pinus pinea L. in daily life, rituals, religion and symbolism. Archaeobotanical evidence from the territory of Bulgaria

Archaeobotanical research in ancient plant remains is of great importance for revealing and understanding different social, cultural and religious aspects of everyday life in the past. The increasing data and numerous publications that concern the potential of interdisciplinary methods in studying plant remains allow archaeologists and archaeobotanists to develop more precise and detailed interpretations. There is a large amount of publications discussing plants as a medium of communication in the ritual contexts, as sacrificial offerings in honor of the deities or in the funerary rituals as offerings to the deceased during the funeral feast. The aim of this paper is to review the available archaeobotanical data of the stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) from the territory of Bulgaria. Also the archaeobotanical analysis of macro remains of this imported species provide with valuable information about the common tendencies in religious and funeral practice during the Hellenistic and Roman period.

Plants and aromatics for embalming in Late Middle Ages and modern period: a synthesis of written sources and archaeobotanical data (France, Italy)

Occasionally mentioned in written sources since the Early Middle Ages, embalming with evisceration spreads considerably and becomes quite usual practice for aristocratic elites from the late 13th century to the early 19th century. Apothecaries prepare aromatic powders including many plant organs and exudates supposed to preserve the body. Numerous encyclopaedias and treatises of medicine list these ingredients and show that the recipes are very diverse. Moreover, several studies of embalmed bodies have demonstrated the potential of archaeobotanical analyses coupling pollen and macro-remains for identifying this material. This paper aims to compile a synthesis of written and archaeological sources from France and Italy, and to assess the relevance of an interdisciplinary approach for a better understanding of this aristocratic burial practice. It demonstrates that both types of sources and approaches are strongly complementary and highlights their inherent advantages and methodological limitations. In order to understand which criteria were determinant in the composition of the embalming powders, their medicinal, odoriferous and symbolic properties are discussed. Finally, this work proposes some methodological perspectives and triggers new research avenues on the history of pharmacy in Late Medieval and modern Europe.

Subsampling of large-volume samples in waterlogged sediments. A time-saving strategy or a source of error?

For the archaeobotanical analysis of waterlogged sediments, which are usually very rich in organic remains, subsampling is often necessary. Subsampling strategies for this kind of material are mostly based on non-empirical experience and have rarely been tested. In this paper, we compare results from small-volume subsamples with those from the large-volume residue of the master sample subsamples were drawn from. The extra-variability caused by lumpiness of the unprocessed waterlogged sediment was quantified in order to find out how much the necessary sample sizes need to increase for this type of sediment.We found that subsampling of unprocessed waterlogged material in general should only be done if it is indispensable, as it can introduce a bias. We propose methods to adapt sample sizes based on random sampling for unprocessed waterlogged sediment (where random sampling is impossible) so that the proportions or also the diversity of plant species can be estimated with sufficient precision in these sediments. However, it would be best to use an appropriate sieving method first and then subsample the processed residues of the material. We also think that it is important to clearly present the methods used for subsampling in publications and that more detailed tests about subsampling should be performed.

Preliminary analysis of plant macrofossils from an Early Iron Age structure in Kærbøl, Denmark, with special emphasis on segetal and ruderal weeds

Abstract The paper presents results from an archaeobotanical analysis of samples from an Early Iron Age building in Kærbøl, Denmark, and brings to light an interesting correlation between crops and weeds which most probably characterised the majority of Early Iron Age societies in Denmark. It is suggested that the weed species were the primary plants stored for various reasons and that the crops only accompanied them. The authors discuss the plausibility of interpreting weed species as food plants during the Danish Iron Age, and the possible function of the sampled structure.

