Suchergebnisse

This contribution focuses on the preliminary results of the AGRIWESTMED project which focuses on the archaeobotanical analyses of early Neolithic sites in the western Mediterranean region (both in Iberia and in northern Morocco). A large number of sites has been studied producing an interesting dataset of plant remains which places the earliest examples of domesticated plants in the second half of the 6th millennium cal BC. Plant diversity is high as it is shown by the large number of species represented: hulled and naked wheats, barley, peas, fava beans, vetches, lentils and grass peas. To more crops, poppy and flax, are also part of the first agricultural crops of the area. Although agriculture seems to occupy a first place in the production of food, gathering is well represented in the Moroccan sites where a large number of species has been identified. ; The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007- 2013)/ERC Grant Agreement nº 230561. In addition, the research has also benefited from the project I-COOP0011 funded by the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) and from projects TPC-CSD2OO7-00058, HAR2008- 09120/HIST and HAR2011-23716 funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain. L. Zapata is part of the Research Group in Prehistory IT622-13/ UFI 11-09 of the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU. ; Peer reviewed

Peer Reviewed ; This research aims to shed light on the early stages of agricultural development in Northern Africa through the analysis of the rich macro-botanical assemblages obtained from Ifri Oudadane, an Epipalaeolithic-Early Neolithic site from North-East Morocco. Results indicate the presence of domesticated plants, cereals (Hordeum vulgare, Triticum monococcum/. dicoccum, Triticum durum and Triticum aestivum/. durum) and pulses (Lens culinaris and Pisum sativum) in the Early Neolithic. One lentil has been dated to 7611 ± 37 cal BP representing the oldest direct date of a domesticated plant seed in Morocco and, by extension, in North Africa. Similarities in both radiocarbon dates and crop assemblages from Early Neolithic sites in Northern Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula suggest a simultaneous East to West maritime spread of agriculture along the shores of the Western Mediterranean. Wild plants were abundantly collected in both the Epipalaeolithic and the Early Neolithic periods pointing to the important role of these resources during the two periods. In addition to fruits and seeds that could have been consumed by both humans and domesticated animals, fragments of esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima) rhizomes have been identified. This is a western Mediterranean native plant that may have been used as a source of fibres for basketry. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)/ERC Grant Agreement n° 230561. In addition, the research has also benefited from the project I-COOP0011 funded by the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) and from projects TPC-CSD2OO7-00058 and CGL2011-30512-C02-01 and HAR2008-09120/HIST funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain. Fieldwork was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the frame of the CRC 806 "Our way to Europe".

This research aims to shed light on the early stages of agricultural development in Northern Africa through the analysis of the rich macro-botanical assemblages obtained from Ifri Oudadane, an Epipalaeolithic-Early Neolithic site from North-East Morocco. Results indicate the presence of domesticated plants, cereals (Hordeum vulgare, Triticum monococcum/. dicoccum, Triticum durum and Triticum aestivum/. durum) and pulses (Lens culinaris and Pisum sativum) in the Early Neolithic. One lentil has been dated to 7611 ± 37 cal BP representing the oldest direct date of a domesticated plant seed in Morocco and, by extension, in North Africa. Similarities in both radiocarbon dates and crop assemblages from Early Neolithic sites in Northern Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula suggest a simultaneous East to West maritime spread of agriculture along the shores of the Western Mediterranean. Wild plants were abundantly collected in both the Epipalaeolithic and the Early Neolithic periods pointing to the important role of these resources during the two periods. In addition to fruits and seeds that could have been consumed by both humans and domesticated animals, fragments of esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima) rhizomes have been identified. This is a western Mediterranean native plant that may have been used as a source of fibres for basketry. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. ; The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)/ERC Grant Agreement n° 230561. In addition, the research has also benefited from the project I-COOP0011 funded by the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) and from projects TPC-CSD2OO7-00058 and CGL2011-30512-C02-01 and HAR2008-09120/HIST funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain. Fieldwork was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in the frame of the CRC 806 "Our way to Europe". ; Peer Reviewed

Few studies have dealt with the occupation of caves during the Andalusi period in Southern Iberia. This may be explained by the attention placed traditionally on the trinomial mudun (cities), ḥusūn (fortresses) and qurà (farmsteads), in which other forms of rural occupation have been generally overlooked. In this paper we explore the sequence at La Dehesilla Cave based on the analysis of animal skeleton remains, pollen, seeds and fruits, and phytoliths with the aim to define the economic systems of its Andalusi inhabitants. Because the sequence displays two different occupation phases, the first during the Taifa Period in the second half of the 11th century and the second during the Almohad Period in the second half of the 12th century, this study characterises the ecological and economic systems of the two periods and highlights the differences between them. The data suggest that the economy of both periods was mainly based on livestock, and especially on sheep herds. However, their comparison enables us to observe a few significant differences that indicate dissimilar behavioural and economic patterns. Plant macro-remains show a larger amount of cereals and leguminous seeds, as well as of domestic fruits, in the Taifa Period than in the Almohad Period. The zoological record displays clear differences between the two periods. The Taifa Period shows a greater proportion of herds while the input from hunting increased in the Almohad Period. Also, there are proportionally opposite patterns in the age of sacrifice of sheep. The earlier period may have seen a more sedentary herding and partly farming population, while the second period may correspond to a mainly herding, perhaps mobile, population. These results are discussed within the political dynamics of the historical framework of the surrounding territory and contribute to the knowledge of the rural economic dynamics of the Andalusi period.

This paper presents the results of the first excavation campaign of the Artusia rock shelter in Unzué, Navarre, Spain. Chronocultural and archaeobiological analyses revealed five different occupation phases (Artusia I–V) within the regional Mesolithic timeline, specifically in the Mesolithic of Notches and Denticulates (Artusia I and II) and the Geometric Mesolithic (Artusia III, IV, and V). In addition, the study of the sedimentological and palaeoenvironmental evolution in the entire record helped to clearly define several climatic events which developed around 6550 cal BC–8500 cal BP and 6250 cal BC–8200 cal BP. Here, we present a description of these events and their (pre)historical interpretation with the aim of recognizing how they influenced the Mesolithic hunter–gatherer groups living in the Ebro Basin of the Iberian Peninsula. ; projects "Los Caminos del Neolítico" -HAR2009- 09027- and "Los Caminos del Neolítico II" -(HAR2013-46800-P)- under directed by Dr. Manuel Rojo Guerra, granted by the Subdirectorate General for Research Projects/General Directorate of Research and Management of the National Plan for R and D and Innovation/Secretary of State for Research of the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain, and co-financed by the Government of Navarre. All analytical work and radiocarbon dating were carried out within the project "Origins and spread of agriculture in the western Mediterranean region" -ERC-2008-AdG 230561-, coordinated by Dr. Leonor Pe~na Chocarro and financed by the European Research Council.