Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza
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University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK
2016
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-ucin14606522422021-08-03T06:35:32Z Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza Niekamp, Alexis N. Archaeology Early Bronze Age Late Bronze Age carbon isotopes archaeobotanical agriculture Greece In order to better understand agricultural practices and land use strategies on the Greek mainland over the course of the Bronze Age, I analyzed stable carbon isotope ratios for 50 samples of charred seeds from the Final Neolithic to Late Bronze Age archaeological site of Tsoungiza in southern Greece. These seed samples were comprised of four economically important taxa barley (Hordeum vulgare), einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum), emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum), and lentils (Lens culinaris). Contexts from which seeds in this analysis were recovered included archaeological pits, cisterns, fill and floor deposits. Having controlled for other variables, such as tissues type and source CO2, carbon isotopic data (the ratio of ¹³C/¹²C) in the form of carbon isotope discrimination (?¹³C values) reflect crop water availability in water limiting environments, such as those hypothesized for southern Greece during the Bronze Age (3,300-1,060 BC). I utilized Mann-Whitney non-parametric statistical tests to determine whether statistically significant differences existed between samples of barley from phases of the Early Helladic period (3,300-2,000 BC) and Early Mycenaean period (Late Middle Helladic to Late Helladic II; 1,750-1,580 BC), as well as between samples of einkorn from Early Helladic periods. The data for einkorn and barley from Tsoungiza indicate that growing conditions varied by species during the Early Helladic period, but were largely stable for barley throughout the Early Helladic. Results document a significant decline in carbon isotope discrimination for barley from the early Mycenaean period as compared to periods of the Early Helladic. I interpret that these data suggest increasing cultivar specialization or species-specific cultivation strategies used during the Bronze Age, including a substantial decline in water availability for barley from the Early Helladic to the early Mycenaean period. Through stable isotope biogeochemistry, I identify agricultural practices and crop growing conditions at Bronze Age Tsoungiza, which help to enhance the understanding of relationships between farmers and villages on the one hand, and agroecosystems on the other, as well as between rural villages and palatial centers, which have been the overwhelming focus of Bronze Age research. 2016-06-28 English text University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1460652242 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1460652242 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: some rights reserved. It is licensed for use under a Creative Commons license. Specific terms and permissions are available from this document's record in the OhioLINK ETD Center. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Archaeology Early Bronze Age Late Bronze Age carbon isotopes archaeobotanical agriculture Greece |
| spellingShingle |
Archaeology Early Bronze Age Late Bronze Age carbon isotopes archaeobotanical agriculture Greece Niekamp, Alexis N. Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza |
| author |
Niekamp, Alexis N. |
| author_facet |
Niekamp, Alexis N. |
| author_sort |
Niekamp, Alexis N. |
| title |
Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza |
| title_short |
Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza |
| title_full |
Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza |
| title_fullStr |
Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Crop Growing Conditions and Agricultural Practices in Bronze Age Greece: A Stable Isotope Analysis of Archaeobotanical Remains from Tsoungiza |
| title_sort |
crop growing conditions and agricultural practices in bronze age greece: a stable isotope analysis of archaeobotanical remains from tsoungiza |
| publisher |
University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2016 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1460652242 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT niekampalexisn cropgrowingconditionsandagriculturalpracticesinbronzeagegreeceastableisotopeanalysisofarchaeobotanicalremainsfromtsoungiza |
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1719439819669504000 |