Archaeobotanical investiogations of the Late Neolithic Moravia valley: the social and economic aspects of food production and preparation

Predmet istraživanja ove disertacije bili su društveni i ekonomski aspekti proizvodnje i pripreme hrane u kasnom neolitu centralnog Balkana, na osnovu analize makrobiljnih ostataka sa nalazišta u Pomoravlju. Ciljevi istraživanja su bili: (1) utvrđivanje statusa gajenih biljnih vrsta – koje vrste su činile osnovu poljoprivredne ekonomije, gajene kao deo samostalnih ili združenih useva, a koje vrste su bile samo slučajne primese glavnih useva; (2) ispitivanje raznovrsnosti korišćenja divljih biljaka u ishrani; (3) definisanje odlika kasnoneolitske zemljoradnje; (4) ispitivanje regionalnih i hronoloških razlika u korišćenju i strategijama gajenja biljaka; (5) istraživanje prostorne organizacije aktivnosti pripreme hrane u kasnoneolitskom naselju. U tu svrhu detaljno su analizirane arheobotanički zbirke sa dva nalazišta – Drenovac i Pavlovac – Gumnište, kao i sadržaji skladišta sa nalazišta Selevac i Medvednjak. Razultati istraživanja su pokazali da se nije menjao izbor gajenih biljaka tokom vremena, kao i da je neophodno dalje ispitati da li kontinuitet u korišćenju istih vrsta odražava i kontinuitet u karakteru zemljoradnje. Uočene su regionalne i lokalne razlike u strategijama uzgajenja biljaka, gde se izdvajaju zajednice koje su usmerene ka gajenju užeg spektra vrsta, uglavnom jednozrne i dvozrne pšenice, dok su za druge zajednice pored plevičastih vrsta pšenica bile značajne i mahunarke. Analiza sastava različitih konteksta iz perifernog dela ranovinčanskog naselja u Pavlovcu i centralnog dela kasnovinčanskog naselja u Drenovcu ukazala je na razlike između lokaliteta u pogledu prostorne integracije aktivnosti vezanih za termičku obradu i odbacivanja ostataka od pripreme hrane. Razlike u količini i koracima pri obradi žitarica posvedočile su o razlikama u organizaciji poslova obrade, kao i u obimu ovih aktivnosti. Rezultati arheobotaničke analize omogućili su uvid u određene zemljoradničke prakse: postojale su dve setvene sezone (prolećna i jesenja); gajeni su samostalni usevi jednozrne i dvozrne pšenice, dok su možda postojali i mešoviti usevi; tokom žetve stabljike su sečene pri dnu ili sredini, ukazujući da su sakupljali i koristili slamu; zemljišta na kojima su gajeni usevi su bila umereno plodna, što ukazuje na uspešno održavanje povoljnih karakteristika zemljišta.This thesis is concerned with the social and economic aspects of food production and preparation in the Late Neolithic of the Central Balkans, based on the analysis of macrobotanical remains from the sites in the Pomoravlje region. The aims of this research were to 1) determin the status of crops: which were the staple crops - deliberately cultivated, on its own or as part of a mixed crop, as opposed to being present as a minor contaminant of other crops; 2) investigate the contribution of wild plants in diet; 3) to define crop husbandry practices; 4) examine regional and chronological differences in plant use and strategies of crop cultivation; 5) investigate the organization of food preparation activities in the context of Late Neolithic settlements. For this purpose, archaeobotanical assemblages from two sites – Drenovac and Pavlovac - Gumnište, as well as contents of the plant storages from the sites of Selevac and Medvednjak, were analyzed in detail. The research has shown that the choice of cultivated plants did not change over time, but it is necessary to further examine whether the continuity in the use of same crop species reflects the continuity in agricultural practices. Regional and local differences in plant cultivation strategies have been observed, with some communities focused on growing a narrower range of species, mostly einkorn and emmer wheat, while others held legumes as important crops in addition to hulled wheats. The analysis of the species composition of different contexts from the peripheral part of the Early Vinča settlement in Pavlovac and the central part of the Late Vinča settlement in Drenovac revealed a different spatial integration of the cooking areas and food refuse disposal zones. Differences in the quantity and method of grain processing indicated differences in the organization and scale of these activities. The results of archaeobotanical analysis enabled recognition of certain crop husbandry practices: there were two sowing seasons (spring and autumn); einkorn and emmer were grown as monocrops, as well as possible maslins; wheats were harvested low on the stem or at mid-height, indicating the collection and use of straw; the fields seem to have been moderately fertile, indicating successful maintenance of soil fertility