Plant Macroremains Research Articles

Evaluating the impact of water flotation and the state of the wood in archaeological wood charcoal remains: Implications for the reconstruction of past vegetation and identification of firewood gathering strategies at Tell Qarassa North (south Syria)

The development of water flotation during the second half of the 20th century constituted a milestone in archaeobotany, since it allowed the systematic recovery of plant macroremains by processing large amounts of sediment for the first time. However, little attention has been paid to the fact that in certain cases, hyper-fragmentation or complete destruction of charred plant macroremains occurs as soon as they come into contact with water. At the early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site of Tell Qarassa North (south Syria) the destruction of wood charcoal remains was documented during the flotation process. The aim of this work is to evaluate the assemblage and to determine the factors that conditioned the preservation or disintegration of wood charcoal remains. In particular, attention is paid to the distribution of the alterations (e.g. vitrification, decayed wood) by taxa, and the proportions with which they are present before and after flotation. To test some of the patterns observed in the archaeological material a small-scale experiment on modern wood charcoal remains is carried out. The results enable a critic reconstruction of the type of vegetation and firewood gathering strategies at Tell Qarassa North. This work has, overall, important implications for the understanding of the taphonomic factors that affect wood charcoal assemblages.

Fossiliferous Holocene tufa of Mende (Lozère, southern France): implication for the Atlantic vegetation of the Causses Basin

AbstractTufas bearing plant macroremains are uncommon in the Causses Basin (southern France). Here, we report a new fossiliferous tufa deposits at Mende, in Lozère. This palaeontological site is the first Quaternary tufa from the northern part of the Causses Basin that yields such an abundance of plant macroremains. The radiocarbon dating shows that these Holocene deposits are related to the Atlantic period. Geomorphology and mineralogy show that the plant-bearing deposit is a calcareous tufa only composed by calcite, deposited near to an outlet of cool water, linked to the karstic hydrological system of the Causse de Mende. The flora exposed in this article is dominated by angiosperms. Leaves and reproductive structures were assigned to Acer platanoides, Corylus sp., Hedera sp., Salix cf. cinerea, and Tilia cordata. This new palaeobotanical data complements our scarcely knowledge of the Atlantic floras from the Causses Basin. During the Atlantic period, and in the northern part of the basin, whereas Pinus-dominated forests and oak groves were probably well-developed, valleys were locally inhabited by diversified wet angiosperm-dominated forests.

Bronze Age human–landscape interactions in the southern Transural steppe, Russia – Evidence from high-resolution palaeobotanical studies

The Transural steppe is a cultural contact zone between areas east and west of the Ural Mountains. Mobile pastoralism is the traditional way of life in the steppe, while sedentary cultures constitute an exception, probably as a result of climatic variations. A change of lifestyle together with other innovations is documented at the turn of the 3rd to the 2nd millennia BC and often believed to have been accompanied by a shift to agro-pastoralism. To examine the ecology and economy in the Bronze Age steppe, we employed a combination of methods. As proxy-data, plant macro-remains from archaeological excavations of Sintashta fortified settlements and pollen from off-site archives were used for a high-resolution palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Statistical comparisons of past and present pollen spectra show no significant differences in vegetation distribution. This allowed us to map the recent vegetation units by multispectral satellite imagery and to use them for modelling. Models further incorporate steppe productivity, carrying capacity and population figures to estimate herd sizes. Even if the climate was suitable for agriculture, evidence is missing from all botanical records. The economic mainstay was animal husbandry. Models consider autonomous activity zones of at least 4 km radius surrounding each Sintashta settlement where grazing resources could easily sustain the estimated population and their livestock. The river is seen as the determining factor to settle in this region as it provided constant access to water and valuable natural grazing areas. During dry years and winter, the productive meadow steppes functioned as reserve pastures.

