Prehistoric Archaeobotany

Chapple, R. M. 2012 'Corrstown: A Coastal Community. Excavations of a Bronze Age village in Northern Ireland: Review' Blogspot post

by Robert M Chapple

A comparison of Early Neolithic crop and weed assemblages from the Linearbandceramic and the Karanovo culture

by Julian Wiethold

Co-authored with A. Kreuz, E. Marinova, E. Schäfer

In : D. Gronenborn/J. Petrasch, Die Neolithisierung Mitteleropas. The spread of the Neolithic to Central Europe. Internationale Tagung, Mainz 24.-26.juin 2005, Teil 1. RGZM-Tagungen 4, vol. 1. Mainz : Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, 2010, p. 89-94.

MORENO-LARRAZABAL, A. 2010. Archaeobotanical study of the Iron Age hillfort of Basagain (Anoeta, Basque Country). First results

by Aitor Moreno-Larrazabal

In: DELHON, C., THÉRY-PARISOT, S., THIEBAULT, S. (dirs.): Des Hommes et des Plantes. Exploitation du milieu et gestion des ressources végétales de la Préhistoire à nos jours. XXX rencontres internationales d'archéologie et d´histoire d'Antibes. Éditions APDCA, pp. 101-111.

The Iron Age hill-fort of Basagain (Anoeta) is one of the most important settlements, for this period, in the Atlantic... more The Iron Age hill-fort of Basagain (Anoeta) is one of the most important settlements, for this period, in the Atlantic area of the Basque Country. Archaeobotanical study has concentrated on analysis of plant macroremains (seeds and charcoals) recovered
during the 13 excavation campaigns that have been carried out since 1994. Wood charcoal analysis will enable us to identify the use that the societies of the day made of forest resources, and to assess the impact they might have had on the environment. Through carpological analysis we have become acquainted with the farming practices that took place in the settlement. The preliminary results of the anthracological study
point to the predominance of deciduous oak wood (Quercus subg. Quercus) over other taxa such as the Quercus ilex-coccifera, the beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) or the common
hazel (Corylus avellana). In addition, the negative impressions left by branches on the wattle building structure of dwellings in Basagain were analysed. Carpological analysis, meanwhile, shows us a crop consisting mainly of cereals (Setaria italica, Panicum miliaceum and Triticum diccocum).

La collecte du bois de feu dans le village néolithique d’Arbon-Bleiche 3 (lac de Constance, Suisse) : gestion du bois et déterminismes

by Alexa Dufraisse

Firewood gathering is largely determined by the characteristics of the
environment. Nevertheless, within the... more Firewood gathering is largely determined by the characteristics of the
environment. Nevertheless, within the natural constraints a vast array of
human behaviours can exist. These are particularly detectable in sites with
a high temporal resolution, such as lakeshore settlements. Communities make
choices according to technical, social, cultural and economic criteria which
lead to specific transformations of the environment. The Neolithic site of
Arbon-Bleiche 3 (Lake Constance, Switzerland) has allowed a description of
these sets of choices and constraints in a context where determinisms, whether
social (few nearby contemporaneous villages) or environmental (abundance
of vegetal resources), are limited. Since the exploitation of firewood is part
of a larger technical system, the anthracological study sheds new light on
how Neolithic societies evolved in interaction with their environment.

La composition des boisements et gestion du bois dans l'habitat néolithique moyen du Petit-Chasseur (Sion, Valais)

by Alexa Dufraisse

Firewood economy during the 4th millennium BC at Lake Clairvaux, Jura, France

by Alexa Dufraisse

Measuring firewood diameters from charcoal analysis. Dendrometrical tools and data interpretation/Mesurer les diamètres du bois de feu en anthracologie. Outils dendrométriques et interprétation des données

by Alexa Dufraisse

The study of wood diameters, based on the analysis of fragments of wood charcoal, has experienced a tremendous surge... more The study of wood diameters, based on the analysis of fragments of wood charcoal, has experienced a tremendous surge of interest in the last few years, particularly regarding
the development of dendrometric tools and the processing of the data obtained. Three key aspects of this research are discussed: the measurement of tree-ring curvature, the
reconstruction of the original wood diameter, and the interpretation of data from archaeological contexts.
The first point involves the testing of measurement tools (circle and trigonometric tools) using different modern taxa and establishing an empirical reference frame for each species
studied. We find that the trigonometric tool - based on the angle between tow ligneous rays - is more reliable than the circle tool -based on the edge on the ring-, especially for reconstructing diameters that are larger than 5 cm. In the medium-term, it will be possible to propose correction factors The second point involves reconstructing the original wood diameters for carbonized samples. By combining the use of model and experimental data, we are able to test and correct for factors such as shrinkage of the wood during the carbonization process. We conclude by presenting an archaeological example, where the use of this method allows us to better characterize firewood collection and thereby contributes new perspectives on the interpretation of fo rest resource management.

