ÇATALHÖYÜK 2001 ARCHIVE REPORT


TP area archaeobotan

TP alanı arkeobotanisi

 

Marek Polcyn

Abstract

    Archaeobotanical analyses at the TP area in the 2001 season included sampling of the selected excavation contexts, flotation recovery of botanical remains, and overseeing the sorting of the heavy residue fractions of the floated matrix. In all 20 samples from floors, burials fills, hearths, and walls were floated. The following main plant categories have been recognized: grains of Triticum sp. (most likely T. dicoccum/spelta), grains + and rachis of Hordeum sp.(most likely Hordeum vulgare, hulled variety), chaff, Galium sp., Fabaceae, Poaceae, Scirpus sp, Lithospermum sp., Indeterminate. 19 phytolith samples have been taken from similar contexts and will be analyzed in the next few months.

Özet

    TP alanının 2001 sezonu arkeobotani analizleri, seçilen kazı kontektslerinden örnek alma, bitki kalıntılarının sulu elek yöntemiyle ele geçirilmesi ve bu yöntemden elde edilen ağır çökeltilerin tasnif edilmesinden oluşmuştur. Toplamda tabanlardan, mezar dolgularından, ocak yerlerinden ve duvarlardan gelen 20 örnek incelenmiştir. Aşağıdaki ana bitki kategorileri tespit edilmiştir: Triticum sp. (büyük ihtimalle T. dicoccum/spelta) taneleri, Hordeum sp. (büyük ihtimalle Hordeum vulgare) tane + rachis, saman, Galium sp., Fabaceae, Poaceae, Scirpus sp., Lithospermum sp., Indeterminate. Benzer kontektslerden 19 pitolit örneği alınmıştır ve önümüzdeki aylarda analizleri yapılacaktır.

The 2001 season saw the opening of the Team Poznań excavation area on the East mound. The Neolithic levels has not yet been reached and archaeological exploration comprised mainly Byzantine and Roman deposits. On–site archaeobotanical activity included working out basic methodologies such as sampling of the selected excavation contexts, flotation recovery of botanical remains, and overseeing the sorting of the heavy residue fractions of the floated matrix.

Samples came from the following contexts: floors, burial fills, hearths and walls. In all 20 samples were floated. Both flotation machines were used, with a .5 mm mesh to capture the heavy residue portions of the samples. The samples range in size between .5 to 30 liters. The obtained residue was dry-sieved into three fractions: > 4 mm, > 2 mm, > 0,5 mm. Then the material was sorted and the preliminary taxonomic identifications of the archaeobotanical remains have been made.

All plant remains are carbonized and their state of preservation is good. Charcoal is a significant component of most of the samples. The following plant categories has been recognized: grains of Triticum sp. (most likely T. dicoccum/spelta), grains + and rachis of Hordeum sp.(most likely Hordeum vulgare, hulled variety), chaff, Galium sp., Fabaceae, Poaceae, Scirpus sp, Lithospermum sp., Indeterminate. For the taxonomic listing according to a unit refer to the table 2 below.

In two samples cf. sheep/goat coprolites were identified. They were both carbonized and desiccated.

In total 19 phytolith samples were also taken from various archaeological contexts, most of them from walls. We are particularly interested in revealing possible differences between the recorded walls on the basis of phytolith content. For reference we also did some ethnoarchaeological research interviewing local people in the village of Salzgecit, sampling an old house and the nearby cropfields. This material will be studied during winter 2001/ spring 2002 in Poland.

Table 2: Taxonomic listing of botanical remains

Unit number Unit characteristics Botanical remains Frequency
6787

Triticum sp., Hordeum sp., Galium sp., chaff, coprolites medium
6856 Brick wall Triticum sp., Hordeum sp., chaff low
6857 Brick wall Triticum sp., Fabaceae, chaff, coprolites medium
6868 Row of bricks Scirpus sp., Fabaceae low
6906 Row of bricks Triticum sp., Hordeum sp., Gramineae, Cyperus sp., Lithospermum sp., coprolites high
6907 Brick wall Triticum sp., Indet. low
6910 Row of bricks Triticum sp., Hordeum sp., Scirpus sp. low
6919 Pit infill Triticum sp., Hordeum sp., Fabaceae, Scirpus sp., Gramineae, Galium sp., chaff, high
6984 Arbitrary layer Scirpus sp., Triticum sp. low
6992 Arbitrary layer Triticum sp., Scirpus sp. low
7011

Scirpus sp. low
7015 Pit infill Scirpus sp., Triticum sp. low
7077

Fabaceae, Triticum sp., Hordeum sp., Scirpus sp. medium
7090

Chaff, Triticum sp., Fabaceae, Scirpus sp. medium
7093 Pit infill Triticum sp., Hordeum sp., Scirpus sp. medium

List of Samples exported for further botanical analysis:

6985, S4, phyt (19)
6948, S2, chem (2)
6984, S1, phyt, (14)
6868, S3, phyt, (6)
6857, S3, phyt, (3)
6857, S1, phyt, (4)
5856, S3, phyt, (2)
6907, S1, phyt, (17)
6907, S7, paleo, (18)
6985, S3, chem, (4) brick with plaster
6992, S3, phyt, (10)
6984, S2, phyt,(13)
6984, S3, phyt, (12)
6868, S1, phyt, (5)
6910, S3, phyt, (7)
5856, S1, phyt, (1)
6992, S2, phyt, (11)
6910, S1, phyt, (8)
6992, S1, phyt, (9)
6907, S3, phyt, (16)
6985, S1, chem, (3) plaster
6985, S2, chem, (1), plaster
6907, S5, phyt, (15)
6984, S6, Cladocera, floor

 



© Çatalhöyük Research Project and individual authors, 2001