An update to the La Tène plant economy in northern Serbia

Abstract

The archaeobotanical research of the macrobiotic remains from archaeological sites provides a valuable insight into the plant economy of the continental Celtic (Gaulish or Galatian) tribe of Scordisci, which lived around the rivers of Sava, Drava and Danube during the last three centuries before Christ. The field crop production of Scordisci was based upon cereals, grain legumes and oil crops. The importance of spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) in the everyday diets of Scordisci has been underestimated so far. Recent researches proved the presence of Byzantine oat (Avena byzantina K. Koch) at the Celtic tilths in the northern Balkans. Cereals were stored in mud-plastered granary baskets. The spectrum of grain legumes is as diverse as that of cereals. The latest analyses expand the list of oil plants with a new species-dragon's head (Lallemantia iberica (M.Bieb.) Fisch. & C.A.Mey.). There is also the first evidence of a beer production facility in one of the Scordisci oppida, Čarnok.

Aleksandar Mikić, the legume (re)searcher

“…The last paper Aleksandar Mikić has contributed was about Celtic archaeology. It was published only a week after his death (Medović et al, 2021). Aleksandar's passion for the cartoons of Asterix and Obelix has introduced him into the magic world of archeology and archaeobotany.…”

Profitability of Organic Farming of Spelt in the Climate Conditions of Serbia

“…It was known to the Romans and it was also grown for a long time in Germany, the Alpine region, and parts of the Pannonian Plain. As the Pannonian Plain became populated, Hungarian tribes continued to grow spelt (Kiš et al, 2016;Medović et al, 2021). However, spelt was almost disappeared over time and it was kept only in gene banks worldwide.…”