Bigna Steiner | University of Basel (original) (raw)
Papers by Bigna Steiner
Jahrbuch des Archäologischen Dienstes des Kantons Bern, 2024
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2022
The excellent preservation of the waterlogged botanical remains of the multiphase Neolithic pile-... more The excellent preservation of the waterlogged botanical remains of the multiphase Neolithic pile-dwelling site of Zug-Riedmatt (Central Switzerland) yielded an ideal dataset to delve into the issue of plant economy of a community spanning several decades. The study identified a major change in crops where oil plants played a key role in the site's initial phase before being supplanted over the course of a few decades by naked wheat, barley and pea. Wild plants continued to be gathered albeit in different proportions. In the latest settlement phase, the changes in the local vegetation and in the values of the analyses of carbon stable isotopes suggest a less humid environment. The hypothesis is that the changes perceived in the plant economy represent a resilience strategy adopted by the inhabitants in reaction to short term local climatic alterations. The two types of soil sampling techniques (monolith and bulk) allowed comparing these results. While the density of plant remains appears to be underestimated among the samples collected by the monolith technique, the proportions of economic taxa remain unaffected. The findings thus reveal that when the bulk samplings are distributed carefully throughout multiphase sites and avoid mixing stratigraphical units, and if the samplings are representative of all archaeological features from a whole area, then each of the two techniques offer analogous results.
PLOS ONE, 2020
A new method to evaluate archaeological wetland sites in a more objective way was tested. Differe... more A new method to evaluate archaeological wetland sites in a more objective way was tested. Different wetland environments have been sampled in areas of a nature reserve and their macroremain content analysed to build a modern analogue dataset. This dataset was then used to characterise archaeological samples from a navigation channel from the Roman port city Lattara. In the modern analogue samples, the different wetland types (saline/brack-ish or fresh water) could be differentiated in the correspondence analysis. Within these groups, the sampled area of the littoral (submerged, shoreline, unsubmerged) could also be differentiated. This dataset can therefore provide a basis for the interpretation of the nature and degree of aquatic influence and layer formation processes in archaeobotanical records of coastal sites. In the tested archaeological samples from the navigation channel of Lattara, changes in space and time could be tracked using the modern analogue dataset and geoarchaeological information. The channel lost its fresh water supply and silted up over a short period of time (approx. 100 years).
Pages Magazine, 2018
Early farmers were resilient thanks to a small-scale, household-based farming strategy that coped... more Early farmers were resilient thanks to a small-scale, household-based farming strategy that coped well with climate variability. The AgriChange project is compiling data on crops, local climate variability and risk-reducing strategies to reconstruct agricultural and land-use change in the Neolithic.
For the archaeobotanical analysis of waterlogged sediments, which are usually very rich in organi... more For the archaeobotanical analysis of waterlogged sediments, which are usually very rich in organic remains, subsampling is often necessary. Subsampling strategies for this kind of material are mostly based on non-empirical experience and have rarely been tested. In this paper, we compare results from small-volume subsamples with those from the large-volume residue of the master sample subsamples were drawn from. The extra-variability caused by lumpiness of the unprocessed waterlogged sediment was quantified in order to find out how much the necessary sample sizes need to increase for this type of sediment. We found that subsampling of unprocessed waterlogged material in general should only be done if it is indispensable , as it can introduce a bias. We propose methods to adapt sample sizes based on random sampling for unprocessed waterlogged sediment (where random sampling is impossible) so that the proportions or also the diversity of plant species can be estimated with sufficient precision in these sediments. However, it would be best to use an appropriate sieving method first and then subsample the processed residues of the material. We also think that it is important to clearly present the methods used for subsampling in publications and that more detailed tests about subsampling should be performed.