Priedaine: A Neolithic Site at the Head of the Gulf of Riga

The Neolithic site of Priedaine in Jūrmala was excavated on a small scale in 2007–2008, yielding an assemblage of Comb Ceramics, along with unique wooden implements and fragments of pine-lath fishing structures. The environment and subsistence resources are indicated by plant macrofossil remains and a small faunal collection. Located by a palaeolake and also very close to the sea, the site, dated to c. 3700–3500 cal BC, would have been oriented towards aquatic resource exploitation. However, it had a wider range of functions, as indicated by the evidence of flint and amber processing. Key words: Neolithic, pottery, fishing gear, plant macro-remains, faunal remains, lake, coastal settlement. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/ab.v23i0.1294

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.

Fire in a Weichselia-dominated coastal ecosystem from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) of the Kurnub Group in NW Jordan

Large intervals of the Cretaceous are considered as a ‘high-fire’ period in Earth's history. However, so far most studies dealing in greater detail with the fossil evidence of palaeo-wildfires, i.e. fossil charcoal, originate from the northern hemisphere (i.e. North America, Europe, Asia) whereas there are large stratigraphic and geographic gaps on the Cretaceous southern continents. The present paper deals with the fossil contents (plant macro-remains, palynomorphs and charcoal) of a lignite lens from the lower part of the Lower Cretaceous Kurnub Group near King Talal Dam in Jordan. The data provide evidence for the repeated occurrence of palaeo-wildfires in coastal ecosystems on the northern margin of Gondwana during the Barremian. The fossil content of the lens indicates that the vegetation, which was repeatedly affected by fire, has been dominated by the matoniaceous tree fern Weichselia reticulata. Palynological data from the lignite, as well as the repeated occurrence of wildfires point to an at least seasonally dry (or at least less humid) climate during deposition of the lignite.

Plant macroremains from an early Neolithic site in eastern Kuyavia, central Poland

Abstract The study examined plant remains from the Smólsk 2/10 site, situated on the border of two different landscapes and preserving traces of Neolithic occupation from several cultures: Early Linear Pottery culture (LBK, ca 5300-5200 cal. BC to ca 5000 cal. BC). Stroke Band Pottery culture (SBP, ca 4700-4400 cal. BC), the Brześć Kujawski group of Lengyel culture (BKG, ca 4500-4000/3900 cal. BC), Funnel Beaker culture (TRB, ca 3950-3380 BC), and also some features of the Lusatian culture (Hallstatt C, ca 970-790 cal. BC).Mostly hulled wheat remains (Triticum monococcum, T. dicoccum) were found in the LBK, SBP, and BKG cultures; they were completely absent in younger cultures (TRB, Lusatian), where barley remains appeared. Among other plants the most numerous were remains of small-grain grasses (mostly cf. Hierochloë type), feather grass (Stipa sp.), wild buckwheat (Fallopia convolvulus), and goosefoot (Chenopodium album type), but the plant remains are relatively scarce.The archaeobotanical data obtained from the site supplement data from neighbouring Osłonki to the west and Wolica Nowa to the north-west. The differences between those microregions are reflected mostly in the earlier appearance of feather grass (Stipa sp.) in the Smólsk area as well as the higher quantity of crop chaff remains in the Osłonki area, but their random occurrence, along with the fragmentariness of the archaeological data, must be taken into account. However, intentional introduction of feather grass by the first Neolithic settlers in eastern Kuyavia cannot be excluded. The relatively high proportion of small-grain grasses, usually interpreted as traces of fodder, together with the scarcity of crop remains at the Wolica Nowa site, suggests that the site was connected more with animal husbandry than with agriculture. On the other hand, the small-grain grasses at Smólsk are represented mainly by a large number of non-weedy grass (cf. Hierochloë type) grains from the crop sample, which cannot be explained in a simple way.A comparison of the anthracological data from the Osłonki and Smólsk microregions reveals differences in woodland management and differences between the local environments. Pine wood was more accessible at Smólsk than at Osłonki, due to local landscape characteristics.