Archäobotanische Ergebnisse der eisen- und kaiserzeitlichen Siedlung Mardorf 23, Kr. Marburg-Biedenkopf − Hinweise auf kulturelle Beziehungen nach Süden und Norden

by Julian Wiethold

Co-authored with A. Kreuz

In : E. Jérem/M. Schönfelder/G. Wieland (Hrsg.), Nord-Süd, Ost-West Kontakte während der Eisenzeit in Europa. Akten der Internationalen Tagungen der AG Eisenzeit in Hamburg und Sorpron 2002]. Budapest : Archaeolingua, 2010, p. 151-163. (Archaeolingua, Main Series 17).

Die jungbronzezeitliche Außensiedlung der „Hünenburg“ bei Watenstedt, Lkr. Helmstedt. Vorbericht über die Ausgrabungen 2005–2007

by Julian Wiethold

Co-authored with I. Heske, S. Grefen-Peters and M. Posselt

Praehistorische Zeitschrift 85, 2010, p. 159-190.

The Harz Mountains (Lower Saxony, Germany) are the northernmost mountain ridge of the middle-European highlands. At... more The Harz Mountains (Lower Saxony, Germany) are the northernmost mountain ridge of the middle-European highlands. At their northern slopes sites of the so-called Saalemündungsgruppe of the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age are situated. This cultural group is characterized by the presence of urnfields, open settlements and some hillforts, the latter comprises the Hünenburg near Watenstedt, Kr. Helmstedt. The environs of this hillfort are characterized by the presence of further sites, comprising graves, hoards and areas of surface findings. Analysis of the stray finds from an area south of the hillfort, geophysical surveys and first excavations allowed to identify and to investigate an open settlement of about 5,5 ha, situated outside of the ramparts and with still unknown limits. Some plans of houses could be identified. The settlement has revealed finds indicating religious activities and metalworking. Crucibles, grinding stones and casting moulds were found.
The casting mould of a „Griffzungenschwert“ allows to trace high specialised metalworkers at the Hünenburg. Different scientific analyses, for example geophysical surveys, archaeozoological and archaeobotanical studies, were performed.
This paper focuses on first results obtained from the excavations campaigns 2005 to 2007, conducted within the framework of the interdisciplinary research project „Periphery and centre. The Hünenburg near Watenstedt, Lkr. Helmstedt. – A hillfort in the contact zone between the Lusation culture and the Nordic Bronze Age“.

Le Harz septentrional, le contrefort le plus au nord des massifs hercyniens européens, compte plusieurs habitats de hauteur fortifiés sur le territoire du groupe de Saalemündung. Ces dernières années, on a pu intensifier les recherches archéologiques menées autour du site fortifié de hauteur l’Hünenburg, situé au nord-ouest près de Watenstedt (Lkr. Helmstedt). Les ramassages de surface juste au sud de l’enceinte du site, les prospections géomagnétiques, ainsi que les premières fouilles qui suivirent, débouchèrent sur la découverte d’une agglomération extérieure contemporaine, qui couvre jusqu’ici 5,5 ha et dont les limites restent à découvrir. Les fouilles ont révélé les premiers plans de maisons. Le matériel archéologique, très riche, révèle des activités cultuelles et religieuses à l’intérieur de l’habitat et la présence d’une métallurgie différenciée, qui concerne, entre autres, la fabrication d’épées à languette.
Des prospections géophysiques et différentes études scientifiques accompagnent les fouilles. Sont présentés ainsi, sur la base des fouilles archéologiques de 2005 à 2007, les premiers résultats du projet de recherches „Périphérie et centre – La Hünenburg près de Watenstedt, Lkr. Helmstedt: un centre de pouvoir dans la zone de contact entre la culture lusacienne et l’âge du Bronze nordique“.

Holzkohle- und Makrorestanalysen an Boden- und Holzkohleproben aus dem Gräberfeld von Oberleuken „Ober dem Perg“, Kreis Merzig-Wadern

by Julian Wiethold

In : E.P. Glansdorp, Das spätkeltische Gräberfeld von Perl-Oberleuken „Ober dem Perg“ im Lkrs. Merzig-Wadern. Untersuchungen zu Typologie, Chronologie und Totenritual. Mit Beiträgen von K. Zipp, M. Kunter, J. Wiethold, R. Echt und W.-R. Thiele. Saarbrücker Studien und Materialien zur Altertumskunde 13, 2009. Bonn : Dr. Rudolf Habelt GmbH, 2011, p. 201-214.

