Spy fox in dry cereal dos
secondary deposition, but also intentional staged depositions, see ) to interpret plant processing areas and related practices within settlements. Where possible, such a link relies mainly on contextual associations of macrobotanical remains and archaeological finds and on an understanding of taphonomic conditions of depositional practices (primary vs. Įxcept for some exceptional finds (e.g., ), it is generally difficult to make a direct link between macrobotanical remains and grinding implements. Indeed, it has been suggested that an increase in grinding tools and the establishment of cereal-based economies in Southwest Asia are directly correlated. Grinding implements are among the oldest and most numerous artefacts found in archaeological sites that can be directly associated with plant processing and food production activities.
However, it is only by connecting artefactual assemblages and plant remains that we can gain a broader and more complete picture of plant-processing activities. Traditionally these issues have been approached by recovering carbonized macrobotanical remains such as seeds and other inflorescence anatomical parts (chaff, spikelets, forks, etc.). Within these strategies, how plants are transformed into food and crafts have always been central themes. The informative potential of such remains, coupled with ethnographic and ecological models, allowed researchers to identify diverse plant processing strategies of past societies. In sum, this work further expands our understanding of plants and crop processing activities performed by the inhabitants of Neolithic Çatalhöyük.Īrchaeobotanical remains are the best proxies for studying the emergence of prehistoric agricultural practices. Moreover, by comparing results from the microbotanical proxies and microscopic wear patterns on artefacts, we are also able to discern various plant processing practices the analysed artefacts were employed for. Our results reveal a rich microbotanical assemblage that testifies the use of a wide range of geophytes and wild seasonal resources previously unknown at the site. The study presented here adds to our understanding of crops and plant processing at Çatalhöyük by integrating phytoliths and starch analyses on grinding implements found at three domestic contexts attributed to the Middle (6700–6500 cal BC) and Late (6500–6300 cal BC) period of occupation.
Excavations at the site over almost three decades have unearthed rich archaeobotanical remains and a diverse ground stone assemblage produced by what once was a vibrant farming community. The site received worldwide attention early on for its large size, well-preserved mudbrick architecture, and elaborate wall paintings. Çatalhöyük is a renowned archaeological site in central Anatolia, best known for its Neolithic occupation dated from 7100 to 6000 cal BC.