House of Plenty: Reassessing Food and Farming in Late Bronze Age Croatia

Abstract

Bronze Age agriculture in Europe is marked by the adoption of new crops, such as broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), broad bean (Vicia faba) and gold-of-pleasure (Camelina sativa). Yet, at a regional level, it is sometimes unclear when, where and why these crops are adopted and whether they were all adopted at the same time. Croatia is one such region where archaeobotanical research is limited, making it difficult to discuss Bronze Age agriculture and diet in more detail. The discovery of a burnt-down house with crop stores at Kalnik-Igrišče provides a unique archaeobotanical assemblage and snapshot of late Bronze Age agriculture (1000-800 BC). From the carbonised plant remains discovered at Kalnik-Igrišče we see a dominance in the crops broomcorn millet, barley (Hordeum vulgare), free-threshing wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum) and broad bean. Emmer (Triticum dicoccum), spelt (Triticum spelta), and lentil (Lens culinaris) were also found, suggesting they were probably minor crops, while spatial analysis indicates distinct crop storage areas within the building. Overall, these finds support the adoption and integration of these new crops within northern Croatia by the late Bronze Age, while highlighting implications for seasonal strategies, risk management, and cultural dietary choice.

Naselja brončanog i željeznog doba na položaju Osijek – Ciglana i Zeleno polje

“…It is assumed that acorns were also used for obtaining colour and leather tanning (Zohary, Hopf 1988;Renfrew 1973). In Croatia, the find of oak acorns was for now recorded at the site from the Late Bronze/ Iron Age Nova Bukovica -Sjenjak (Šoštarić 2001), Late Bronze Age site Kalnik -Igrišče (Mareković et al 2015;Reed et al 2021) and Iron Age settlement in Sisak (Reed 2020). Sporadic prehistoric acorn finds are also known in other European countries (Deforce et al 2009;Kroll, Borojević 1988;Mercuri 2006 etc.…”

“…These finds are absolutely expected and common for the period in question. Bronze and Iron Age archaeobotanical reports from Croatia (Mareković et al 2015;Reed 2020;Reed et al 2021) and surrounding countries (e.g., Srbija: Kroll, Borojević 1988;Medović 2002;Slovenia: Culiberg, Šercelj 1995;Italy: Mercuri 2006; Austria: rama barske bezupke također nema ureza, ali to je školjka bez brave (zubaca), pa nije neophodna velika ili oštra sila za njeno otvaranje. Za pretpostaviti je da je zbog brojnosti pronađenih fragmenata meso ove školjke također participiralo u ishrani.…”

Settlements and cemeteries in Bronze Age Croatia: The archaeobotanical evidence

“…In continental Croatia, the site of Torčec-Gradić, yielded two Alisma plantago-aquatica seeds identified as 'pseudo fresh' making it unclear how these remains link to their Bronze Age contexts, while at Nova Bukovica-Sjenjak 183 broad beans and a few acorns were recovered (Šoštarić, 2001, 2004). The best Bronze Age site with archaeobotanical remains so far published is that of Kalnik-Igrišče, where a burnt down building allowed unique preservation of the crops stored within (Mareković et al, 2015;Reed et al, 2021). Here over 100 000 grains show a dominance in broomcorn millet, barley, free-threshing wheat (Triticum aestivum) and broad bean.…”

“…Linseed and poppy are old domesticates that spread throughout Europe from the Neolithic onwards and are present at sites within Croatia, including Bronze Age Beli Manastir-Sudaraž (Reed, 2015(Reed, , 2017. The lump of goldof-pleasure recovered from Kalnik-Igrišče, Croatia, as well as finds from Feudvar, Serbia, and Kastanas, Macedonia, indicate its use as a crop during this period (Kroll, 1983: 58-59;Kroll, 1998: 313;Reed at al., 2021). Lallemantia sp., and safflower are regionally limited to the south-eastern part of Europe, mostly northern Greece, in their use and distribution (Marinova and Riehl, 2009;Stika and Heiss, 2013;Valamoti, 2013).…”

Late Bronze Age Food Storage in Lower Cerovačka Cave, Croatia

“…Caves were thus utilized in different ways along the Adriatic coast.At present only 17 sites have published archaeobotanical evidence from Croatia as a whole, and the quality and quantity vary greatly(Reed et al 2022a).Along the coast, we see a very limited repertoire of remains, with only the settlement at Monkodonja providing any clear evidence of crop cultivation, including emmer (Triticum dicoccum), barley (Hordeum vulgare) and grape pips (Vitis vinifera). In continental Croatia, the Late Bronze Age site of Kalnik-Igri∏≠e revealed thousands of plant remains within a burnt down house, with broomcorn millet, barley, free-threshing wheat (Triticum aestivum) and broad bean predominating(Marekovi≤ et al 2015;Reed et al 2021).…”