Palaeoecological and archaeological studies conducted in Mozgawa (southern Poland) demonstrated a... more Palaeoecological and archaeological studies conducted in Mozgawa (southern Poland) demonstrated a long-term sustainable land-use by inhabitants of a large settlement occupied during the second half of the fourth millennium BC. The Middle Neolithic society established a settlement that covered an area of about 30–35 ha and functioned during at least three centuries, as validated by the absolute chronology. A thorough analysis based on the fuzzy-logic principle combined with archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data showed that the subsistence model was based on agricultural practices, related with both crop cultivation and animal husbandry, together with an important component of hunting, fishing and gathering. Ecological requirements of plants and animals represented by fossil remains suggested that the exploited area included a variety of habitats. In the open landscape, wet and dry grasslands, used partly as pastures, cultivated fields and marshes were present. Wooded areas incl...
Cultivation of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was a widespread practice in later Europea... more Cultivation of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was a widespread practice in later European prehistory. When and how this \u2018crop from the East\u2019 was introduced to the continent and spread across it has not been determined. So far, based on the relative chronology of millet finds and a small set of radiocarbon-dated caryopses, it has been suggested that millet did not arrive in Europe during the Neolithic and that this happened in the Mid-Late Bronze Age. It has not been clear why and how millet was integrated into the pre-existing crop spectrum and what effect this had on the crop husbandry routine. The economic and socio-cultural contexts of the adoption of millet have not been closely examined. The 'Millet Dating Programme' recently completed at Kiel University produced 100+ radiocarbon dates on charred grains of broomcorn millet recovered from Neolithic and Bronze Age layers of sites located in different parts of Europe. Collectively, the absolute dates suggest that millet reached most of SE, central and NW Europe in the period 15-13th century BC. Using these high-precision data, we can now build a link between the start of millet cultivation and the coeval changes in subsistence economy potentially resulting from the adoption of the new crop. We present the results of this research project and discuss possible mechanisms by which millet was distributed, as well as the potential agro-ecological causes-andeffects of the establishment of millet cultivation in Europe
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest... more Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 bc. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 bc, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium bc, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century bc, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries bc. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and...
Neolithic communities appeared in Polish territories around the mid-6th millennium BC. However, u... more Neolithic communities appeared in Polish territories around the mid-6th millennium BC. However, until the beginning of the 4th millennium BC, they inhabited only small enclaves. This situation changed within the first half of the 4th millennium BC, when the most of the Polish territories became settled by Neolithic groups attributed to the Funnel Beaker culture (TRB). There is a fairly large amount of data on plants cultivated by TRB people. Based on this, one can conclude that mainly Triticum dicoccon, T. monococcum and Hordeum vulgare were grown. T. dicoccon and T. monococcum could be sown together. It should be noted that large amounts of weeds typical of cereal fields have been recorded. It is much more difficult to determine the economic importance of other cultivars because of their low numbers. Nevertheless, the TRB inventories contain remains of
In spring 2019, rescue excavations were conducted at Goszcza 1 (Kielnik) site in connection with ... more In spring 2019, rescue excavations were conducted at Goszcza 1 (Kielnik) site in connection with construction of a dwelling house. As a result, eleven archaeological features of various chronology were identified. The most abundant materials, dating to the Late Classic period of the Baden culture in Lesser Poland (the end of the 4 th millennium and the beginning of the 3 th millennium BC), were found in four pits. At the bottom of two features (nos 4 and 6) human skeletons were discovered. In the present study, only materials discovered in features attributed to the Baden culture are discussed, including pottery finds, flint artefacts, and fragments of human and animal bones. macroscopic plant remains coming from three archaeological features have also been investigated.
