Holz-Überleibsel Von Tel Nami, Ein Mittel-Bronze IIa und Spät-Bronze IIb Hafen: Lokale Ausnutzung Von Bäumen und Levantinischem Zedern-Handel

Lev‐Yadun, Simcha; Artzy, Michal; Marcus, Ezra S.; Stidsing, Ragna

doi:10.1007/bf02907339

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Further supporting this is the absence of cedar pollen from the Lachish palynological study between the Middle Bronze Age-Iron Age (Drori and Horowitz 1989). Since cedar cultivation was probably related to ornamental gardens and not for timber production in these cases, it is assumed that cedar beams used for construction of monumental buildings were imported from afar (Lev-Yadun 1992;Lev-Yadun et al 1996;Roth et al 2019b). This indicates that the ratio of the tree is related not to the natural environment or agricultural regime of the site but to the site's status in politics and trade .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

THE VEGETATION HISTORY OF THE SHEPHELAH, SOUTHERN LEVANT: MIDDLE BRONZE AGE–HELLENISTIC PERIOD (c.2000–100 BC)

Jin,

Lipschits,

Langgut

2023

Oxford J Archaeology

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SummaryAlthough the Shephelah region (Israel) is of a great archaeological significance and has been intensively excavated, very little is known about its landscape history. This study presents two large‐scale charred wood assemblages (>2300 items) that were recovered from Tel Azekah and Tel Lachish in order to reconstruct the ancient vegetation of the Shephelah. The two assemblages cover a temporal range from the Middle Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period (c.2000–100 BC). This new diachronic environmental investigation demonstrates that the natural arboreal vegetation in the Shephelah was dominated by oak and pistachio. From the perspective of the regional fruit tree horticulture, olive was the dominant component, indicating that the region included extensive olive orchards. Other documented fruit trees are grapevine, fig, sycamore fig, carob, date palm and almond. The high frequencies of olive remains throughout all investigated periods point to climatic conditions in the region being close to what we are facing today, with at least 400–450 mm of annual precipitation, which is required for a profitable grove. During the Iron Age II, the proportion of olive remains reached its zenith, most probably as a result of Assyrian agroeconomic management that assigned the Shephelah to olive oil production. At the same time, a reduction in natural Mediterranean trees was identified, representing intense human pressure on the natural environment. The discovery of charred cedar of Lebanon remains only at Lachish points to the high status of the site within the region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

THE VEGETATION HISTORY OF THE SHEPHELAH, SOUTHERN LEVANT: MIDDLE BRONZE AGE–HELLENISTIC PERIOD (c.2000–100 BC)

Jin,

Lipschits,

Langgut

2023

Oxford J Archaeology

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“…In ancient contexts, charcoal combustion may be a byproduct of a variety of pyrotechnic domestic or industrial activities ranging from cooking to metallurgy to firing of pottery (Levy et al 2002;Hunt et al 2007;Scott & Damblon 2010;Théry-Parisot et al 2010). Archaeologically, charcoal evidence reflects a common preference for wood fuel (Nesbitt 1995;Lev-Yadun et al 1996;Willcox 1996;Kimiaie & McCorriston 2013) and thereby the availability of woody vegetation on ancient landscapes (Smart & Hoffman 1988;Vernet 1997;Willcox 2002;Asouti & Austin 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The deposition of seeds and charcoal in archaeological sites results from a wide variety of activities related to fuel combustion, processing of crops, burnt structures or food remains (see critical discussion of charcoal deposition inWestern 1971). Charcoal remains provide evidence for the intentional selection and consumption of woody vegetation, particularly as locally available sources of fuel and construction materials for ancient communities(Smart and Hoffman 1988;Lev-Yadun et al 1996;Asouti 2003;Asouti & Austin 2005;Hunt et al 2007;Deckers et al 2008;Deckers & Pessin 2010;Deckers 2011;Kimiaie & McCorriston 2013). Ancient wood foragers tended to…”

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confidence: 99%

Bronze age fuel use and its implications for agrarian landscapes in the eastern Mediterranean

