Diversiteit en Systematiek van Dieren

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Diversiteit en Systematiek van Dieren
Plant macrofossils from prehistoric sites in
Bulgaria past environment, land use and
subsistence
Promotor Prof. Dr. Wim Van Neer
Willem.VanNeer_at_bio.kuleuven.be, 02/627 44
38 Medepromotor Dr. Elena Marinova
elena.marinova_at_bio.kuleuven.be, 016/32 64
13 Achtergrond Valuable information on the past
environment can be provided by biological
materials accumulated in archaeological sites
such as human and animal bones, molluscs,
seeds/fruits, wood. The proposed master thesis
will deal with charred plant macrofossils
(remains of seeds/fruits) from the Late Neolithic
to Early Chalcolithic (5200-4600 BC) occupation
phases of the site of Tell Provadia, NE Bulgaria.
The plant macrofossils found correspond to the
plants used by the ancient inhabitants of the
site and reflect also the plant habitats they
exploited during the studied period. The work
will be conducted with the support of the
reference collections and facilities for
macrobotanical analyses of the Center for
Archaeological Sciences. The information will be
evaluated statistically and compared with other
macrobotanical records from the study area.
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Plant macrofossils from prehistoric sites in
Bulgaria past environment, land use and
subsistence
Vraagstelling To reconstruct the past
vegetation and plant subsistence of the site Tell
Provadia, north-eastern Bulgaria Doel The study
includes identification of charred plant
macrofossils (seeds, fruits, leafs etc., all
observable at low magnification) and the
interpretation of the results in connection with
the past environment and the plant use at the
site Relevantie The study of the past vegetation
of this archaeological site will yield
information on the history of human impact on the
vegetation, and on the spread and importance of
the cultivated plants. The considered site covers
major cultural changes and is connected with very
early salt production and the plant macrofossils
can therefore provide valuable information on the
past environment.