The agricultural economies of early urban systems in the northern Fertile Crescent
Archaeobotanical investigation of Neolithic-Bronze Age sites in the northern Fertile Crescent has mostly focussed on the Neolithic-Chalcolithic and also on the Euphrates valley. The aim of this study is instead the Bronze Age, especially the later Bronze Age of the second millennium BC. The three sites studied, Tell Mohammed âArab, Tell Brak and Tell Atchana, are distributed across the northern Fertile Crescent, in the Tigris, Khabur and Orontes valleys, respectively, and offer assemblages mostly dating to the Late Bronze Age. In conjunction with synthesis of previously published archaeobotanical data from the second millennium BC, this study contributes to a comprehensive overview of agriculture across the region, including its relationship with social complexity and climate change. The new data on crop spectra and associated arable weed/wild taxa is analysed using multivariate statistical approaches, ethnoarchaeological models, functional weed ecology and crop stable isotope analysis. The results reveal the major crop types used at each site, as well as pronounced regional variation in staple taxa; crop processing activities; and arable land management strategies. Overall, a strong correlation is observed
Kim, Hyunyoung
The agricultural economies of early urban systems in the northern Fertile Crescent. Archaeobotanical investigation of Neolithic-Bronze Age sites in the northern Fertile Crescent has mostly focussed on the Neolithic-Chalcolithic and also on the Euphrates valley. The aim of this study is instead the Bronze Age, especially the later Bronze Age of the second millennium BC. The three sites studied, Tell Mohammed âArab, Tell Brak and Tell Atchana, are distributed across the northern Fertile Crescent, in the Tigris, Khabur and Orontes valleys, respectively, and offer assemblages mostly dating to the Late Bronze Age. In conjunction with synthesis of previously published archaeobotanical data from the second millennium BC, this study contributes to a comprehensive overview of agriculture across the region, including its relationship with social complexity and climate change. The new data on crop spectra and associated arable weed/wild taxa is analysed using multivariate statistical approaches, ethnoarchaeological models, functional weed ecology and crop stable isotope analysis. The results reveal the major crop types used at each site, as well as pronounced regional variation in staple taxa; crop processing activities; and arable land management strategies. Overall, a strong correlation is observed
agricultural_economy early urban system northern fertile archaeobotanical_investigation neolithic_bronze_age sit northern fertile mostly focus neolithic_chalcolithic also euphrates valley aim_study instead bronze_age especially late_bronze_age second_millennium three_site study tell arab tell tell distribute_across northern fertile valley respectively offer assemblage mostly date_late bronze_age conjunction synthesis previously_publish archaeobotanical_data second_millennium study_contributes comprehensive overview agriculture across_region include relationship social_complexity climate_change new_data crop spectrum associate arable weed wild taxon analyse_use multivariate_statistical approach ethnoarchaeological models functional weed ecology crop stable_isotope_analysis reveal major crop type use site well pronounced regional_variation staple taxon crop_processing activity arable land management_strategy overall strong correlation observe