When found on settlements of early European farmers, the dietary role of seeds of Chenopodium alb... more When found on settlements of early European farmers, the dietary role of seeds of Chenopodium album (commonly called goosefoot or fat-hen) is difficult to assess. It is often hard to determine whether the small black seeds are modern or ancient. Rarely are they found in sufficient concentrations to warrant radiocarbon dating. Palaeobotanical sampling at the Neolithic site of Ludwinowo 7 in north-central Poland yielded abundant carbonized C. album seeds but only a modest quantity of domesticated cereals (einkorn wheat, Triticum monococcum, and the new type of glume wheat, NGW) and other cultivated plants (flax, Linum usitatissimum, and peas, cf. Pisum sativum). Samples of C. album seeds and carbonized wheat chaff from the same context produced consistent dates in the late 6th millennium B.C. The frequency of C. album type seeds at Ludwinowo suggests their presence was not incidental but intentional, contributing significantly to the diet of the inhabitants in multiple ways. We propose that wheat cultivation, although practiced, was not central to the subsistence economy of the inhabitants of Ludwinowo.
Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for so... more Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for some taxa (here fat-hen, Chenopodium album type) can be very problematic. Recognition of the preservation state is obviously crucial for archaeobotanical data derived from dry, open-air sites. Fat-hen as a common weed, is also one of the most important components of a persistent soil seed bank. It is also a well-known food plant, gathered or cultivated. Numerous findings of fat-hen seeds in unclear states of preservation were noted in the Early Neolithic sites of the Linear Pottery culture in Kuyavia (N Europe). In previous studies such specimens were omitted as probably uncharred. Re-examination of Neolithic finds of fat-hen from that region showed the link of their abundancy with the earliest phases of the Neolithic occupation. The plant probably played an important role in the diet of the early Neolithic settlers there. It may indicate intensive use of local, open, fertile, probably alluvial areas. Distinguishing between ancient and modern specimens of that common weedy plant, producing large amounts of small, black, resistant seeds is thus very important, holding a great potential to shed new light on the origins of agricultural societies in this part of northern Europe.
The archaeological site 3 in Miech ow provided samples for anthracological, carpological, zooarch... more The archaeological site 3 in Miech ow provided samples for anthracological, carpological, zooarchaeological and malacofaunal analysis in order to investigate the dynamics of local vegetation and to understand people-environment interactions. The main research tasks included the characterization of local forests, the determination of the landscape openness near the site and a verification of the presence of xerothermic vegetation in the Atlantic period. The majority of samples came from the Neolithic period, which in Miech ow began in the second half of the VIth millennium BC with the appearance of the Linear Pottery Culture and continued with several occupation phases until the development of the Funnel Beaker and Baden cultures. Younger periods were represented by archaeological features dated to the Late Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Middle Ages. Therefore, the recovered materials have been valuable sources of information about the local environment near human settlements developed during the second part of the Holocene. The anthracological study has revealed the dominance of open oak forests with Quercus, Pinus sylvestris and Betula during all occupational phases. The presence of feather grass Stipa sp., since the beginning of the settlement, has pointed toward the existence of patches of xerothermic steppe-like vegetation during the Holocene climatic optimum and in younger periods. Also, the molluscan assemblages have shown a dominance of taxa characteristic of open landscapes during the entire occupational sequence. The interdisciplinary results have indicated that due to specific local environmental conditions, the landscape in the vicinity of the settlement remained open in the second half of the Holocene.
