Bolboschoenus glaucus (Lam.) S.G. Smith, a new species in the flora of the ancient Near East

Wollstonecroft, Michèle M.; Hroudová, Zdenka; Hillman, G. C.; Fuller, Dorian Q.

doi:10.1007/s00334-011-0305-3

Cited by 26 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Hillman suggested that these were brought to the site to be used as food. Bolboschoenus nutlets were also common at Tell Abu Hureyra (Wollstonecroft et al 2011), a late Natufian site where a high number of grinding versus pounding tools was also observed (Wright 1994: table 7;Hillman 2000;Moore 2000). Furthermore recent phytolith evidence from a late Natufian bedrock feature at Raqefet cave may also suggest tuber exploitation (Power et al 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This consequently emphasises that we should not assume that ground stone tools were primarily used for the processing of cereals or nuts. The availability and palatability of tubers and nutlets (Kraybill 1977;Hillman et al 1989 and references therein;Wright 1994: Wollstonecroft et al 2008Wollstonecroft et al , 2011 shows that these plants were likely just as important a food source as cereals. This could reflect certain resource specialization during the Natufian (Power et al 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Preliminary analysis of the Late Natufian ground stone from Shubayqa 1, Jordan

Pedersen¹,

Richter²,

Arranz‐Otaegui³

2016

JLS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:Shubayqa 1 is a newly identified early and late Natufian site in the harra desert of northeastern Jordan. In addition to buildings, and rich chipped stone, faunal, and botanical assemblages, the site has produced a large collection of ground stone tools. This paper presents the result of a preliminary study of the ground stone artefacts associated with the late Natufian phase. Results indicate that while the assemblage is overall very similar to other Natufian sites in the Mediterranean zone, there are also some notable differences. Although grinding rather than pounding tools appear to be more important at the site, many tools were seemingly involved in both grinding and pounding activities. We hypothesize that this dual function could be explained by the processing of rhizome tubers, which were found in abundance at the site, and which may have represented an important food source for the inhabitants. In addition, we argue that the relationship between ground stone tools and cereal processing has been overemphasized and the processing of other plant food resources, in this case tubers could have been equally significant. While the processing of plant foods was one function, many tools are also associated with pigment stains, suggesting that they were involved in the processing of non-vegetal matter.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary analysis of the Late Natufian ground stone from Shubayqa 1, Jordan

Pedersen¹,

Richter²,

Arranz‐Otaegui³

2016

JLS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For an ethnobotanical comparison of the use of Schoenoplectus we consider both Bolboschoenus maritimus (sea club rush) and Scirpus (wood club rush), as the nomenclature of Schoenoplectus has changed quite a lot within the family of Cyperaceae. Sea club rush is recovered frequently from ancient sites in the Middle East and interpreted as a wild food plant (Wollstonecroft et al 2008(Wollstonecroft et al , 2011. Seeds from several species of the genus Scirpus are used by Native Americans in the same way as described for water lily and pond lily (Moerman 1998, pp.…”

Section: Upgrading the Current State Of Knowledge Of Neolithic Crop Gmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crop growing and gathering in the northern German Neolithic: a review supplemented by new results

Kirleis

Klooß

Kroll

et al. 2011

Veget Hist Archaeobot

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

New archaeobotanical results from 15 Neolithic sites in northern Germany are presented in a review of the Neolithic plant economy in northern and northwestern Europe. Available archaeobotanical data from north-western Europe are evaluated and compared with our new results. In the whole region, barley and emmer were the main crops. Regional and diachronic differences are observed in the cultivation of einkorn, spelt and naked wheat. For oil plants and pulses only rare information from macro remains is available, as we mainly deal with charred material. It is noticeable that gathered plants played an important role in the Funnel Beaker economy. Plant choice, especially the relevance of cultivated versus gathered plants is discussed, based on new and existing data. Based on a structural comparison of charred plant assemblages from domestic sites and tombs, we develop a research hypothesis that settlement finds provide insight into production and consumption of food from crops, while tombs mainly yield evidence of plants gathered in the wild or in semi-wild areas in the vicinity of former settlements. Therefore, we suggest a model of different purposes and meanings of plants, depending on whether primarily an economic or a social/ritual sphere is regarded. But, for all evaluations and interpretations, it is essential to consider the taphonomic processes and conditions. Therefore, further research is necessary to verify our hypothesis, which derives from first insights into new material.

show abstract

“…Finally, it is well documented in the Near East, that the nutlets, shoots and tubers of Bolboschoenus maritimus or sea club-rush, as well as those of Bolboschoenus glaucus, were eaten in prehistory ( Wollstonecroft et al, 2008). Nutlets of B. glaucus, widely reported from Pre-Pottery sites in West Asia, might also have sometimes been eaten ( Wollstonecroft et al, 2011). The use of rhizomes and tubers as food are frequently referred to as 'famine food.'…”

Section: Subsistence Regime: Gathered Food Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hunter-gatherer specialization in the late Neolithic of southern Vietnam – The case of Rach Nui

Castillo

Fuller

Piper

et al. 2018

Quaternary International

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rach Nui is a late Neolithic settlement of hunter-gatherers in southern Vietnam. However, the site also has a series of mortared floors corresponding to a sedentary lifestyle, where the inhabitants continued to live in the same area and repaired or replaced their floors over a period of 150 years. The inhabitants relied on a mixed economy that included domesticated and gathered plants, as well as hunted and managed animals. Although, there is evidence for the consumption of domesticated rice and foxtail millet, the inhabitants were mainly huntergatherers who relied on their surrounding mangrove and swamp forest habitats for most of their food requirements. From the archaeobotanical work done, it appears that the domesticated cereals, rice and foxtail millet, found at the site were imported. On the other hand, sedge nutlets and parenchyma were identified in high frequencies and were probably locally sourced, suggesting that foraging and/or vegeculture played a major role in the economy of Rach Nui.

show abstract

Bolboschoenus glaucus (Lam.) S.G. Smith, a new species in the flora of the ancient Near East

Cited by 26 publications

References 16 publications

Preliminary analysis of the Late Natufian ground stone from Shubayqa 1, Jordan

Preliminary analysis of the Late Natufian ground stone from Shubayqa 1, Jordan

Crop growing and gathering in the northern German Neolithic: a review supplemented by new results

Hunter-gatherer specialization in the late Neolithic of southern Vietnam – The case of Rach Nui

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About