There is an ongoing discussion about how organic material is preserved in settlement layers on la... more There is an ongoing discussion about how organic material is preserved in settlement layers on lakeshores. Different scenarios have been suggested; was a permanent water cover needed at all times, or were there episodical water level fluctuations? In this paper, we use aquatic and wetland plants to shed light on layer formation processes of complex anthropogenic stratigraphies of the Neolithic lakeshore settlement Zug-Riedmatt (Central Switzerland). Botanical macroremains from the microarchaeologically investigated occupation layer were analysed and compared to modern analogue data from two lakes. Results suggest that the excavated area of the settlement was in a first phase located in the sublittoral zone (below water), with a massive input of anthropogenic waste material contributing to the layer formation, but then in a second phase, the shoreline shifted so that the excavated part of the settlement was located in the eulittoral zone and in a third phase probably even landwards of a reed belt. In a comparison with two previously investigated Neolithic lakeshore sites, we found that at least in one of these sites, such ‘drier’ conditions could also be found. This shows how important it is to know which part of the littoral zone is represented in an excavation, as conditions can differ within a settlement, and that there is very likely no universally valid ‘Pfahlbau scenario’.
by Füsun ERTUG, Ferran Antolín, Marian Berihuete-Azorín, Christoph Brombacher, Danai Chondrou, Stefanie Jacomet, Yurena Naranjo-Mayor, Renata Perego, Bigna Steiner, Michele Wollstonecroft, and Haris Procopiou
A specific sediment sampling strategy was applied to a late Neolithic settlement phase (dendrodat... more A specific sediment sampling strategy was applied to a late Neolithic settlement phase (dendrodated to around 3160 BC) in the pile-dwelling site of Parkhaus Op era (Zürich, Switzerland). It consisted in a systematic collection of over 2100 large-volume samples (3e10 L) in an area of~3000 m 2 , of which 255 were selected for archaeobotanical analysis. Over 80,000 plant macroremains of large size (>2 mm) were recovered and a rich assemblage of large-seeded wild fruits was evaluated. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.), acorns (Quercus sp.), apples/pears (Malus/Pyrus), sloes (Prunus spinosa L.), wild rose fruits (Rosa sp.), beech nuts (Fagus sp.) and wayfaring tree fruits (Viburnum lantana L.) were among the most frequently and abundantly gathered and consumed wild fruits at the settlement. Three methods of quantification were used to evaluate their importance in the economy taking into account the samples retrieved from 16 fully excavated structures: total average density of fruit items, total estimated amount of fruits, and their calorific contribution. The estimation of the caloric importance of large-seeded wild fruits depends on assumptions on taphonomic biases. A first estimation suggested that they probably provided between 1.5% and 15% of the total calorific input by the settlement's inhabitants.
• Premise of the study: The European Alps harbor a spatially heterogeneous environment. Plants ca... more • Premise of the study: The European Alps harbor a spatially heterogeneous environment. Plants can be adapted genetically to this heterogeneity but may also respond to it by phenotypic plasticity. We expected the important fodder grass Poa alpina to be adapted to elevation either genetically or plastically.
• Methods: We investigated in three elevational common gardens whether growth and reproductive allocation of plants reproducing either by seeds or bulbils suggest adaptation to their elevation of origin and to what extent they can respond plastically to different elevations. Additionally, we analyzed genetic diversity using microsatellites and tested whether seeds are of sexual origin.
• Key results: In the field, bulbil-producing plants occurred more often at higher elevations, whereas seed-producing plants occurred more often at lower elevations, but bulbil-producing plants were generally less vigorous in the common gardens. The response of plants to elevational transplantation was highly plastic, and vigor was always best at the highest location. The small genetic differences were not clinally related to elevation of origin, underlining the importance of phenotypic plasticity. Reproductive allocation was, however, independent of elevational treatments. Seed-producing plants had higher genetic diversity than the bulbil-producing plants even though we found that seed-producing plants were facultative apomicts mostly reproducing asexually.
• Conclusions: Bulbil-producing P. alpina, showing a fitness cost at lower elevations compared with seed-producing plants, seem better adapted to higher elevations. By means of its two reproductive modes and the capacity to adjust plastically, P. alpina is able to occupy a broad ecological niche across a large elevational range.
poster by Bigna Steiner
Despite excellent preservation conditions, the taphonomy of wetland settlement layers at lakes in... more Despite excellent preservation conditions, the taphonomy of wetland settlement layers at lakes in Central Europe (“pile dwellings”, UNESCO world cultural heritage) is not well understood. In order to improve this situation, an SNF-funded project was started by an interdisciplinary team at IPAS (project nr. CR30I2_149679/1). Aim of this project is to identify natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the deposition and preservation of occupation layers, among them also post-excavational factors like methodology. Several factors which could influence the outcome of archaeobotanical analyses were tested. In this poster, we will shortly present our research about the four factors sieving, subsampling, volume measurement and the semi-quantitative recording of preservation parameters.
