Socioeconomic implications of cereal crop production in inland Thrace during the Late Iron Age
This thesis explores the operation sequences of the production, processing, and storage of cereal crops in inland Thrace during the second half of the first millennium BC. This period saw the rise of tribal states and the appearance of urban centres in the Thracian hinterland with important trading links with Classical Greece and the Hellenistic world. By combining archaeological data with archaeobotanical and ethnographic studies as well as the available documentary and iconographic sources, the research addresses questions regarding access and ownership of arable land, the intended purpose of agricultural produce as well as tradition and novelty in the agricultural methods and tools. The presentation of the geographical characteristics of the region demonstrates its favourable conditions for agriculture, while the palynological data suggest that woodland clearance for arable and pasture land increased during the second half of the first millennium BC. The available archaeobotanical studies reveal the variety of species cultivated by the local Thracian population and demonstrate the primary position of cereal food in the diet. A major change in the preferred cereal species has been attested during the Late
Ivanova, Nataliya
Socioeconomic implications of cereal crop production in inland Thrace during the Late Iron Age. This thesis explores the operation sequences of the production, processing, and storage of cereal crops in inland Thrace during the second half of the first millennium BC. This period saw the rise of tribal states and the appearance of urban centres in the Thracian hinterland with important trading links with Classical Greece and the Hellenistic world. By combining archaeological data with archaeobotanical and ethnographic studies as well as the available documentary and iconographic sources, the research addresses questions regarding access and ownership of arable land, the intended purpose of agricultural produce as well as tradition and novelty in the agricultural methods and tools. The presentation of the geographical characteristics of the region demonstrates its favourable conditions for agriculture, while the palynological data suggest that woodland clearance for arable and pasture land increased during the second half of the first millennium BC. The available archaeobotanical studies reveal the variety of species cultivated by the local Thracian population and demonstrate the primary position of cereal food in the diet. A major change in the preferred cereal species has been attested during the Late
socioeconomic implication cereal crop production inland thrace late_iron_age explores operation sequence production processing storage cereal crop inland thrace period_saw rise tribal state appearance urban_centre thracian hinterland important trading link classical_greece hellenistic_world combine archaeological_data archaeobotanical ethnographic_study well available documentary iconographic source address_question regard access ownership arable land intend purpose agricultural produce well tradition novelty agricultural method tool presentation geographical characteristic region demonstrate favourable condition agriculture palynological data suggest woodland clearance arable pasture land increase available archaeobotanical study reveal variety specie cultivate local thracian population primary position cereal food diet major_change prefer cereal specie attest late