Résidus du décorticage de céréales provenant d'une fosse de La Tène ancienne (LT B), mise en évidence dans le site du « Pont-Charon », Mirebeau-sur-Bèze, Côte d'Or

by Julian Wiethold

Co-authores with F. Durand, S. Venault, Ph. Barral

In : J. Wiethold dir., Carpologia. Actes de la table ronde de carpologues françaises, tenu à Bibracte, Centre archéologique européen, Glux-en-Glenne, 9-12 juin 2005. BIBRACTE; 20. Glux-en-Glenne : Bibracte, Centre archéologique européen, 2011, p. 39-50.

Carpologia. Actes de la table ronde de carpologues françaises, tenu à Bibracte, Centre archéologique européen, Glux-en-Glenne, 9-12 juin 2005

by Julian Wiethold

BIBRACTE; 20. Glux-en-Glenne : Bibracte, Centre archéologique européen, 2011, 254 p.

Les recherches carpologiques sur l’oppidum de Bibracte : contribution à l’étude de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation végétale au deuxième âge du Fer en Bourgogne

by Julian Wiethold

In : J. Wiethold dir., Carpologia. Actes de la table ronde de carpologues françaises, tenu à Bibracte, Centre archéologique européen, Glux-en-Glenne, 9-12 juin 2005. BIBRACTE; 20. Glux-en-Glenne : Bibracte, Centre archéologique européen, 2011, p. 221-252.

Archäobotanische Untersuchungen der eisenzeitlichen und kaiserzeitlichen Siedlung von Mardorf 23

by Julian Wiethold

Published in: Berliner Archäologische Forschungen 5, 2008, 353-426.

Archaeobotanical examinations were undertaken on 559 samples from 92 fi nd contexts found in the settlement of... more Archaeobotanical examinations were undertaken on 559 samples from 92 fi nd contexts found in the settlement of Mardorf. The contexts could be assigned to an Iron Age-Celtic phase, a Roman Imperial-Germanic phase and a transitional phase. Results of the archaeobotanical analyses are recorded in the lists of the finds of plant remains (Tab. 3 and 6) as well as in graphs. In view of the evidence of grains, there is a distinct change in crop cultivation from the Celtic to the Germanic phases of settlement. The cultivation of dinkel and naked wheat as typical winter cereals is clearly attested only in the Iron Age-Celtic settlement, whereas primarily summer cereals were cultivated during the Germanic settlement phase. These include barley, true millet and presumably emmer too. Grain cultivation in the summer and winter as well as imports like figs and celery during the Iron Age-Celtic phase should be seen against the background of the settlement confi guration existing at that time in the Amoeneburg basin During the Celtic phase in Mardorf the amount of peas and unidentifi able legumes grown display the greatest constancy with 44 % each, surpassing lentils with 36 %, whereas during the transitional phase and the Roman Imperial-Germanic phase this ratio is reversed. During the Iron Age-Celtic phase the best kinds of firewood – oak and beech – were regularly used, while after the transitional period the greatly increased presence of alder in the Germanic settlement suggests that stronger economic use was made of alder woods in the Ohm lowlands near the settlement. A further and new aspect of kinds of firewood during the Germanic phase is the use of the birch tree.
Concentrations of plant remains are considerably lower in Mardorf during the transitional phase and in find contexts of the Roman Imperial period. They amount to only one-eighth of the earlier Iron Age-Celtic values. This circumstance is not due to poor conditions for preservation. Instead, it seems that fewer cultivated plants, in particular cereals, were processed within the set settlement itself.
Cultivation of winter cereals and the great variety of cultivated domestic plants resulted in a surplus production in the rural settlement of Mardorf 23, which in turn enabled the supply of the central site of the Amoeneburg; however, this was no longer necessary during the transitional phase and the Roman Imperial period. According to botanical results, the Germanic system of agriculture in Hesse was a simple subsistence economy with an
emphasis on summer crops and only superficial farming. This Germanic system has been attested in all areas investigated within and outside of the later Roman Empire, where it replaces the Celtic system of agriculture.
Due to the lack of archaeobotanical examinations in the eastern areas, in the present state of research it cannot be determined whether new features that appeared during the transitional and Roman Imperial-Germanic period were introduced from outside or locally ‘invented’. From an archaeobotanical view it seems that external cultural influences, for example the new immigration of Germanic settlers, were a possible decisive factor.