Artillery and rigging artefacts from the Megadim wreck-site, Israel

Various artillery and rigging artefacts were retrieved from the Megadim wreck-site, Israel. The present research is aimed at determining the composition, microstructure and manufacturing processes of the objects, as well as their dating. Therefore, a multidisciplinary testing approach was applied, based on typology, metallurgical criteria, archaeobotanical analysis and 14C radiocarbon dating. Based on their typology, the three cannons found off Megadim were of Venetian origin. Metallurgical analysis of the three cannons revealed they were made of cast bronze, with tin (Sn) composition of 3.2–6.5wt%; and were most likely manufactured at the same European foundry. The chain links of the iron-bound deadeye were made of wrought-iron, manufactured by the bloomery process; and the forge-welding zone of the largest chain was located. Epi-illuminated and SEM analyses suggest that the deadeyes were made of Rhus coriaria, and the wads were made of Cupressus sempervirens and Pinus pinea. The largest breech chamber was made of cast leaded-bronze, probably manufactured of recycled alloys due to the low amount of tin. The other two chambers were made of wrought-iron, and based on their similar composition, were probably manufactured at the same workshop. Examination of the material extracted from the chambers suggests it was black powder. The bronze cannons were typologically dated to between the late 16th and the early 17th centuries. Based on the metallurgical criteria and the 14C analysis, it is suggested that all the objects were most likely manufactured before the middle of the 17th century. This research enhances our knowledge of the Megadim wreck-site, and provides better understanding of the manufacturing technologies of marine artillery and rigging elements in Europe between the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Plant remains from Jiyeh/Porphyreon, Lebanon (seasons 2009–2014): preliminary results of archaeobotanical analysis and implications for future research

The seaside settlement of Jiyeh in Lebanon, now identified with the ancient Porphyreon, boasts a history dating back to the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age when Phoenicia occupied part of the Levantine coast (eastern Mediterranean). Extensive archaeological excavations by a team from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw have focused on the urban residential quarter, which consists of numerous houses and buildings separated by passages, containing material that has provided important insights into the lives of its inhabitants over time. However, as archaeobotanical studies had not been conducted there before, the question of plant use remains an important and largely unknown area of research. This article presents the first botanical results from Jiyeh (seasons 2009–2014) and considers their implications for future cooperation between archaeologists and natural scientists.

EXCAVATIONS AT KURD QABURSTAN, A SECOND MILLENNIUMb.c. URBAN SITE ON THE ERBIL PLAIN

Excavations at the 109 hectare site of Kurd Qaburstan on the Erbil plain in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq were conducted by the Johns Hopkins University in 2013 and 2014. The Middle Bronze Age (Old Babylonian period) is the main period of occupation evident on the site, and the project therefore aims to study the character of a north Mesopotamian urban centre of the early second millenniumb.c. On the high mound, excavations revealed three phases of Mittani (Late Bronze) period occupation, including evidence of elite residential architecture. On the low mound and the south slope of the high mound, Middle Bronze evidence included domestic remains with numerous ceramic vessels left in situ. Also dating to the Middle Bronze period is evidence of a city wall on the site edges. Later occupations include a cemetery, perhaps of Achaemenid date, on the south slope of the high mound and a Middle Islamic settlement on the southern lower town. Faunal and archaeobotanical analysis provide information on the plant and animal economy of the second millenniumb.c. occupations, and geophysical results have documented a thirty-one hectare expanse of dense Middle Bronze Age architecture in the northern lower town.

The beginnings of fruit tree cultivation in the Iberian Peninsula: plant remains from the city of Huelva (southern Spain)

The combination of an archaeobotanical analysis from two different sites in the city of Huelva (Spain) and the identification of vine fields in the same area suggests that different fruit tree species (grapevine, olive, almond and pomegranate) and vegetables such as melon were introduced into the Iberian peninsula in the transition from the 9th to the 8th century cal bc. These dates represent the earliest chronology for arboriculture within the Iberian Peninsula. The material has been preserved by waterlogging allowing the preservation of a wide variety of species which indicate the development of fruit tree cultivation. The archaeological context provides information on the connections between this innovation and the Phoenician communities that established in the region in search of metal resources. Fruit tree cultivation, and particularly wine production, had a great impact on the local agriculture which was traditionally based on the production of annual crops. The new crops soon became an essential agricultural element of the communities that lived in the south and east of the Iberian Peninsula. From the 8th century cal bc onwards, agricultural production would be mostly market oriented.

Agriculture and exploitation of wild plants at Chalcolithic (4th to 3rd millennium cal BC) sites in Sardinia (Italy)

This paper present the results of archaeobotanical analysis carried out at two open-air sites dated to the first phase of the Copper Age, “Chalcolithic” (4th to 3rd millennium cal BC) in Sardinia. The sediment was systematically floated, a total of 3142 l was sampled and 4014 charred plant remains were identified. Chalcolithic agriculture in Sardinia was primarily based on the cultivation of Hordeum vulgare, H. vulgare var. nudum and Triticum aestivum/durum. Possible cultivated legumes of Vicia/Lathyrus, Vicia/Pisum and cf. Pisum sativum were identified. Linum sp. was also present, which may have been cultivated and exploited in Sardinia by the Chalcolithic community. The diet of the Chalcolithic community was complemented by the consumption of edible fruits such as Ficus carica, Sambucus sp. and Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris. Typical Mediterranean shrubs such as Pistacia lentiscus, Juniperus sp., Cistus sp., Malva sp. and Thymelaea hirsuta were also found.