Development of Rich Fen on the SE Baltic Coast, Latvia, during the Last 7500 Years, Using Paleoecological Proxies: Implications for Plant Community Development and Paleoclimatic Research

We present the paleoecological development of a rich fen located in the dune area on the SE Baltic coast, during the last 7500 years. The Apsuciems Mire hosts rare and endangered plant communities in Europe, such as Schoenus ferrugineus and Cladium mariscus. Analysis at high-resolution of plant macroremains in two peat cores was carried out to reconstruct local vegetation succession and fluctuations in moisture availability on the peatland, while a pollen record was developed to reconstruct plant succession, moisture variability and human activity at the regional scale. Based on the presence or the absence of macroremains of plants that occur in wet habitat e.g. Cladium mariscus, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Alisma plantago-aquatica and Botrycoccocus we distinguished four wet periods ca. 6000, 2000, 1750–1550, 1200–150 cal yr. BP and four dry periods (ca. 7000, 4600–4200, 1800–1750, 1550–1200 cal yr. BP) in the peatland’s development. A water level increase at 1200 cal yr. BP triggered the development of plant communities containing Chara sp., Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, then Cladium mariscus. Our study shows a link between climate change at the regional scale and vegetation development in Apsuciems Mire. We showed that changes in vegetation structure during last 150 years was caused by drainage and human activity.

First results from the Late Pleistocene paleosols in northern Western Siberia: Implications for pedogenesis and landscape evolution at the end of MIS3

Recent revision of the extent of Late Pleistocene glaciations in Northern Eurasia the justified search for the new paleopedological records in the center-north West Siberian Plain. We encountered paleosols in several exposures of the high alluvial terrace of the river Vakh (Middle Ob' basin), buried in the sequence of alluvial and lacustrine sediments. A paleosol dated to the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, Karga thermochron, was studied in detail in the key section “Zeleniy Ostrov”. The paleosol demonstrates strong morphological evidence of gleysation and accumulation of plant residues, both processes indicating water logging and a reduced environment. The modern soil on top of the exposure is a typical Podzol, formed in under conditions of perfect soil drainage and no water excess, in agreement with current geological and geomorphological conditions. We suppose that permafrost was the main factor hampering percolation and switching redoximorphic processes in the paleosol, which thus was classified as a Reductaquic Cryosol. Presence of permafrost implies colder climate than the present one. Furthermore, neutral reaction, presence of neoformed calcium carbonate and abundance of silt fraction, which points to eolian sedimentation, suggest drier conditions. However, the studied paleosols differ considerably from the synchronous Chernozems found in the loess sequences of Southern Siberia. Paleobiological proxies such as pollen, plant macroremains, phytoliths and fossil insects indicate a tundra or tundra-steppe ecosystem (possibly with some forest stands), in good agreement with the paleopedological and sedimentary records.

Crop husbandry activities and wild plant gathering, use and consumption at the EPPNB Tell Qarassa North (south Syria)

The Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (EPPNB) in southwest Asia is a fundamental period in research on the origins of domesticated plants. However, there are few archaeobotanical data with which to characterise the plant-based subsistence and crop husbandry activities during this time, which hinders the understanding of the factors that triggered the appearance of plant domestication. In this paper, analyses of non-woody plant macro-remains provide new insights into subsistence activities such as crop cultivation (husbandry activities and storage) and plant use (wild plant gathering and food preparation) during the EPPNB at Tell Qarassa North (south Syria). We make comparisons between Tell Qarassa North and the evidence at earlier and later periods as to how plants were used, and highlight similarities and differences in the practices attested, as well as describing some of the consequences that these plant-related activities may have had in terms of labour and social organization during EPPNB.