The consistency of the wash-over sieving process done by different operators was looked at, revealing that there were some systematic differences present in the large fraction of the tested samples due to the techniques of the sievers. However, with counting guidelines and detailed instructions, it is no disadvantage to have different sievers in one project.
The subsampling process was also looked at in detail. Due to the clumpy distribution of remains in waterlogged sediments, square subsampling (sampling of sediment from two grids of a sample) was less suitable than systematic grid subsampling (sampling of a portion out of every grid of a sample). We could also determine what amount of remains had to be counted in order to have a good representation of a waterlogged sample in terms of proportions and diversity.
Different volume measurement techniques (classical before and after freezing and displacement) were compared and a systematic difference was found. However, with the use of a proportionality factor of 1.5, the different techniques can easily be compared.
The description of preservation parameters in wetland settlements was often done, but rarely evaluated in a systematic way. Indicators for presence or absence of processes of erosion and corrosion were defined and a methodology for their efficient recording was developed and used for the reconstruction of the taphonomic history of layers.
Methodology can have a large impact on archaeobotanical data and should therefore always be disclosed at a detailed level. Our research will help to standardise some common methods used in the archaeobotanical analysis of waterlogged sediments, and thus hopefully eliminate a potential source of error.
The SNF-project “Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinar... more The SNF-project “Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology” aims to develop new methodological standards for a better understanding of layer formation processes of archaeological wetland deposits .Here we present preliminary results from a bone midden found in the Neolithic lakeshore settlement Zug-Riedmatt.
Papers Methods Archaeobotany by Bigna Steiner
Layer taphonomy is one of the major questions in the archaeological research of lakeshore settlem... more Layer taphonomy is one of the major questions in the archaeological research of lakeshore settlements. How fast did these deposits develop? Were they exposed to periodic droughts and decay? Which amount of the originally deposited remains survived until present? Plant macroremains have a great potential as indicators of preservation quality, since they are short-lived and particularly sensible to changes in preservation conditions. This paper reviews previous attempts to use similar proxies to understand layer taphonomy and provides a compilation of almost 50 variables (that include plant macroremains and other remains found in sediment samples) as indicators for preservation quality. Two late Neolithic lakeshore sites located in Central Switzerland were used as tests and more than 100 samples per site were investigated. Samples were grouped into meaningful groups (according to sediment type or their location in the stratigraphy, etc.) and ubiquities were calculated for each variable in each group of samples. Correspondence Analysis was applied in order to establish connections between groups of variables and groups of samples. GIS was used in one of the cases to look at preservation at a site scale. The method proved to be useful and differences in preservation conditions were observed in both sites, not only regarding the location of the samples in the stratigraphy and in relation to their proximity to the lake, but also in connection to sediment type. It is suggested that such studies are necessary before any palaeoeconomic analysis is undertaken.
This paper provides a reference to estimate the representation of large-sized items (seeds and fr... more This paper provides a reference to estimate the representation of large-sized items (seeds and fruits, mainly) in samples of larger and smaller volume in wetland sites with the aim of proposing a minimum sample size to recover these remains in a representative way. For this, almost 100 samples from a late Neolithic settlement phase found at the lakeshore site of Parkhaus Opéra (Zürich, Switzerland) were subsampled into one larger subsample (A-sample, of ca. 3 l of volume) and one smaller subsample (B-sample, of ca. 0.3 l of volume). We compared how large and small-sized items were represented in the different fractions of large and small subsamples on the basis of ubiquity, concentration and proportions between the taxa. Large-sized remains (like Prunus spinosa or charred fragments of Corylus avellana) and some medium-sized remains (Najas, Aethusa cynapium) were more often represented in larger subsamples and therefore are considered to be underrepresented in smaller samples. Average concentration values were similar in both groups of samples (and therefore comparable) but large differences were observed on a one-to-one sample basis, finding no positive monotonic correlation between them. Our observations also prove that in order to obtain data that are comparable to dryland sites concerning charred remains (including cereals and large-seeded wild fruits), large volume samples of at least ca. 3 l are needed. Counting units per taxon in each fraction were redefined on the basis of the results obtained. Finally, some clues to interpret results concerning large-sized items in sites with samples of small volume are also proposed following our observations.
