Past plant use in Jordan as revealed by archaeological and ethnoarchaeological phytolith signatures

Abstract

Ninety-six phytolith samples were analysed from seven archaeological sites ranging from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to the Classical period and from two ethnoarchaeological sites in Jordan. The aims were to test the possibility of detecting past irrigation with the methodology outlined by Madella et al. (2009) and Jenkins et al. (Chapter 21, this volume) and to study the contextual and temporal variation of plant use in Jordan. We utilised a water availability index using the proportion of phytolith types and ordination statistical methods to explore the similarities between the phytolith assemblages. The result of applying the irrigation methodology was promising, with contexts from water channels showing the greatest indication of water availability. Changes in plant use through time were also apparent with regard to phytolith densities and taxonomy. Date palm was identified in the Pottery Neolithic, providing one of the earliest records for this taxon in Jordan. This study shows the potential of both the water availability index and the value of inter-site comparison of phytolith assemblages.

Mid- to late-Holocene archaeology, environment and climate in the northeast Kurdistan region of Iraq

“…A water availability index was also calculated for the onsite samples (Table 2). The percentages were calculated by comparing the number of environmentally driven phytolith morphotypes to genetically produced morphotypes (see Jenkins et al, 2011; Madella et al, 2009). Genetically determined morphotypes, such as dumbbells/bilobes and saddles, are produced, regardless of the amount of water available; however, other types of phytoliths (such as long cells found in leaves) are sensitive to hydrological conditions and will produce more with higher levels of soil moisture (Madella et al, 2009).…”

“…After calculating numbers for total phytoliths and phytolith types per gram (Rosen, 2005), histograms (absolute counts and percentages) were created to compare different morpho- and vegetation types across chronologically sequenced samples. Water availability indices (Madella et al (2009), using Jenkins et al’s (2011) calculation) were also calculated for the onsite samples at Tepe Marani and Gurga Chiya and the samples from Trench 1 in order to assess the relative availability of water (i.e. soil moisture content) across a temporal scale.…”

Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) Domestication and Dispersal Out of Central Asia

“…Given the extreme morphological differences between the small-seeded Mediterranean pistachios and the cultivated pistachio, rectifying these issues is easy in the instances where images are published or descriptions are made. Even after accounting for the taxonomic uncertainty, there are many academic claims of early P. vera remains from the Neolithic onward in West Asia; for example, Beidha [48,79], WF16 [80], Tepe Abul Hosein [81], and Çatalhöyük [82]. However, all of these cases are secondary reports or parts of broader archaeological discussions and in each case, the original archaeobotanical study did not report the remains as being cultivated pistachios, but rather as P. atlantica (mastic), P. palestina (the old name for P. terebinthus) (terebinth) [49,[83][84][85], and P. khinjuk [86].…”

The Roman Legacy on European Chestnut and Walnut Arboriculture

“…Second, the eastern territories correspond to the areas of early development of the agricultural techniques, including arboriculture (Blockley and Pinhasi 2011;Borrell, Junno, and Barceló 2015). In particular the Middle Eastern region of the Levant has provided the oldest evidence for fruit tree cultivation and domestication, with for instance the emergence of oleiculture starting from the Late Neolithic (Jenkins, Baker, and Elliott 2011;Oflaz, Dörfler, and Weinelt 2019;Langgut et al 2019). The beginnings of grape (Vitis vinifera), date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and fig (Ficus carica) fruit growing are also found in the Middle East (Kislev, Hartmann, and Bar-Yosef 2006;Weiss 2015;Fuller and Stevens 2019).…”