La gaude. Une plante tinctoriale importante de l’époque médiévale

by Julian Wiethold

Published in: Les Nouvelles de l’archéologie n° 114 – Décembre 2008

La gaude (Reseda luteola L. ; en anglais : weld, en allemand : wau) a été une plante tinctoriale importante durant les... more La gaude (Reseda luteola L. ; en anglais : weld, en allemand : wau) a été une plante tinctoriale importante durant les périodes médiévale et Renaissance (Edelstein 1963 ; Legget 1944 ; Ploss 1962 ; Priest-Dorman 2001 ; Schweppe 1992 ; Wiethold 2006). Son usage pour teindre la soie en jaune – et, en combinaison avec le pastel obtenu à partir de la guède, aussi en vert – est bien documenté par les textes mais beaucoup plus rarement par l’archéologie et l’archéobotanique, de sorte que les détails relatifs à sa production et à son exploitation dans l’artisanat textile sont beaucoup moins connus. Le manque de témoignages archéobotaniques est dû à la quasi-absence de sédiments humides offrant des conditions de préservation adéquates dans beaucoup de sites médiévaux et modernes, en France et dans d’autres régions d’Europe centrale et occidentale.

Stable isotope investigations of charred barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum spelta) grains from Danebury Hillfort: implications for palaeodietary reconstructions

by Rhiannon Stevens

Palaeodietary studies typically focus on the analysis of bone collagen due to the limited availability of plant... more Palaeodietary studies typically focus on the analysis of bone collagen due to the limited availability of plant remains. Isotopic analysis of plant remains, however, allow for a more extensive consideration of the contribution of plants to the human diet and can potentially provide information about the environment in which the crops were grown. This paper reports the results of carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses performed on charred barley and wheat grains recovered from pits within Danebury Iron Age hillfort. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Iron Age site in Britain from which charred grains have been isotopically analysed. Our results suggest that cereals found at the hillfort were grown in several different environmental contexts. The isotope data demonstrate that the herbivores were not consuming a diet primarily based on grains as the d15N values of the grains are very similar to those of the herbivores. Palaeodietary investigations typically assume that humans eating plant protein only would have the same d15N value as the local herbivores. This assumption is clearly invalid at Danebury, where the humans and animals appear to have consumed either different parts of the same plants or different plants. Researchers typically interpret high differences between human and animal d15N values as indicative of diets high in animal protein, however where major plant resources have d15N values similar to those of the herbivores our ability to distinguish between plant and animal sources of protein in the diet is limited. Our research has demonstrated that whenever possible it is desirable to measure the isotopic signatures of potential major plant resources in order to understand past subsistence strategies.

Recovering Macrobotanical Remains: Current Methods and Techniques

by Chantel E. White

Co-authored with China P. Shelton. Submitted as a chapter in "Current Methods in Paleoethnobotany", edited by John M. Marston, Jade d’Alpoim Guedes, and Christina Warinner. University of Colorado Press.

A wide variety of techniques are currently used by paleoethnobotanists to recover macrobotanical remains. The methods... more A wide variety of techniques are currently used by paleoethnobotanists to recover macrobotanical remains. The methods chosen by paleoethnobotanists are influenced by a variety of factors, but one of the most important issues is the type(s) of botanical preservation found at an archaeological site. In the case of macrobotanical remains (i.e., seeds, wood, and other plant parts identifiable at low magnifications typically ranging from 5x-30x), the most frequently preserved forms are charred, desiccated, and waterlogged remains (Van der Veen 2007; Tolar et al. 2010; Pearsall 2000). The goal of all recovery methods is to successfully isolate plant remains from their surrounding sediment matrix without loss or damage. A frequent additional goal is the simultaneous collection of other types of archaeological material including lithics, ceramics, and bone. Deciding which method to employ can be a complex process that often involves extensive modifications to fit a particular site and situation. Each technique has specific benefits and drawbacks that must be considered along with the parameters of the project and the goals of the paleoethnobotanist.

The history and development of macrobotanical recovery methods over the past 70 years has been thoroughly summarized by scholars such as Pearsall (2000), Wagner (1988), and Watson (1997). Here we provide an overview of various methods currently used by paleoethnobotanists and detail recent advancements in techniques and equipment. We then discuss important factors to consider in choosing a method, the individual strengths and limitations of certain techniques, and under what circumstances they can be best employed. Case studies and examples from multiple contexts and regions are provided, drawing on personal experiences from both academic and contract paleoethnobotany, to illustrate the level of innovation and flexibility required in implementing a macrobotanical recovery program.