Medieval markets: A soil micromorphological and archaeobotanical study of the urban stratigraphy of Lier (Belgium)

Market places remain underrepresented in studies of archaeological soil micromorphology. In Lier, micromorphology was applied to gain understanding of the stratigraphy and formation processes of the medieval “Grote Markt”. Block samples were obtained from a sediment profile that spanned the 11th-15th century and contained three separate phases of thick, dark-coloured, humic, homogeneous layers - so-called ‘dark earth’. Combined with textural and archaeobotanical analyses (seeds, fruits and phytoliths), the results shed light on the formation processes that shaped this site.The oldest dark earth, dated to the 11th century, was characterised by agricultural activities. The second dark earth (12–13th century) formed as a result of intensive human activities, witnessing the site's transformation to an urban space. This layer contained large amounts of organic matter and anthropogenic inclusions and developed gradually in situ. It probably represents an early market or open space close to dwellings or small courtyards. Units that contain evidence for intensive building activity separate the second and third dark earth, and are possibly the result of a spatial re-organisation of the square. The formation of the third dark earth, which started in the 14th century, is characterised by an intensification of traffic and craftworking activities. Surfaces may have been maintained by spreading organic matter such as leaves, sand and hearth detritus. However, there is no evidence for a kept, empty urban square before a thick layer of levelling sand was deposited (in the second half of the 14th century at earliest) and the market was cobbled. The analysis shows that mixed market activities took place in this intensively used zone, and presents a number of micromorphological characteristics and inclusions typical of a medieval market place in a temperate climate.

Archaeobotanical analysis of radiocarbon-dated plant remains with special attention to Secale cereale (rye) cultivation at the medieval village of Mankby in Espoo (Finland)

Several urban medieval sites in Finland (ad 1000–1500) have been archaeobotanically investigated, but until now only a few rural medieval settlements have been studied. Therefore, many aspects of the crops and agricultural methods of medieval villages in Finland still remain unknown. At the 12th to mid-16th century medieval village of Mankby, Espoo, a systematic sampling for archaeobotanical material was carried out. The analysed samples derived from hearths, building contexts and medieval field layers etc. The archaeobotanical material was carbonised, and it consisted mostly of conifer needles, cereal grains and weed seeds. Secale cereale (rye) and Hordeum vulgare (barley) were the only crop species found, Secale being the most frequent. Seeds of Bromus secalinus (rye brome) and achenes of Centaurea cyanus (cornflower), which are associated with autumn sown winter cereal crops, were also present. The archaeobotanical material shows areas of activity linked to storing crops, as well as cultivation within the village boundaries. Based on radiocarbon dated grains, cultivation of the fields started in the 12th century and continued until the abandonment of the village in 1556. Archaeobotanical material from Mankby has been compared to other contemporary sites in Finland, and differences between the sites can be seen. Results from Mankby have added to our knowledge of medieval agriculture, past areas of activity and economic conditions within the village.

Fuel and acorns: Early Neolithic plant use from Cueva de Chaves (NE Spain)

Cueva de Chaves is a particularly important archaeological site for the Early Neolithic of the northeast Iberian Peninsula. This study focuses on the archaeobotanical analysis of wood charcoals and charred fruits from two Neolithic levels dated from 5678 ± 50 to 5073 ± 107 cal BC. Charcoal analysis reveals the exploitation of firewood resources in different environments. A great variety of woody taxa and plant formations dominated by pines and oaks has been documented. The location of the archaeological site in a mid-mountain environment favors a mixed exploitation of resources in the valley and the mountains. Mesophytes indicate a relative humid environment where xerophytic and thermophilous trees and shrubs have an important presence. Taxonomic richness documented in the settlement provides an idea of long-term settling and development of diversified activities. The dramatic increase of colonizing secondary formations in the earliest level of occupation can only be explained by human intervention. According to pollen information human activity in the environment is well-documented since Early Neolithic that reveal the presence of several herbaceous plants (Plantago, Rumex, Chenopodiaceae, Asphodellus, etc). Among charred seeds we have only documented the presence of abundant and well-preserved acorns (Quercus sp.) but the presence of crops has not been attested just by indirect archaeological evidences.