Volume measurements in archaeobotany are not performed uniformly. The goal of this paper therefor... more Volume measurements in archaeobotany are not performed uniformly. The goal of this paper therefore is to test the different known methods and to define the obtained differences, in order to make the density values (remains per litre of sediment) for plant macroremains in the samples comparable between sites. Three methods of volume measurement were tested for a large number of samples of different sizes coming from two late Neolithic layers of the lakeshore site of Parkhaus Op era (Zürich, Switzerland). The sampled layers were preserved in waterlogged conditions and there were samples rich in sand, loam, lake marl but mostly consisting of organic remains, including uncharred subfossil plant macroremains. In general, the classical volume (that is the upper limit of the sediment in water) measured before and after freezing as pre-treatment gave similar results. But a systematic difference was found between the classical volume measured after freezing and the displacement volume. This difference could be described by a proportionality factor of 1.5. This proportionality factor could be used to make data obtained with different methods of volume measurement comparable, although more evaluations are needed from other sites in order to test the generality of the factor proposed.
The sieving process has a considerable influence on the subsequently retrieved archaeobotanical d... more The sieving process has a considerable influence on the subsequently retrieved archaeobotanical data. As known from earlier work, the wash-over method is the most suitable method to extract plant macroremains from waterlogged sediments. This paper presents an experiment in which it was tested if different sievers using this method produced comparable results.
Some systematic differences between sievers were found in the larger fractions (≥ 2 mm), namely the varying presence of small remains. This problem can be avoided if detailed instructions are given to the sievers and guidelines for counting remains are used during analysis. In the small fraction (> 0.35 mm), differences between sievers were not substantial anymore. In addition to differences caused by the sieving technique we could also show that the patchy pattern of clumpy waterlogged sediments complicates a statistically relevant subsampling. We can state that only large differences between samples should be interpreted in palaeoeconomic terms, but that it is no disadvantage if several sievers work on the same project.
It is our purpose to raise awareness of the fact that the methodology has a strong impact on the results obtained and should therefore always be revealed on a detailed level, especially if data from one site will later be used for comparisons with other sites.
Jahrbuch des Archäologischen Dienstes des Kantons Bern, 2024
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2022
The excellent preservation of the waterlogged botanical remains of the multiphase Neolithic pile-... more The excellent preservation of the waterlogged botanical remains of the multiphase Neolithic pile-dwelling site of Zug-Riedmatt (Central Switzerland) yielded an ideal dataset to delve into the issue of plant economy of a community spanning several decades. The study identified a major change in crops where oil plants played a key role in the site's initial phase before being supplanted over the course of a few decades by naked wheat, barley and pea. Wild plants continued to be gathered albeit in different proportions. In the latest settlement phase, the changes in the local vegetation and in the values of the analyses of carbon stable isotopes suggest a less humid environment. The hypothesis is that the changes perceived in the plant economy represent a resilience strategy adopted by the inhabitants in reaction to short term local climatic alterations. The two types of soil sampling techniques (monolith and bulk) allowed comparing these results. While the density of plant remains appears to be underestimated among the samples collected by the monolith technique, the proportions of economic taxa remain unaffected. The findings thus reveal that when the bulk samplings are distributed carefully throughout multiphase sites and avoid mixing stratigraphical units, and if the samplings are representative of all archaeological features from a whole area, then each of the two techniques offer analogous results.
PLOS ONE, 2020
A new method to evaluate archaeological wetland sites in a more objective way was tested. Differe... more A new method to evaluate archaeological wetland sites in a more objective way was tested. Different wetland environments have been sampled in areas of a nature reserve and their macroremain content analysed to build a modern analogue dataset. This dataset was then used to characterise archaeological samples from a navigation channel from the Roman port city Lattara. In the modern analogue samples, the different wetland types (saline/brack-ish or fresh water) could be differentiated in the correspondence analysis. Within these groups, the sampled area of the littoral (submerged, shoreline, unsubmerged) could also be differentiated. This dataset can therefore provide a basis for the interpretation of the nature and degree of aquatic influence and layer formation processes in archaeobotanical records of coastal sites. In the tested archaeological samples from the navigation channel of Lattara, changes in space and time could be tracked using the modern analogue dataset and geoarchaeological information. The channel lost its fresh water supply and silted up over a short period of time (approx. 100 years).