Agriculture and livestock economy among prehistoric herders based on plant macro-remains from El Mirador (Atapuerca, Burgos)

Plant macro-remains including charcoal, fruits and seeds from El Mirador contribute to the study of different aspects related to Neolithic and Bronze Age human groups. The El Mirador deposit has yielded a sequence from 3390-3140 to 7970-7770 yrs cal BP, which was formed by dung layers that were systematically burned, producing a fumier, a unique context for the preservation of archaeobotanical material. The anthracological record provides data recording abundant evidence of deciduous and evergreen oaks with slight modifications over time. The seed and fruit record includes crop plants, synanthropic plants and wild fruits. Both assemblages make it possible to thoroughly analyze the uses of plants in relation to a mixed economy based on agriculture and herding.

Tree and timberline shifts in the northern Romanian Carpathians during the Holocene and the responses to environmental changes

High altitude environments are experiencing more rapid changes in temperature than the global average with the risk of losing essential ecosystem services in mountain environments. The Carpathians Mountains are regarded as hosting Europe's most pristine mountain ecosystems, yet the paucity of past environmental records limits our understanding of their sensitivity to the various drivers of change. A multi-proxy palaeoecological approach (plant macro-remains, pollen, charcoal) applied to three Holocene sediment sequences (between 1540 and 1810 m a.s.l.) in the Rodna Mountains documents past treeline and timberline shifts in response to climate change and human impact to anticipate the likely future responses. Our results indicate that forest reacted sensitively to past climate conditions. The timberline had exceeded an elevation of 1540 m a.s.l. by 10,200 cal. yr BP, when summers were warmer than today. The treeline remained below 1810 m a.s.l. at this time and reached its maximum elevation after 8500 cal. yr BP, when winter temperatures became milder. Cool summer conditions probably caused a lowering of the timberline and an extension of the treeline ecotone from 4900 cal. yr BP, a process accentuated by human impact from the Bronze Age (3500 cal. yr BP) onwards. The anticipated upslope tree movements as a consequence ongoing global warming are not yet clearly visible in our records, but will more probably take place in abandoned agricultural areas and be counter-balanced by re-enforced anthropogenic pressure elsewhere. Pinus sylvestris was the dominant tree species in the timberline under a warm and dry climate, when fires were frequent, during the early Holocene (11,250–10,200 cal. yr BP), while Picea abies became dominant in the timberline and Pinus mugo in the treeline ecotone, respectively from 10,200 cal. yr BP to the present. Abies alba became a significant component of the timber over the last four millennia. The anticipated future warmer and moister climatic conditions will favour the persistence of P. abies as well as A. alba. However, A. alba is more sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance, which implies that in places with continuing farmland pressure, A. alba may be less prevalent than P. abies in the future. Anthropogenic pressure is expected to increase the proportion of tree species characteristic of more disturbed forests and consequently threaten biodiversity with important implications for mountain ecosystem services.

Dating Archaeological Cultures by Their Moats? A Case Study from the Early Bronze Age Settlement Fidvár near Vráble, SW Slovakia

AbstractThis article uses age-depth models based on 29 accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates from charred plant macroremains (seeds, chaff), wood charcoal, and snail shells found in two moats from the settlement Fidvár near Vráble (SW Slovakia) to improve the absolute chronology of the Early Bronze Age in central Europe. The charred macroremains were taxonomically identified to species or genus level and the lifespan of the objects and the archaeological context were considered carefully. The selected snail shells were identified to provide reliable age information. This study demonstrates that under certain conditions, ditch archives can be well suited to contribute to archaeological chronologies. For the first time, the transition from the Hatvan to the Únětice period is dated absolutely.

Managed agroforests, swiddening, and the introduction of pigs in Pohnpei, Micronesia: Phytolith evidence from an anthropogenic landscape