THE 18TH CENTURY SEA FORTRESS OF RUOTSINSALMI, KOTKANSAARI IN FINLAND: ARCHAEOBOTANICAL DATA OF A LOG LATRINE

In archaeobotany, plant remains from latrines have been used to derive information on historical food consumption. In this interdisciplinary paper, we present new archaeological and archaeobotanical data from the 1790s sea fortress of Ruotsinsalmi in Kotkansaari, Finland. Archaeological research revealed the remains of an infantry barracks and a well-preserved log latrine at the sea fortress. The contents of the latrine were excavated, and waterlogged human faeces were found. To reconstruct the food consumption of the soldiers at the sea fortress, we carried out archaeobotanical analyses on the faeces. The waterlogged human faeces consisted purely of plant remains and fish bone fragments. The analysis of the plant remains gave records of 77 different plant taxa, and common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.) were identified for the first time from archaeological layers in Finland. The remarkable number of cultivated and exotic plants recorded from the faeces shows that imported as well as locally produced food was used. Latrines offer evidence of consumed food in the past Latrines are a type of primitive toilet that collects human faeces, and the word latrine originates from Latin 'latrina' or 'lavatrina' meaning 'to wash'. Latrines provide excellent preservation conditions, and therefore the content consists of a range of biological materials such as seeds, fruits and plant tissue. Latrines are historically also used as waste pits, where the household rubbish and sometimes even animal dung was thrown. Therefore, archaeological latrines are an excellent source of information on the past diet and waste disposal, and they also provide information about the natural surroundings of the latrine (Markle 2005, 427; Smith 2013, 526). Macrofossil, pollen, and zoological analyses of latrines have been conducted e.g. in Turkey (Baeten et al. 2012), England (Moffet 1992; Smith 2013), Germany (Wiethold 1995; Markle 2005), and Denmark (Andersen & Moltsen 2007). From Estonia over 30 latrines have been excavated (Bernotas 2008). Latrines have been excavated in Finland as well, from the medieval (AD 13th-16th c.) layers of Turku (Sartes & Lehtonen 2007; Seppanen 2012). However, no botanical analyses of these latrines have been carried out. Therefore, there has been little direct evidence of the diet. What cereals were eaten? Were exotic fruits parts of the diet? [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] The sea fortress of Ruotsinsalmi (1790-1855) in Kotkansaari was the predecessor of the present town of Kotka (1878-, Fig. 1). During the past ten years, some twenty archaeological studies have been conducted on the Island of Kotkansaari (Kykyri 2013a, 60; 2015, 38 f.). These investigations have shed new light on the history of the island, but so far only limited knowledge has been acquired concerning everyday life at the sea fortress. New information was gained when the Museum of Kymenlaakso carried out excavations at the sea fortress in the summer of 2013. During the excavations a log latrine containing waterlogged human faeces was discovered (Kykyri 2014a; Kykyri & Lempiainen-Avci 2014). These faeces were archaeobotanically analysed in order to find evidence of past human diet, and to gain detailed knowledge about the food consumed at the sea fortress. In this paper, we present new archaeological and archaeobotanical data from the sea fortress of Ruotsinsalmi in Kotkansaari, in addition to discussing the usage and origin of the plants which yielded archaeobotanical remains. The history of the fortress The sea fortress of Ruotsinsalmi was built in the 1790s on the Island of Kotkansaari and some smaller surrounding islands, by order of Empress Catherine the Great. The Gustavian war (1788-1790) between Sweden and Russia had shown that Russian defenses in south-eastern Finland were in need of prompt strengthening. In order to ensure the defense of St. …

A morfologia dos vasos Jê na produção de cauim de milho em Vereda III: uma proposição

A análise arqueobotânica focada em grânulos de amido extraídos de vasos cerâmicos e um artefato lítico exumados em Vereda III, MG revelou a presença generalizada do milho (Zea mays sp). Um estudo prévio realizado com os artefatos havia detectado marcas de uso típicas da fermentação em alguns vasos, assim, levantou-se a possibilidade de que mais vasos teriam sido utilizados na produção de cauim de milho. Tratou-se de compreender a produção dessa bebida/alimento nas suas múltiplas possibilidades através de relatos históricos, etnografias, informações tecnológicas e testes com fermentação. Os efeitos tafonômicos das distintas etapas do processo sobre os grânulos de amido de milho foram pesquisados em literatura e através de testes. Faz-se aqui uma proposição quanto à morfologia dos vasos Jê utilizados na elaboração do cauim de milho, pensada a partir do cruzamento de 2 tipos de evidências: o estudo dos microvestígios contidos nos artefatos arqueológicos e as marcas de uso nos vasos.

