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Wild plant seed storage at Neolithic Çatalhöyük East, Turkey

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Abstract

Full analysis of eight seed samples collected in the 1960's excavations at Neolithic Çatalhöyük East, Turkey, is presented. Detailed investigation of the composition and context of the samples suggests that the Neolithic population collected, processed and stored seeds from Capsella sp. and Descurainia sp. (wild crucifers) for food use. In addition seeds of Vicia/Lathyrus sp. (wild vetch), Helianthemum spp. and Taeniatherum caput-medusae mixed with Eremopyrum type (grasses) were also found, some of which may have been used for food or other purposes. The analysis demonstrates that wild seed exploitation was a regular part of subsistence practice alongside the economic staple of crop production, and again demonstrates how diverse plant use practices were at the site.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank James Mellaart for providing the seed archive for analysis. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Inc. and the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, without which this research would have been impossible. Roger Heady, Sally Stowe and Frank Brink of the Electron Microscopy Unit, Australian National University, Canberra provided essential technical support and advice. Figs. 1 and 2 were reproduced with the permission of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK. Thanks to the two referees whose comments greatly improved the presentation and strength of this paper. Mark Nesbitt provided some useful advice and references.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Michie Building, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia

    Andrew Fairbairn

  2. Institute for Prehistory and Archaeological Science IPAS, Basel University, Spalenring 145, 4055, Basel, Switzerland

    Danièle Martinoli

  3. Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, UK

    Ann Butler & Gordon Hillman

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  1. Andrew Fairbairn
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  2. Danièle Martinoli
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  3. Ann Butler
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  4. Gordon Hillman
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Correspondence to Andrew Fairbairn.

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Communicated by S. Jacomet

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Fairbairn, A., Martinoli, D., Butler, A. et al. Wild plant seed storage at Neolithic Çatalhöyük East, Turkey. Veget Hist Archaeobot 16, 467–479 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-006-0069-3

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