Analysis of Plant Microfossils in Archaeological Deposits from Two Remote Archipelagos: The Marshall Islands, Eastern Micronesia, and the Pitcairn Group, Southeast …

by Marshall Weisler

Archäobotanische Untersuchung der latènezeitlichen Siedlung von Michelstetten, Niederösterreich

by Andreas G. Heiss

authors: Marianne Kohler-Schneider, Andreas G. Heiss; published in: Ernst Lauermann (ed.), Die latènezeitliche Siedlung von Michelstetten. Die Ausgrabungen des Niederösterreichischen Museums für Urgeschichte in den Jahren 1994-1999. Archäologische Forschungen in Niederösterreich 7. NÖ Institut für Landeskunde, St. Pölten (2010): 116-147

Archaeobotanical analysis of six pit houses from the La Tène settlement of Michelstetten, Lower Austria, yielded a... more Archaeobotanical analysis of six pit houses from the La Tène settlement of Michelstetten, Lower Austria, yielded a total of 1.526 charred plant remains. 74 taxa could be identified (17 cultivated and 57 wild plant taxa). Cereals were mainly represented by broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare), while einkorn (Triticum monococcum), spelt (T. spelta), emmer (T. dicoccum) and naked wheat (T. aestivum/durum/turgidum) were found in fair, but relatively low numbers. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) was rare, and records of rye (Secale cereale) and the so called “new type glume wheat” were restricted to single specimens. Pulses were represented by pea (Pisum sativum) and lentil (Lens culinaris), while oil seeds were – most probably due to taphonomical reasons – completely absent. Charred remains of food residues were recorded in the pit houses with the richest plant material, consisting mostly of amorphous crusts with cereal bran remains. The entire spectrum of cultivated plants fits together well with the plant assemblages of other Iron Age sites in eastern Austria (Oberleiserberg, Roseldorf, Gars-Thunau) and matches the general pattern of eastern central Europe during the Iron Age. Among the wild plants, ruderal plants and arable weeds were clearly dominant, followed by species from steppe- and forest-steppe-like habitats. Forest species were however much rarer, and wetland species played an insignificant role. Some of the recorded weeds (such as Buglossoides arvensis or Asperula arvensis) indicate that the Iron Age settlers had to make use of stony, marginal soils in addition to the rich loess sites in the settlement’s vicinity – a possible hint to a relatively dense human population. Of particular interest is the find of Xanthium strumarium, as it comes from a purely ruderal context: so far, most prehistoric records of this species were associated with natural riverine habitats. It seems that the ruderal career of Xanthium has begun at quite an early date. Judging from the abundance of dryland species in Michelstetten, open habitats must have played an important role in the Iron-Age landscape. Recorded species range from typical steppe representatives like Stipa pennata to forest steppe- and shrubland-species, like Nepeta nuda and Veronica teucrium, which points to a rich and varied mosaic of open and semi-open habitats. This matches the archaeozoological record of ample livestock keeping in the settlement. Accordingly, woodland species are mostly represented by taxa growing on forest edges and in open woodland tracts, like hazel (Corylus avellana), cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), bladder cherry (Physalis alkekengi), elder (Sambucus nigra) or apple/pear (Malus/Pyrus). Since these fruit-bearing, edible species were probably brought into the settlement on purpose, they might rather reflect wild plant collecting activities than vegetation patterns. Aside from the fruits, a number of other wild plants recorded in Michelstetten might have been collected, either for consumption or medicinal purposes. When compared with other Iron Age sites of the region, the wild plant spectrum of Michelstetten mirrors subtle differences in local climate, which can still be observed today.

Hazelnut economy of early Holocene hunter-gatherers: a case study from Mesolithic Duvensee, northern Germany

by Daniela Holst

published in Journal of Archaeological Science 37, 2010, 2871-2880

Throughout the greater part of human evolution in Europe, use of plant foods is invisible and thus might have played a... more Throughout the greater part of human evolution in Europe, use of plant foods is invisible and thus might have played a secondary role in nutrition. Ecological changes at the beginning of the early Holocene provoked innovations in early Mesolithic subsistence, focusing on the rich plant resources of the increasingly forested environment. High-resolution analyses of the excellently preserved and well-dated special task camps documented in detail at Duvensee, Northern Germany, offer an outstanding opportunity for case studies on Mesolithic subsistence and land use strategies. Quantification of the nut utilisation demonstrates the great importance of hazelnuts. These studies revealed very high return rates and allow for absolute assessments of the development of early Holocene economy. Stockpiling of the
energy rich resource and an increased logistical capacity are innovations characterising an intensified early Mesolithic land use, which is reflected in the stable tradition of uniform seasonal settlement patterns at early Mesolithic Duvensee. The case study reveals characteristics in early Mesolithic subsistence and land use that anticipate attributes of the Neolithic economy.