Multiproxy approach to the study of Medieval food habits in Tuscany (central Italy)

A multiproxy approach based on archaeobotanical, organic residue and isotopic analyses was carried out on materials from 12 Medieval archaeological sites in Tuscany (central Italy), in order to provide a diachronic overview of local diet in rural and urban sites from the mid-eighth to the fourteenth centuries AD. Archaeobotanical analyses were applied to 130,578 seeds/fruits, residue analyses involved 87 samples from cooking and storing vessels, whereas analyses of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes included 63 human bone samples and 26 animal specimens. The results indicate that from the mid-eighth century AD, crop production was of high quality similar, to that of the Roman Age. The main cultivations were naked wheats, barley and horse bean, a diversity that attests the technological skills reached by Tuscan peasants during the whole Middle Ages. Different cereals and pulse abundantly supplemented the diet. This strategy not only ensured peasants’ subsistence in the mid-eighth century AD, minimizing the risks of environmental adversities, but it also increased crop production – from the mid-ninth century AD on, for the revived markets and trade. Between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries AD, C4 plants had a dominant role in the peasants’ diet, when the wheat production was strictly collected first by the landlords and then by the cities for their own needs. Crop production was integrated by swine farming; animal meat consumption is well documented in rural and urban populations from the ninth century AD. Wine and olive oil, considered important elements of diet in Medieval Tuscany, have a very scarce presence, but they are recorded for later periods, mainly in urban areas and in higher social classes, such as the religious and aristocratic ones. In fact, only between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries AD was the great expansion of olive groves and vineyards recorded, when cities and urban populations claim to have access to these luxury foods.

Plant remains from Roman period town of Obulco (today Porcuna) in Andalusia (Spain)—distribution and domestication of olive in the west Mediterranean region

The aim of this work is (1) to identify the key characteristics of agriculture and the role of olive in Porcuna (Andalusia) of Roman period and (2) to derive a conclusion about the origin of cultivated olive. The study of the literature showed that the olive is one of the most esteemed fruit species in the Classical Mediterranean world and is considered to have been domesticated first in Levant region. The signs of cultivation appear since the Neolithic. The authors analysed 18 samples from archaeological sites. Sorting and identification were carried out using a binocular microscope with the help of comparative collection of seeds/fruits and identification atlases (Digital Seed Atlas of the Netherlands: Cappers et al. 2006). A total number of 19,616 remains was studied. The remains belong to groups of fruit trees, cereals, pulses and synanthropic plants. The cultivated species were used for domestic purposes. The cereals, pulses and mesocarps of the fruits served as food. Important characteristic trait was the overrepresentation of olives. The authors give a summary of the development that led to the cultivation and domestication of the olive tree and to reconstruct its early diffusion using different sources of information, such as archaeobotanical analysis, archaeological data and genetical studies. As a result, a better understanding of the domestication and use of olive on a Mediterranean scale is given. This study also discusses cultivated and synanthropic species in Roman settlements on the Iberian Peninsula.

Rice, beans and trade crops on the early maritime Silk Route in Southeast Asia

Abstract

The life of a Roman colony in Northern Italy: Ethnobotanical information from archaeobotanical analysis

Archaeobotanical analyses (mainly on seeds and fruits – over 1000 l of sieved material with unpublished data) from three urban sites (2nd cent. BC – 2nd cent. AD) provided interesting ethnobotanical information about a Roman colony, Mutina (Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy), founded in 183 BC.In this paper, comparisons are made between productive areas, landfills and one site that shows the evolution of a rich domus. The information obtained concerns the environment in which the town was born and developed, but especially plant-man relationships (food, crafts, green décor etc.) in a thriving Roman colony in Northern Italy.A good example is provided by analyses carried out in a tank, where the recovery of some archaeozoological finds indicates that it was used for fish farming; this hypothesis is supported by some particular vegetal findings.