Abstract Phytolith analysis is increasingly contributing to archaeological studies, especially in the context of agriculture in tropical regions. Plant remains from archaeological sites provide key information on such topics as site function, settlement, past dietary patterns, migrations, and landscape formation. However, in the humid tropics, where good preservation of organic materials is uncommon, identifiable plant macroremains are relatively rare. The inorganic nature of phytoliths makes them a useful tool in Pacific environments. In this study, we analyze phytolith remains from garden features in archaeological context from a western Pacific volcanic island, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. To understand the manipulation of floral environments, especially agricultural practices, we examine hypotheses regarding how agricultural landscapes were impacted by changes in social and economic systems during the island's late prehistoric and early historic periods; these changes include elaboration of chiefly feasting and the introduction of pigs in the 19th century. Previous research on Pohnpei (e.g. Haun, 1984; Ayres and Haun, 1985, 1990; Ayres et al., 2009; Athens and Stevenson, 2012) has examined Pohnpeian agriculture and sociopolitical change through the study of archaeological features and pollen cores. This project is one of the first, to our knowledge, to examine phytolith data from archaeological contexts on the island. Samples from archaeological gardening contexts document how agricultural landscape shows a response to swiddening, landscape succession patterns, and introduced animals within the managed agroforest. However, phytolith analysis alone is not sufficient and must be used in conjunction with other archaeological data in hypothesis testing.

Environmental changes of a shallow kettle lake catchment in a young glacial landscape (Sumowskie Lake catchment), North-Central Poland

On the basis of detailed analysis (sedimentological, palynological, macroremains, geochemical and GIS analysis) the development of the Sumowskie Paleolake was reconstructed. Obtained results led to distinguish three main stages of the evolution of the basin and its catchment during the Late Glacial and the Holocene: the lacustrine stage, the lake overgrowth stage and the post lacustrine stage. Study site is located in the western part of the Brodnica Lakeland, North-Eastern Poland, within the former Sumowskie Lake bottom. Multidisciplinary research was conducted for two cores (sedimentological, palynological, plant macroremains): SUM A (149 cm) and SUM C (51 cm) and the soil profile – SUM 3 (sedimentological, geochemical). GIS analyses (land cover and water level changes) were carried out for the nowadays Sumowskie Lakes catchment. It was confirmed, that climate was the most important factor influencing the evolution of the lake and its surrounding. Although the role of this factor decreased in the Neo-Holocene period in favor of rapidly growing human impact. Changes of the water level were much more abrupt and lasted longer (e.g. 9500? – 5000? BP hiatus caused by the water level decrease) than in other described basins of the region due to the specific geomorphologic situation. Shallow kettle basins could alternately act as lakes and wetlands. As they are well-spread in the young glacial area, the strong influence of this abrupt and long term events should be reconsidered.

A new stratigraphic position of some Early Pleistocene deposits in central Poland

A new borehole in Rozce (S Mazovian Lowland) drilled in 2012, combined with a wide variety of research methods (palaeomagnetism, palynological analysis, studies of plant macroremains and textural features of deposits) shed new light on the age and stratigraphic position of the Early Pleistocene deposits, formerly assigned as the Lower Pleistocene. The study focuses on the deposits from 50.7−104.0 m depth, between glacial till of the Nidanian Glaciation (ca. 0.9 Ma) and the Poznan Clays (ca. 5.322 Ma). The deposits situated directly underneath the till (50.7−60.2 m) are related to the Nidanian Glaciation and show a reversed polarity and correlate with the end of the Matuyama epoch. The deposits from 60.2−104.0 m depth were accumulated during the Early Pliocene, i.e. approximately 5.332–4.6 million years ago. They appear to correlate with the middle part of the Gilbert Palaeomagnetic Epoch and thus they are considerably older than previously thought. The cored section indicates a stratigraphic gap of about 3.5 Ma from the Lower Pliocene to the first advance of the Scandinavian ice sheets into Poland, which are thought to have occurred in the early Middle Pleistocene. The analysed deposits accumulated under variable climatic conditions showing two periods with significant aridity alternated with two periods of increased humidity. Deposits of the arid periods contain no pollen, but aeolian sand quartz grains are found. During periods of more humid climate the area was covered by various types of mixed forest.