Pages Magazine, 2018
Early farmers were resilient thanks to a small-scale, household-based farming strategy that coped... more Early farmers were resilient thanks to a small-scale, household-based farming strategy that coped well with climate variability. The AgriChange project is compiling data on crops, local climate variability and risk-reducing strategies to reconstruct agricultural and land-use change in the Neolithic.
For the archaeobotanical analysis of waterlogged sediments, which are usually very rich in organi... more For the archaeobotanical analysis of waterlogged sediments, which are usually very rich in organic remains, subsampling is often necessary. Subsampling strategies for this kind of material are mostly based on non-empirical experience and have rarely been tested. In this paper, we compare results from small-volume subsamples with those from the large-volume residue of the master sample subsamples were drawn from. The extra-variability caused by lumpiness of the unprocessed waterlogged sediment was quantified in order to find out how much the necessary sample sizes need to increase for this type of sediment. We found that subsampling of unprocessed waterlogged material in general should only be done if it is indispensable , as it can introduce a bias. We propose methods to adapt sample sizes based on random sampling for unprocessed waterlogged sediment (where random sampling is impossible) so that the proportions or also the diversity of plant species can be estimated with sufficient precision in these sediments. However, it would be best to use an appropriate sieving method first and then subsample the processed residues of the material. We also think that it is important to clearly present the methods used for subsampling in publications and that more detailed tests about subsampling should be performed.
There is an ongoing discussion about how organic material is preserved in settlement layers on la... more There is an ongoing discussion about how organic material is preserved in settlement layers on lakeshores. Different scenarios have been suggested; was a permanent water cover needed at all times, or were there episodical water level fluctuations? In this paper, we use aquatic and wetland plants to shed light on layer formation processes of complex anthropogenic stratigraphies of the Neolithic lakeshore settlement Zug-Riedmatt (Central Switzerland). Botanical macroremains from the microarchaeologically investigated occupation layer were analysed and compared to modern analogue data from two lakes. Results suggest that the excavated area of the settlement was in a first phase located in the sublittoral zone (below water), with a massive input of anthropogenic waste material contributing to the layer formation, but then in a second phase, the shoreline shifted so that the excavated part of the settlement was located in the eulittoral zone and in a third phase probably even landwards of a reed belt. In a comparison with two previously investigated Neolithic lakeshore sites, we found that at least in one of these sites, such ‘drier’ conditions could also be found. This shows how important it is to know which part of the littoral zone is represented in an excavation, as conditions can differ within a settlement, and that there is very likely no universally valid ‘Pfahlbau scenario’.
by Füsun ERTUG, Ferran Antolín, Marian Berihuete-Azorín, Christoph Brombacher, Danai Chondrou, Stefanie Jacomet, Yurena Naranjo-Mayor, Renata Perego, Bigna Steiner, Michele Wollstonecroft, and Haris Procopiou
A specific sediment sampling strategy was applied to a late Neolithic settlement phase (dendrodat... more A specific sediment sampling strategy was applied to a late Neolithic settlement phase (dendrodated to around 3160 BC) in the pile-dwelling site of Parkhaus Op era (Zürich, Switzerland). It consisted in a systematic collection of over 2100 large-volume samples (3e10 L) in an area of~3000 m 2 , of which 255 were selected for archaeobotanical analysis. Over 80,000 plant macroremains of large size (>2 mm) were recovered and a rich assemblage of large-seeded wild fruits was evaluated. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.), acorns (Quercus sp.), apples/pears (Malus/Pyrus), sloes (Prunus spinosa L.), wild rose fruits (Rosa sp.), beech nuts (Fagus sp.) and wayfaring tree fruits (Viburnum lantana L.) were among the most frequently and abundantly gathered and consumed wild fruits at the settlement. Three methods of quantification were used to evaluate their importance in the economy taking into account the samples retrieved from 16 fully excavated structures: total average density of fruit items, total estimated amount of fruits, and their calorific contribution. The estimation of the caloric importance of large-seeded wild fruits depends on assumptions on taphonomic biases. A first estimation suggested that they probably provided between 1.5% and 15% of the total calorific input by the settlement's inhabitants.
• Premise of the study: The European Alps harbor a spatially heterogeneous environment. Plants ca... more • Premise of the study: The European Alps harbor a spatially heterogeneous environment. Plants can be adapted genetically to this heterogeneity but may also respond to it by phenotypic plasticity. We expected the important fodder grass Poa alpina to be adapted to elevation either genetically or plastically.