Fall

Falconer

Klinge

2015

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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We compare carbonized seeds and charcoal excavated from four Bronze Age settlements in the eastern Mediterranean to infer distinctions in fuel use and the exploitation of woody vegetation amid developing anthropogenic landscapes. Charcoal evidence generally implicates combustion of fuel wood, while burned seeds commonly result from dung fuel use. Varying fuel consumption profiles reflect the availability of woody vegetation and cultivation practices that reveal temporal and geographical dynamics on Bronze Age agrarian landscapes. In the farmlands of the northern Jordan Valley, villagers at Early Bronze Tell Abu en-Nia'j and subsequently at Middle Bronze Tell el-Hayyat relied heavily on dung for their fuel needs, supplemented by burning of orchard prunings and to a lesser extent wood from nearby riparian vegetation. In this agrarian setting, limited availability of forest resources engendered exploitation of the highest diversities of cultivated crops, weedy species and woody plants. The village of Zahrat adh-Dhra' 1 (contemporaneous with Tell el-Hayyat) on the arid, sparsely populated Dead Sea Plain relied less on dung fuel, and similarly harvested wood from orchards, while also utilizing the desert trees Acacia and Tamarix. Fuel use at Politiko-Troullia, Cyprus suggests ready access to Pinus and Quercus forests, and burning of Olea wood from nearby orchards, associated with little dung fuel use and the lowest taxonomic diversity of fuel sources among these four Bronze Age communities. The range of evidence for fuel use at these settlements reflects varying exploitation strategies based on plant resources and animal management in agrarian countrysides, as well as the larger influences of urbanized or non-urbanized society during the development of Bronze Age anthropogenic landscapes.

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“…(Lev-Yadun et al, 1984;Lev-Yadun, 1992). Some of the Middle and Late Bronze Age charred oak wood samples from Tel Nami published by Lev-Yadun et al (1996) were infested by fungal hyphae, indicating that the wood was not fresh when burnt. The fungal issue was not published, however, because the fungus was not identified.…”

Section: Fungal and Insect Damage And Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wood remains from archaeological excavations: A review with a Near Eastern perspective

Lev‐Yadun¹

2007

Israel Journal of Earth Sciences

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In this review I describe and discuss the technical issues of identification of archaeological wood remains from archaeological excavations and the types of data that can emerge from studying them. I discuss uses of wood; types of wood remains (dry, charred, waterlogged, sub-fossil, fossilized); crystals from wood; the anatomical basis for wood identification, including the different anatomies of conifers, monocotyledons, and dicotyledons; regular and traumatic tissues; endogenous trends of anatomical changes related to age, size, and position within the plant; and damage by fungi and insects and their identification. Wood preservation, common microscopic methods for wood identification, wood anatomical atlases for the Levant and other relevant regions, and the lack of bark descriptions are all discussed. Wood fiber identification, statistical characters of wood anatomy, dendrochronology (tree-ring studies), and the use of stable and radioactive isotopes from wood continue. Possibilities of identification of the origin of wood by Strontium and ancient DNA and other molecular studies follow later in the review. The role of floral data emerging from studies of archaeological wood remains in planning current forests and nature conservation is discussed. In this context, an example is given of the role of wood remains in understanding the dominance of Quercus calliprinos (kermes oak) in the Central Coastal Plain of Israel. Geobotany and the question of identifying climatic changes, social status as reflected in the types of wood used in Masada (King Herod's palace versus Roman siege rampart), wood as an indication of ancient trade, and wood as reflecting horticulture are also discussed. Woodworking technology, the use of fire, and dealing with multidisciplinary issues and conclusions end the review. Concerning archaeological wood remains, it is impossible to exploit all theoretical and technical abilities in all studies, and scientists involved in any archaeological project have to decide about priorities. Studying archaeological wood remains is a very complicated multidisciplinary issue. Archaeological wood identification is commonly conducted by non-botanists, who have difficulties with the botanical, ecological, and environmental aspects, while evaluation of the identified plant material by botanists involves similar difficulties with archaeological and cultural issues. No scientist is able to master all relevant aspects, and such multidisciplinary issues usually require a wellbalanced team to deal with them.

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Holz-Überleibsel Von Tel Nami, Ein Mittel-Bronze IIa und Spät-Bronze IIb Hafen: Lokale Ausnutzung Von Bäumen und Levantinischem Zedern-Handel

Cited by 13 publications

References 11 publications

THE VEGETATION HISTORY OF THE SHEPHELAH, SOUTHERN LEVANT: MIDDLE BRONZE AGE–HELLENISTIC PERIOD (c.2000–100 BC)

THE VEGETATION HISTORY OF THE SHEPHELAH, SOUTHERN LEVANT: MIDDLE BRONZE AGE–HELLENISTIC PERIOD (c.2000–100 BC)

Bronze age fuel use and its implications for agrarian landscapes in the eastern Mediterranean

Wood remains from archaeological excavations: A review with a Near Eastern perspective

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