Records of the anthropogenic influence on different origin lake sediments of Latvia

Sediments in lakes have formed under the conditions of sensitive ecosystem functions as archives of micro- and macrocomponents. Besides others, lake sediments preserve palaeobotanical and chemical evidence reflecting environmental changes. During the last centuries, sediment composition has been influenced also by inconsistent urban and industrial developments. This paper represents the results of chemical and palaeobotanical signatures in the sediments from four lakes of different origin: Lake Lilaste, Lake Velnezers, Lake Engure, and Lake Vevers. The data were compared with the results from sediment composition analysis obtained by Loss on Ignition and chemical methods taking into account changes in plant macroremains. The studies of lake sediments revealed that human impact is recognisable in the upper sediment layer of all investigated sites, but at different depth from sediment surface. The most recognisable traces of anthropogenic influence can be attributed to the sharp increase of the amount of lead (Pb) and number of plant macroremains in analysed lake sediments.

Vegetation of the Ferdynandovian interglacial (MIS 13–15) based on plant macrofossils from a new profile of the stratotype site

Abstract Early Middle Pleistocene palaeolacustrine sediments of the Ferdynandów site (E Poland), serving as a stratotype for the Ferdynandovian interglacial, were subjected to a new drilling in 2011. The obtained profile, covering the late Sanian 1 glaciation, two interglacial successions (Ferdynandovian 1 and 2), the cold Ferdynandovian 1/2 interval, and the early Sanian 2 glaciation, permitted a high-resolution plant macroremains analysis, correlated with the results of a palynological examination. In detailed studies of plant macroremains from the profile, new taxa were discovered for the Polish Pleistocene flora: specifically, species that are extinct or not found nowadays in Poland. On the basis of the taxonomic diversity and occurrence of bioindicators, the division into warm and cold units of the Ferdynandovian interglacial as well as units associated with the Sanian 1 and 2 glaciations, already applied in pollen studies, were confirmed, and the periods were described in terms of plant macroremains. The Ferdynandovian succession is correlated with the Cromerian Complex (Cromerian III and IV) in the Early Middle Pleistocene of Western Europe, as well as with Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 13-15. New geological and palaeobotanical data enabled a description of the palaeogeographic context and conditions of functioning, as well as the evolution of the interglacial lake at the stratotype site. The outcome of plant macroremains analysis is presented and interpreted in comparison with corresponding results previously obtained for the Ferdynandów B profile, studied by Janczyk-Kopikowa (1975). Particular consideration is given to similarities between the succession of Ferdynandów 2011 and the profiles of Ferdynandów B and the nearby drilled Łuków 3A. Study of the macrofossil flora of Ferdynandów 2011 revealed the presence of species absent in the archival Ferdynandów B. Taxa not formerly recorded in early Middle Pleistocene floras, such as Brasenia borysthenica, Aldrovanda borysthenica, Pilularia borysthenica, Caulinia goretskyi, and Potamogeton saryanensis, were identified. These species and other taxa of stratigraphic or climatic significance provided the basis for a more detailed description of the Ferdynandovian flora, afterwards compared with other stratigraphically corresponding Polish and European early Middle Pleistocene floras. The composition of characteristic taxa also was used for comparisons between two bimodal interglacial sequences, namely the Ferdynandovian (correlated with MIS 13-15) and Augustovian (correlated with MIS 19-21), and the Domuratovian succession (correlated with MIS 17).

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.

Roasting breadfruit in the Pacific: A combined plant macroremain and phytolith analysis from Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

ABSTRACTIn eastern Micronesia, breadfruit is an important staple crop and has probably been part of the diet since initial settlement. This paper uses combined macroremains and phytolith analysis to identify breadfruit production from a historical feature on Temwen Island, Pohnpei, Micronesia. Charred breadfruit exocarp material was recovered, indicating breadfruit roasting. Phytolith analysis from this feature does not provide direct evidence of breadfruit, but does reveal other taxa that are not present in flotation samples, demonstrating the utility of analysing multiple lines of botanical data. Thus, this project presents new botanical evidence for breadfruit and a method for approaching a more comprehensive study of cooking practices.