• Methods: We investigated in three elevational common gardens whether growth and reproductive allocation of plants reproducing either by seeds or bulbils suggest adaptation to their elevation of origin and to what extent they can respond plastically to different elevations. Additionally, we analyzed genetic diversity using microsatellites and tested whether seeds are of sexual origin.
• Key results: In the field, bulbil-producing plants occurred more often at higher elevations, whereas seed-producing plants occurred more often at lower elevations, but bulbil-producing plants were generally less vigorous in the common gardens. The response of plants to elevational transplantation was highly plastic, and vigor was always best at the highest location. The small genetic differences were not clinally related to elevation of origin, underlining the importance of phenotypic plasticity. Reproductive allocation was, however, independent of elevational treatments. Seed-producing plants had higher genetic diversity than the bulbil-producing plants even though we found that seed-producing plants were facultative apomicts mostly reproducing asexually.
• Conclusions: Bulbil-producing P. alpina, showing a fitness cost at lower elevations compared with seed-producing plants, seem better adapted to higher elevations. By means of its two reproductive modes and the capacity to adjust plastically, P. alpina is able to occupy a broad ecological niche across a large elevational range.
Despite excellent preservation conditions, the taphonomy of wetland settlement layers at lakes in... more Despite excellent preservation conditions, the taphonomy of wetland settlement layers at lakes in Central Europe (“pile dwellings”, UNESCO world cultural heritage) is not well understood. In order to improve this situation, an SNF-funded project was started by an interdisciplinary team at IPAS (project nr. CR30I2_149679/1). Aim of this project is to identify natural and anthropogenic factors influencing the deposition and preservation of occupation layers, among them also post-excavational factors like methodology. Several factors which could influence the outcome of archaeobotanical analyses were tested. In this poster, we will shortly present our research about the four factors sieving, subsampling, volume measurement and the semi-quantitative recording of preservation parameters.
The consistency of the wash-over sieving process done by different operators was looked at, revealing that there were some systematic differences present in the large fraction of the tested samples due to the techniques of the sievers. However, with counting guidelines and detailed instructions, it is no disadvantage to have different sievers in one project.
The subsampling process was also looked at in detail. Due to the clumpy distribution of remains in waterlogged sediments, square subsampling (sampling of sediment from two grids of a sample) was less suitable than systematic grid subsampling (sampling of a portion out of every grid of a sample). We could also determine what amount of remains had to be counted in order to have a good representation of a waterlogged sample in terms of proportions and diversity.
Different volume measurement techniques (classical before and after freezing and displacement) were compared and a systematic difference was found. However, with the use of a proportionality factor of 1.5, the different techniques can easily be compared.
The description of preservation parameters in wetland settlements was often done, but rarely evaluated in a systematic way. Indicators for presence or absence of processes of erosion and corrosion were defined and a methodology for their efficient recording was developed and used for the reconstruction of the taphonomic history of layers.
Methodology can have a large impact on archaeobotanical data and should therefore always be disclosed at a detailed level. Our research will help to standardise some common methods used in the archaeobotanical analysis of waterlogged sediments, and thus hopefully eliminate a potential source of error.
The SNF-project “Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinar... more The SNF-project “Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology” aims to develop new methodological standards for a better understanding of layer formation processes of archaeological wetland deposits .Here we present preliminary results from a bone midden found in the Neolithic lakeshore settlement Zug-Riedmatt.
Layer taphonomy is one of the major questions in the archaeological research of lakeshore settlem... more Layer taphonomy is one of the major questions in the archaeological research of lakeshore settlements. How fast did these deposits develop? Were they exposed to periodic droughts and decay? Which amount of the originally deposited remains survived until present? Plant macroremains have a great potential as indicators of preservation quality, since they are short-lived and particularly sensible to changes in preservation conditions. This paper reviews previous attempts to use similar proxies to understand layer taphonomy and provides a compilation of almost 50 variables (that include plant macroremains and other remains found in sediment samples) as indicators for preservation quality. Two late Neolithic lakeshore sites located in Central Switzerland were used as tests and more than 100 samples per site were investigated. Samples were grouped into meaningful groups (according to sediment type or their location in the stratigraphy, etc.) and ubiquities were calculated for each variable in each group of samples. Correspondence Analysis was applied in order to establish connections between groups of variables and groups of samples. GIS was used in one of the cases to look at preservation at a site scale. The method proved to be useful and differences in preservation conditions were observed in both sites, not only regarding the location of the samples in the stratigraphy and in relation to their proximity to the lake, but also in connection to sediment type. It is suggested that such studies are necessary before any palaeoeconomic analysis is undertaken.