Recent archaeological excavations at two Early Neolithic settlements at Kamyane-Zavallia (Ukraine... more Recent archaeological excavations at two Early Neolithic settlements at Kamyane-Zavallia (Ukraine) and Nicolaevca V (Moldova) have provided new plant assemblages. The sites belong to the Linearbandkeramik culture (LBK) and represent its easternmost settlements. In these regions, charred plant macro-remains are still very rarely sampled for and investigated, so these results may shed light on the plant-based economy of the first farmers of this area. Both sites are located in the area of loess soils, in the border zone between deciduous woodland, woodland steppe and steppe. A dominance of Triticum monococcum (einkorn) was evident at both sites, preserved both as grains and chaff (spikelet bases and glume base). Other cereals, including cf. T. dicoccum (emmer), cf. T. timopheevii and Hordeum vulgare (barley) were less frequent. Among wild herbaceous plants, ruderal and segetal communities were represented by species commonly found at LBK sites, including Chenopodium album type, Fallopia convolvulus, Echinochloa crus-galli and Lapsana communis. The majority of these plants are edible and it is also likely that they were used as food. At both sites, remains of awns of Stipa sp. (feather grass) were found, which indicate the existence of grasslands and/or open woodlands in the vicinity. The charcoal assemblages were dominated by a few taxa, such as Fraxinus sp., Quercus sp. and Cornus sp., suggesting that there were some wooded steppe and deciduous forests. Selected plant macro-remains were radiocarbon dated and the results show that they are from ca. 5200 − 5000 cal bc. From the same archaeobotanical samples, snails were analysed and the resulting malacofauna shows a dominance of open-country snails as well as those which might indicate local agricultural practices at both settlements.
Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400-1100) was studie... more Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400-1100) was studied, gave more than 70 plant taxa in the extraordinarily well-preserved charred assemblage. In the paper, a detailed description of selected plants is presented followed by environmental interpretation. Acorns (Quercus) dominated in volume and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) in the number of specimens. The first large find of that late incomer north of the Carpathian Mountains is presented here. The pit users also used hulled wheat (einkorn, emmer, and spelt); barley; and probably peas. In the pit, a large number of grassland plants were noted accompanied by a very few remains of aquatic (Elatine) and forest herbaceous plants (Astrantia major). Weeds and ruderal plants were also present. The composition of plant remains is very unusual for this type of archeological feature, suggesting a mixed type of food strategy for its users, dominated by plant gathering and animal husbandry. The site is located in a newly settled ecotone zone, on the margin of fertile loess areas and mountain foothills.
In the paper, new carpological data from Pielgrzymowice site 9 are presented in the context of ar... more In the paper, new carpological data from Pielgrzymowice site 9 are presented in the context of archaeobotanical finds from southern Poland. The results were obtained from detailed analyses of 45 samples from 38 archaeological features. Only charred plant remains were taken into account as they are considered contemporaneous with the Middle Bronze Age settlement. Among the cultivated plants, Panicum miliaceum, Triticum dicoccum, Triticum monococcum and Triticum sp. were documented. Among wild plants, several taxa were found, including Chenopodium t. album, Chenopodium sp., Melandrium / Silene, Polygonum lapathifolium and Fallopia convolvulus, among others. In archaeobotanical samples, Geranium sp., cf. Lamiaceae also appeared. In addition, plants typical of grasslands, forests and ruderal areas were noted, such as Coronilla varia, Rumex acetosella, Plantago media, Plantago lanceolata, Stellaria graminea and Hypericum perforatum. These results were compared with data coming from nine ...
The paper presents a Neolithic feature discovered in trench G of the widely-known Paleolithic Gra... more The paper presents a Neolithic feature discovered in trench G of the widely-known Paleolithic Gravettian site at Kraków Spadzista. Pottery and lithic artefacts as well as archaeobotanical data and radiocarbon dates demonstrate the existence of a stable human occupation with an agricultural economy. Due to the small number of distinctive fragments of pottery, both the Wyciąże-złotniki group and the Funnel Beaker culture have to be taken into account in the discussion on the cultural attribution of the feature. The obtained absolute dates make a connection with the latter unit more probable.
Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for so... more Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for some taxa (here fat-hen, Chenopodium album type) can be very problematic. Recognition of the preservation state is obviously crucial for archaeobotanical data derived from dry, open-air sites. Fat-hen as a common weed, is also one of the most important components of a persistent soil seed bank. It is also a well-known food plant, gathered or cultivated. Numerous findings of fat-hen seeds in unclear states of preservation were noted in the Early Neolithic sites of the Linear Pottery culture in Kuyavia (N Europe). In previous studies such specimens were omitted as probably uncharred. Re-examination of Neolithic finds of fat-hen from that region showed the link of their abundancy with the earliest phases of the Neolithic occupation. The plant probably played an important role in the diet of the early Neolithic settlers there. It may indicate intensive use of local, open, fertile, probably alluvial areas. Distinguishing between ancient and modern specimens of that common weedy plant, producing large amounts of small, black, resistant seeds is thus very important, holding a great potential to shed new light on the origins of agricultural societies in this part of northern Europe.
Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400–1100) was studie... more Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400–1100) was studied, gave more than 70 plant taxa in the extraordinarily well-preserved charred assemblage. In the paper, a detailed description of selected plants is presented followed by environmental interpretation. Acorns (Quercus) dominated in volume and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) in the number of specimens. The first large find of that late incomer north of the Carpathian Mountains is presented here. The pit users also used hulled wheat (einkorn, emmer, and spelt); barley; and probably peas. In the pit, a large number of grassland plants were noted accompanied by a very few remains of aquatic (Elatine) and forest herbaceous plants (Astrantia major). Weeds and ruderal plants were also present. The composition of plant remains is very unusual for this type of archeological feature, suggesting a mixed type of food strategy for its users, dominated by plant gathering and animal husbandry. The site is located in a newly settled ecotone zone, on the margin of fertile loess areas and mountain foothills.
SANOK 58 i 59–60 – KOMPLEKS STANOWISK Z EPOKI BRĄZU I EPOKI ŻELAZA W DORZECZU GÓRNEGO SANU/SANOK 58 AND 59–60 – A COMPLEX OF BRONZE AND IRON AGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN THE UPPER SAN, 2024
W latach 2018-2019 w trakcie budowy obwodnicy Sanoka przeprowadzono badania wykopaliskowe m.in. n... more W latach 2018-2019 w trakcie budowy obwodnicy Sanoka przeprowadzono badania wykopaliskowe m.in. na stanowiskach Sanok 58 i 59/60. Na stanowisku Sanok 58 wyróżniono osadę zasiedloną w epoce brązu i wczesnej epoce żelaza. Podobnie datowane były zespoły ze stanowiska 59/60. Ponadto na tym drugim, zdecydowanie większym stanowisku odkryto obiekty i materiały związane z okresem lateńskim oraz późnym okresem rzymskim i wczesnym okresem wędrówek ludów. Jest to jedna z dwóch osad z okresu rzymskiego w dorzeczu górnego Sanu przebadana w tak dużym zakresie (ponad 3 ha) i jedyna o takim datowaniu. Skala badań oraz rodzaj obiektów powoduje, że mamy do czynienia z zespołami o wyjątkowym charakterze w skali Polski, które dają szansę na weryfikację oraz uzupełnienie dotychczasowych ustaleń naukowych.
Publikację wydano w ramach projektu pn. „Sanok 58 i 59-60 – kompleks stanowisk z epoki brązu i epoki żelaza w dorzeczu górnego Sanu”, zrealizowanego przez Fundację Rzeszowskiego Ośrodka Archeologicznego we współpracy z Fundacją Badań Nad Dziedzictwem Kulturowym, dofinansowanego ze środków Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego pochodzących z Funduszu Promocji Kultury – państwowego funduszu celowego.
Palaeoecological and archaeological studies conducted in Mozgawa (southern Poland) demonstrated a... more Palaeoecological and archaeological studies conducted in Mozgawa (southern Poland) demonstrated a long-term sustainable land-use by inhabitants of a large settlement occupied during the second half of the fourth millennium BC. The Middle Neolithic society established a settlement that covered an area of about 30–35 ha and functioned during at least three centuries, as validated by the absolute chronology. A thorough analysis based on the fuzzy-logic principle combined with archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data showed that the subsistence model was based on agricultural practices, related with both crop cultivation and animal husbandry, together with an important component of hunting, fishing and gathering. Ecological requirements of plants and animals represented by fossil remains suggested that the exploited area included a variety of habitats. In the open landscape, wet and dry grasslands, used partly as pastures, cultivated fields and marshes were present. Wooded areas incl...