This paper provides a reference to estimate the representation of large-sized items (seeds and fr... more This paper provides a reference to estimate the representation of large-sized items (seeds and fruits, mainly) in samples of larger and smaller volume in wetland sites with the aim of proposing a minimum sample size to recover these remains in a representative way. For this, almost 100 samples from a late Neolithic settlement phase found at the lakeshore site of Parkhaus Opéra (Zürich, Switzerland) were subsampled into one larger subsample (A-sample, of ca. 3 l of volume) and one smaller subsample (B-sample, of ca. 0.3 l of volume). We compared how large and small-sized items were represented in the different fractions of large and small subsamples on the basis of ubiquity, concentration and proportions between the taxa. Large-sized remains (like Prunus spinosa or charred fragments of Corylus avellana) and some medium-sized remains (Najas, Aethusa cynapium) were more often represented in larger subsamples and therefore are considered to be underrepresented in smaller samples. Average concentration values were similar in both groups of samples (and therefore comparable) but large differences were observed on a one-to-one sample basis, finding no positive monotonic correlation between them. Our observations also prove that in order to obtain data that are comparable to dryland sites concerning charred remains (including cereals and large-seeded wild fruits), large volume samples of at least ca. 3 l are needed. Counting units per taxon in each fraction were redefined on the basis of the results obtained. Finally, some clues to interpret results concerning large-sized items in sites with samples of small volume are also proposed following our observations.
Volume measurements in archaeobotany are not performed uniformly. The goal of this paper therefor... more Volume measurements in archaeobotany are not performed uniformly. The goal of this paper therefore is to test the different known methods and to define the obtained differences, in order to make the density values (remains per litre of sediment) for plant macroremains in the samples comparable between sites. Three methods of volume measurement were tested for a large number of samples of different sizes coming from two late Neolithic layers of the lakeshore site of Parkhaus Op era (Zürich, Switzerland). The sampled layers were preserved in waterlogged conditions and there were samples rich in sand, loam, lake marl but mostly consisting of organic remains, including uncharred subfossil plant macroremains. In general, the classical volume (that is the upper limit of the sediment in water) measured before and after freezing as pre-treatment gave similar results. But a systematic difference was found between the classical volume measured after freezing and the displacement volume. This difference could be described by a proportionality factor of 1.5. This proportionality factor could be used to make data obtained with different methods of volume measurement comparable, although more evaluations are needed from other sites in order to test the generality of the factor proposed.
The sieving process has a considerable influence on the subsequently retrieved archaeobotanical d... more The sieving process has a considerable influence on the subsequently retrieved archaeobotanical data. As known from earlier work, the wash-over method is the most suitable method to extract plant macroremains from waterlogged sediments. This paper presents an experiment in which it was tested if different sievers using this method produced comparable results.
Some systematic differences between sievers were found in the larger fractions (≥ 2 mm), namely the varying presence of small remains. This problem can be avoided if detailed instructions are given to the sievers and guidelines for counting remains are used during analysis. In the small fraction (> 0.35 mm), differences between sievers were not substantial anymore. In addition to differences caused by the sieving technique we could also show that the patchy pattern of clumpy waterlogged sediments complicates a statistically relevant subsampling. We can state that only large differences between samples should be interpreted in palaeoeconomic terms, but that it is no disadvantage if several sievers work on the same project.
It is our purpose to raise awareness of the fact that the methodology has a strong impact on the results obtained and should therefore always be revealed on a detailed level, especially if data from one site will later be used for comparisons with other sites.
This article brings together in a comprehensive way, and for the first time, on-and off-site pala... more This article brings together in a comprehensive way, and for the first time, on-and off-site palaeoenvironmental data from the area of the Central European lake dwellings (a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 2011). The types of data considered are as follows: high-resolution off-site pollen cores, including micro-charcoal counts, and on-site data, including botanical macro-and micro-remains, hand-collected animal bones, remains of microfauna, and data on woodland management (dendrotypology). The period considered is the late Neolithic (c. 4300-2400 cal. BC). For this period, especially for its earlier phases, discussions of land-use patterns are contradictory. Based on off-site data, slash-and-burn -as known from tropical regions -is thought to be the only possible way to cultivate the land. On-site data however show a completely different picture: all indications point to the permanent cultivation of cereals (Triticum spp., Hordeum vulgare), pea (Pisum sativum), flax (Linum usitatissimum) and opium-poppy (Papaver somniferum). Cycles of landscape use are traceable, including coppicing and moving around the landscape with animal herds. Archaeobiological studies further indicate also that hunting and gathering were an important component and that the landscape was manipulated accordingly. Late Neolithic land-use systems also included the use of fire as a tool for opening up the landscape. Here we argue that bringing together all the types of palaeoenvironmental proxies in an integrative way allows us to draw a more comprehensive and reliable picture of the land-use systems in the late Neolithic than had been reconstructed previously largely on the basis of off-site data.
J. Reinhard / K. Weber / E. Gross / G.F. Schaeren / Ph. Rentzel / B. Steiner / I. Hajdas / St. St... more J. Reinhard / K. Weber / E. Gross / G.F. Schaeren / Ph. Rentzel / B. Steiner / I. Hajdas / St. Steiner-Osimitz, Fundmeldung 'Zug, Schützenmatt: Sondierbohrungen'. Tugium 32, 2016, 74-76.
watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCa5oKgA0PM Wash-over sieving is the only sieving me... more watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCa5oKgA0PM
Wash-over sieving is the only sieving method which does not impact fragile archaeobotanical material (Hosch and Zibulski 2003, Zibulski 2010). We present in this movie the general handling of archaeobotanical samples and all necessary steps of the wash-over sieving in order to extract archaeobotanical remains (and also inorganic remains like bones and archaeological artifacts) from an archaeological sample. The most optimal procedure is shown.
On request, we can provide the cited literature as well as instructions for a do-it-yourself sieving station for the field and we will answer questions: ipna.unibas@gmail.com
Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies an... more Formation and taphonomy of archaeological wetland deposits: two transdisciplinary case studies and their impact on lakeshore archaeology (project-nr. CR30I2_149679/1) • Palynology, palynofacies, micromorphology, macroarchaeobotany and entomology
Wetlands have always attracted people due to a wide range of valuable services, eg. resources lik... more Wetlands have always attracted people due to a wide range of valuable services, eg. resources like food and water, high fertility, diversity of habitats, safety, transportation on the water, buffering of extreme weather conditions, scenic beauty etc. Since prehistory, human activity focused on the edges of water, and wetland settlements can be found throughout all archaeological periods. However, dwelling on the shore also held its risks. These highly dynamic environments could lead to flooding or be a potential source of diseases and could severely test the resilience of its inhabitants. Rising water levels are also one of the ways in which climate change most evidently manifests itself and are often argued as one of the reasons for settlement abandonment. The changing water levels would leave traces in the archaeological sediments, which can be used to assess human responses to the changing environment. In this session, we are trying to interpret and disentangle these traces using multiple proxies like micromorphology, botanical macro-and microremains, zoological remains etc. from on-site archaeological analyses, ideally in interdisciplinary combinations. In this way, we hope to tackle the following research questions: Can we detect flooding episodes before water-level changes take place? How did people react to these episodes in the past? How do water-level changes affect the site preservation and formation processes? Can we define combinations of indicators for flooding events? Abstracts can be submitted via www.e-a-a.org/EAA2018/ (deadline: 15 February)
The results of the archaeobotanical analysis and radiocarbon dating programme of the eight cores ... more The results of the archaeobotanical analysis and radiocarbon dating programme of the eight cores retrieved from Isolino Virginia (Lake Varese) in 2018 are here presented. We could identify at least two phases of occupation, between 5000 and 4700 and 4250 and 3650 cal BC, with excellent preservation conditions and hence yielding abundant plant macroremains (c. 15,000). The main crops during the 5th millennium cal BC are naked wheat, naked barley, flax, opium poppy and possibly also pea. This crop assemblage connects the site with the Western Mediterranean area instead of the Eastern Italian sites, where glume wheats were the most important crops. Possible changes around 4000 BC are observed. Wild fruit gathering was an important activity during the whole Neolithic occupation of the island.
Must Farm pile-dwelling settlement: Volume 1. Landscape, architecture and occupation, 2024