Cultivation of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was a widespread practice in later Europea... more Cultivation of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was a widespread practice in later European prehistory. When and how this \u2018crop from the East\u2019 was introduced to the continent and spread across it has not been determined. So far, based on the relative chronology of millet finds and a small set of radiocarbon-dated caryopses, it has been suggested that millet did not arrive in Europe during the Neolithic and that this happened in the Mid-Late Bronze Age. It has not been clear why and how millet was integrated into the pre-existing crop spectrum and what effect this had on the crop husbandry routine. The economic and socio-cultural contexts of the adoption of millet have not been closely examined. The 'Millet Dating Programme' recently completed at Kiel University produced 100+ radiocarbon dates on charred grains of broomcorn millet recovered from Neolithic and Bronze Age layers of sites located in different parts of Europe. Collectively, the absolute dates suggest that millet reached most of SE, central and NW Europe in the period 15-13th century BC. Using these high-precision data, we can now build a link between the start of millet cultivation and the coeval changes in subsistence economy potentially resulting from the adoption of the new crop. We present the results of this research project and discuss possible mechanisms by which millet was distributed, as well as the potential agro-ecological causes-andeffects of the establishment of millet cultivation in Europe
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest... more Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 bc. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 bc, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium bc, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century bc, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries bc. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and...
Neolithic communities appeared in Polish territories around the mid-6th millennium BC. However, u... more Neolithic communities appeared in Polish territories around the mid-6th millennium BC. However, until the beginning of the 4th millennium BC, they inhabited only small enclaves. This situation changed within the first half of the 4th millennium BC, when the most of the Polish territories became settled by Neolithic groups attributed to the Funnel Beaker culture (TRB). There is a fairly large amount of data on plants cultivated by TRB people. Based on this, one can conclude that mainly Triticum dicoccon, T. monococcum and Hordeum vulgare were grown. T. dicoccon and T. monococcum could be sown together. It should be noted that large amounts of weeds typical of cereal fields have been recorded. It is much more difficult to determine the economic importance of other cultivars because of their low numbers. Nevertheless, the TRB inventories contain remains of
In spring 2019, rescue excavations were conducted at Goszcza 1 (Kielnik) site in connection with ... more In spring 2019, rescue excavations were conducted at Goszcza 1 (Kielnik) site in connection with construction of a dwelling house. As a result, eleven archaeological features of various chronology were identified. The most abundant materials, dating to the Late Classic period of the Baden culture in Lesser Poland (the end of the 4 th millennium and the beginning of the 3 th millennium BC), were found in four pits. At the bottom of two features (nos 4 and 6) human skeletons were discovered. In the present study, only materials discovered in features attributed to the Baden culture are discussed, including pottery finds, flint artefacts, and fragments of human and animal bones. macroscopic plant remains coming from three archaeological features have also been investigated.
When found on settlements of early European farmers, the dietary role of seeds of Chenopodium alb... more When found on settlements of early European farmers, the dietary role of seeds of Chenopodium album (commonly called goosefoot or fat-hen) is difficult to assess. It is often hard to determine whether the small black seeds are modern or ancient. Rarely are they found in sufficient concentrations to warrant radiocarbon dating. Palaeobotanical sampling at the Neolithic site of Ludwinowo 7 in north-central Poland yielded abundant carbonized C. album seeds but only a modest quantity of domesticated cereals (einkorn wheat, Triticum monococcum, and the new type of glume wheat, NGW) and other cultivated plants (flax, Linum usitatissimum, and peas, cf. Pisum sativum). Samples of C. album seeds and carbonized wheat chaff from the same context produced consistent dates in the late 6th millennium B.C. The frequency of C. album type seeds at Ludwinowo suggests their presence was not incidental but intentional, contributing significantly to the diet of the inhabitants in multiple ways. We propose that wheat cultivation, although practiced, was not central to the subsistence economy of the inhabitants of Ludwinowo.
Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for so... more Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for some taxa (here fat-hen, Chenopodium album type) can be very problematic. Recognition of the preservation state is obviously crucial for archaeobotanical data derived from dry, open-air sites. Fat-hen as a common weed, is also one of the most important components of a persistent soil seed bank. It is also a well-known food plant, gathered or cultivated. Numerous findings of fat-hen seeds in unclear states of preservation were noted in the Early Neolithic sites of the Linear Pottery culture in Kuyavia (N Europe). In previous studies such specimens were omitted as probably uncharred. Re-examination of Neolithic finds of fat-hen from that region showed the link of their abundancy with the earliest phases of the Neolithic occupation. The plant probably played an important role in the diet of the early Neolithic settlers there. It may indicate intensive use of local, open, fertile, probably alluvial areas. Distinguishing between ancient and modern specimens of that common weedy plant, producing large amounts of small, black, resistant seeds is thus very important, holding a great potential to shed new light on the origins of agricultural societies in this part of northern Europe.
The archaeological site 3 in Miech ow provided samples for anthracological, carpological, zooarch... more The archaeological site 3 in Miech ow provided samples for anthracological, carpological, zooarchaeological and malacofaunal analysis in order to investigate the dynamics of local vegetation and to understand people-environment interactions. The main research tasks included the characterization of local forests, the determination of the landscape openness near the site and a verification of the presence of xerothermic vegetation in the Atlantic period. The majority of samples came from the Neolithic period, which in Miech ow began in the second half of the VIth millennium BC with the appearance of the Linear Pottery Culture and continued with several occupation phases until the development of the Funnel Beaker and Baden cultures. Younger periods were represented by archaeological features dated to the Late Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Middle Ages. Therefore, the recovered materials have been valuable sources of information about the local environment near human settlements developed during the second part of the Holocene. The anthracological study has revealed the dominance of open oak forests with Quercus, Pinus sylvestris and Betula during all occupational phases. The presence of feather grass Stipa sp., since the beginning of the settlement, has pointed toward the existence of patches of xerothermic steppe-like vegetation during the Holocene climatic optimum and in younger periods. Also, the molluscan assemblages have shown a dominance of taxa characteristic of open landscapes during the entire occupational sequence. The interdisciplinary results have indicated that due to specific local environmental conditions, the landscape in the vicinity of the settlement remained open in the second half of the Holocene.
Recent archaeological excavations at two Early Neolithic settlements at Kamyane-Zavallia (Ukraine... more Recent archaeological excavations at two Early Neolithic settlements at Kamyane-Zavallia (Ukraine) and Nicolaevca V (Moldova) have provided new plant assemblages. The sites belong to the Linearbandkeramik culture (LBK) and represent its easternmost settlements. In these regions, charred plant macro-remains are still very rarely sampled for and investigated, so these results may shed light on the plant-based economy of the first farmers of this area. Both sites are located in the area of loess soils, in the border zone between deciduous woodland, woodland steppe and steppe. A dominance of Triticum monococcum (einkorn) was evident at both sites, preserved both as grains and chaff (spikelet bases and glume base). Other cereals, including cf. T. dicoccum (emmer), cf. T. timopheevii and Hordeum vulgare (barley) were less frequent. Among wild herbaceous plants, ruderal and segetal communities were represented by species commonly found at LBK sites, including Chenopodium album type, Fallopia convolvulus, Echinochloa crus-galli and Lapsana communis. The majority of these plants are edible and it is also likely that they were used as food. At both sites, remains of awns of Stipa sp. (feather grass) were found, which indicate the existence of grasslands and/or open woodlands in the vicinity. The charcoal assemblages were dominated by a few taxa, such as Fraxinus sp., Quercus sp. and Cornus sp., suggesting that there were some wooded steppe and deciduous forests. Selected plant macro-remains were radiocarbon dated and the results show that they are from ca. 5200 − 5000 cal bc. From the same archaeobotanical samples, snails were analysed and the resulting malacofauna shows a dominance of open-country snails as well as those which might indicate local agricultural practices at both settlements.
Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400-1100) was studie... more Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400-1100) was studied, gave more than 70 plant taxa in the extraordinarily well-preserved charred assemblage. In the paper, a detailed description of selected plants is presented followed by environmental interpretation. Acorns (Quercus) dominated in volume and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) in the number of specimens. The first large find of that late incomer north of the Carpathian Mountains is presented here. The pit users also used hulled wheat (einkorn, emmer, and spelt); barley; and probably peas. In the pit, a large number of grassland plants were noted accompanied by a very few remains of aquatic (Elatine) and forest herbaceous plants (Astrantia major). Weeds and ruderal plants were also present. The composition of plant remains is very unusual for this type of archeological feature, suggesting a mixed type of food strategy for its users, dominated by plant gathering and animal husbandry. The site is located in a newly settled ecotone zone, on the margin of fertile loess areas and mountain foothills.
In the paper, new carpological data from Pielgrzymowice site 9 are presented in the context of ar... more In the paper, new carpological data from Pielgrzymowice site 9 are presented in the context of archaeobotanical finds from southern Poland. The results were obtained from detailed analyses of 45 samples from 38 archaeological features. Only charred plant remains were taken into account as they are considered contemporaneous with the Middle Bronze Age settlement. Among the cultivated plants, Panicum miliaceum, Triticum dicoccum, Triticum monococcum and Triticum sp. were documented. Among wild plants, several taxa were found, including Chenopodium t. album, Chenopodium sp., Melandrium / Silene, Polygonum lapathifolium and Fallopia convolvulus, among others. In archaeobotanical samples, Geranium sp., cf. Lamiaceae also appeared. In addition, plants typical of grasslands, forests and ruderal areas were noted, such as Coronilla varia, Rumex acetosella, Plantago media, Plantago lanceolata, Stellaria graminea and Hypericum perforatum. These results were compared with data coming from nine ...
The paper presents a Neolithic feature discovered in trench G of the widely-known Paleolithic Gra... more The paper presents a Neolithic feature discovered in trench G of the widely-known Paleolithic Gravettian site at Kraków Spadzista. Pottery and lithic artefacts as well as archaeobotanical data and radiocarbon dates demonstrate the existence of a stable human occupation with an agricultural economy. Due to the small number of distinctive fragments of pottery, both the Wyciąże-złotniki group and the Funnel Beaker culture have to be taken into account in the discussion on the cultural attribution of the feature. The obtained absolute dates make a connection with the latter unit more probable.
Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for so... more Differentiating between charred and uncharred plant remains may appear straightforward but for some taxa (here fat-hen, Chenopodium album type) can be very problematic. Recognition of the preservation state is obviously crucial for archaeobotanical data derived from dry, open-air sites. Fat-hen as a common weed, is also one of the most important components of a persistent soil seed bank. It is also a well-known food plant, gathered or cultivated. Numerous findings of fat-hen seeds in unclear states of preservation were noted in the Early Neolithic sites of the Linear Pottery culture in Kuyavia (N Europe). In previous studies such specimens were omitted as probably uncharred. Re-examination of Neolithic finds of fat-hen from that region showed the link of their abundancy with the earliest phases of the Neolithic occupation. The plant probably played an important role in the diet of the early Neolithic settlers there. It may indicate intensive use of local, open, fertile, probably alluvial areas. Distinguishing between ancient and modern specimens of that common weedy plant, producing large amounts of small, black, resistant seeds is thus very important, holding a great potential to shed new light on the origins of agricultural societies in this part of northern Europe.
Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400–1100) was studie... more Lipnik site 5, from which a storage pit dated to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1400–1100) was studied, gave more than 70 plant taxa in the extraordinarily well-preserved charred assemblage. In the paper, a detailed description of selected plants is presented followed by environmental interpretation. Acorns (Quercus) dominated in volume and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) in the number of specimens. The first large find of that late incomer north of the Carpathian Mountains is presented here. The pit users also used hulled wheat (einkorn, emmer, and spelt); barley; and probably peas. In the pit, a large number of grassland plants were noted accompanied by a very few remains of aquatic (Elatine) and forest herbaceous plants (Astrantia major). Weeds and ruderal plants were also present. The composition of plant remains is very unusual for this type of archeological feature, suggesting a mixed type of food strategy for its users, dominated by plant gathering and animal husbandry. The site is located in a newly settled ecotone zone, on the margin of fertile loess areas and mountain foothills.
SANOK 58 i 59–60 – KOMPLEKS STANOWISK Z EPOKI BRĄZU I EPOKI ŻELAZA W DORZECZU GÓRNEGO SANU/SANOK 58 AND 59–60 – A COMPLEX OF BRONZE AND IRON AGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN THE UPPER SAN, 2024
W latach 2018-2019 w trakcie budowy obwodnicy Sanoka przeprowadzono badania wykopaliskowe m.in. n... more W latach 2018-2019 w trakcie budowy obwodnicy Sanoka przeprowadzono badania wykopaliskowe m.in. na stanowiskach Sanok 58 i 59/60. Na stanowisku Sanok 58 wyróżniono osadę zasiedloną w epoce brązu i wczesnej epoce żelaza. Podobnie datowane były zespoły ze stanowiska 59/60. Ponadto na tym drugim, zdecydowanie większym stanowisku odkryto obiekty i materiały związane z okresem lateńskim oraz późnym okresem rzymskim i wczesnym okresem wędrówek ludów. Jest to jedna z dwóch osad z okresu rzymskiego w dorzeczu górnego Sanu przebadana w tak dużym zakresie (ponad 3 ha) i jedyna o takim datowaniu. Skala badań oraz rodzaj obiektów powoduje, że mamy do czynienia z zespołami o wyjątkowym charakterze w skali Polski, które dają szansę na weryfikację oraz uzupełnienie dotychczasowych ustaleń naukowych.
Publikację wydano w ramach projektu pn. „Sanok 58 i 59-60 – kompleks stanowisk z epoki brązu i epoki żelaza w dorzeczu górnego Sanu”, zrealizowanego przez Fundację Rzeszowskiego Ośrodka Archeologicznego we współpracy z Fundacją Badań Nad Dziedzictwem Kulturowym, dofinansowanego ze środków Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego pochodzących z Funduszu Promocji Kultury – państwowego funduszu celowego.
Uploads
Papers by Magda Kapcia
Books by Magda Kapcia
Publikację wydano w ramach projektu pn. „Sanok 58 i 59-60 – kompleks stanowisk z epoki brązu i epoki żelaza w dorzeczu górnego Sanu”, zrealizowanego przez Fundację Rzeszowskiego Ośrodka Archeologicznego we współpracy z Fundacją Badań Nad Dziedzictwem Kulturowym, dofinansowanego ze środków Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego pochodzących z Funduszu Promocji Kultury – państwowego funduszu celowego.
Publikację wydano w ramach projektu pn. „Sanok 58 i 59-60 – kompleks stanowisk z epoki brązu i epoki żelaza w dorzeczu górnego Sanu”, zrealizowanego przez Fundację Rzeszowskiego Ośrodka Archeologicznego we współpracy z Fundacją Badań Nad Dziedzictwem Kulturowym, dofinansowanego ze środków Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego pochodzących z Funduszu Promocji Kultury – państwowego funduszu celowego.