Flax in Neolithic and Bronze Age Greece: archaeobotanical evidence

This paper presents an overview of archaeobotanical finds of Linum usitatissimum from Neolithic and Bronze Age Greece, bringing together published records of this plant as well as some recently retrieved, unpublished finds. In addition, charred flax seed concentrations from five prehistoric sites from the region of Macedonia in northern Greece, are examined in detail. The Neolithic sites are Makriyalos, Mandalo, Arkadikos, Dikili Tash, dated to the Late and Final Neolithic and Archondiko, dated to the end of the Early Bronze Age. Archaeobotanical composition and contextual information are used in order to explore the cultivation and potential uses of flax at each site. By the 5th millennium b.c. a flax weed flora had probably developed in the region. The use of flax seed for oil extraction and flax stems for flax fibre preparation can only be speculated upon and these uses are discussed within the context of other archaeological finds related to plant oil production and weaving. It is also possible that flax may have been used for medicinal purposes. Despite a striking paucity in archaeobotanical remains from southern Greece, textual evidence available from the Mycenean palace archives in Linear B clearly documents the cultivation of flax and flax fibre production.     

Flax for oil or fibre? Morphometric analysis of flax seeds and new aspects of flax cultivation in Late Neolithic wetland settlements in southwest Germany

The transition from the early to the middle phase of the Late Neolithic (fourth–third millennium b.c.) is closely connected with the term “secondary products revolution”, which involves the adoption of animal traction and an increased production of rendered animal commodities such as wool and dairy products. Based on measurements of Linum usitatissimum L. (flax) seeds and their abundance in 32 wetland settlements in southwest Germany, we presume that the introduction of a new flax variety, maybe a better flax for fibre, and the intensification of flax cultivation were also a part of this process. The morphometric analysis shows that flax seed sizes in the early phase of the Late Neolithic (4000–3400 cal. b.c.) differ significantly from those of the middle and latest phase (3400–2400 cal. b.c.).     

Continuity and changes in plant resources during the Neolithic period in western Switzerland

The Neolithic and Bronze Age (4400-1570 B.C.) pile dwellings of Concise-sous-Colachoz on the shore of Lake Neuchatel (Canton of Vaud, western Switzerland), known as an archaeological site for more than 140 years, were recently re-investigated due to rescue excavations. Plant macrofossil analyses were done for several Neolithic occupation phases (3868-2440 B.C. the Cortaillod classique, Cortaillod moyen, Cortaillod tardif and Auvernier periods) with a focus on cereal remains, and additionally, archaeological deposits dating to the Cortaillod moyen culture (3710-3677 B.C.) were studied in detail. The preliminary study of cereal macrofossil remains from all the mentioned Neolithic phases show that the most important cereals were Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum (naked wheat), T. monococcum (einkorn) and Hordeum vulgare (barley). The preferences for specific crops did obviously not alter significantly through time, but, extraordinarily, significant amounts of einkorn continued to be grown for at least 1400 years during the Neolithic period. Other cultivated plants were Pisum sativum (pea), Linum usitatissimum (flax), and Papaver somniferum (opium poppy). Additionally to the seeds, capsule fragments of opium poppy were found in the Cortaillod moyen deposits. These represent the first finds of uncharred capsule fragments in Europe. Compared with other central European sites, opium poppy was very common during the 38th and 37th cent. B.C. and obviously less appreciated towards the end of the Neolithic in the western part of Switzerland. In central Switzerland the trends seem different: there opium poppy was mainly used during the Late Neolithic period. This may be due to cultural differences within contemporaneous human societies. Wild fruits which were collected as plant resources during the Cortaillod moyen period included Prunus spinosa (sloe), Cornus sanguinea (dogwood), Malus sylvestris (apple), Rubus idaeus/caesius/fruticosus (raspberry/dewberry/blackberry), Fragaria vesca (wild strawberry), Rosa sp. (hip), Quercus sp. (acorn), Corylus avellana (hazelnut), and Fagus sylvatica (beechnut), among others. Compared with other Neolithic sites in westem and central Switzerland the local population of Concise-sous-Colachoz used few sloes, while dogwood fruits were in use throughout the Neolithic period at Lake Neuchatel. Received September 4, 2001 / Accepted May 13, 2002     

In vitro metabolism of flax lignans by ruminal and faecal microbiota of dairy cows

Aims: To determine the in vitro conversion of plant lignans from two flax products (hull and seed) into the mammalian lignans, enterolactone and enterodiol, by bovine ruminal and faecal microbiota. Methods and Results: Flax seeds and hulls were incubated in vitro over a 96-h time course with ruminal or faecal inoculum. Plant lignans in flax seeds and hulls averaged 9·2 and 32·0 nmol mg⁻¹, respectively. The highest net production of enterodiol at 72 and 96 h of incubation was obtained with flax hulls incubated with faecal microbiota. There was no difference in net production of enterodiol between flax products within the first 24 h of incubation. In general, net production of enterolactone over the 96-h time course was significantly higher for flax products incubated with ruminal than with faecal microbiota. Net production of enterolactone at 72 and 96 h of incubation was greater for flax hulls than flax seeds. Conclusions: Results of the present experiment suggest that, of the metabolites studied, the main mammalian lignan metabolite produced from flax hulls and seeds by ruminal microbiota is enterolactone while faecal microbiota leads mainly to the net production of enterodiol. Significance and Impact of the Study: This research will improve the understanding of the metabolic pathway of mammalian lignans in dairy cows, in order to enable targeted manipulation of their quantities in milk.     

Plant materials used as temper in the oldest Neolithic pottery from south-eastern Poland

Plant materials were frequently used as a temper as an important part of the process of making pottery. However, identification of the presence of tempering material and its taxonomic composition are still uncommon practices. This paper presents the results of a study of plant remains observed in pottery dated to the oldest Neolithic from south-eastern Poland, as a tool for detecting or confirming changes in the method of making the pottery. In previous studies, plant material was noticed sporadically in coarse ware and its identification was based on macroscopic plant morphology. On the other hand, remains of plants were not usually observed in the other finer ware types since their surfaces were frequently smoothed and decorated, while their sections were very thin. Therefore, in the present study, these groups of pottery have been studied in detail. A preliminary observation of surfaces and fresh sections of selected potsherds has shown that plant temper was neither evident nor abundant in them. However, with microscopy, small fragments of plant tissues and their imprints have been seen inside the clay. Their identification was not possible on the basis of plant morphology, but was carried out with the help of plant anatomy, especially by observing the microscopic features of plant epidermis. Previous archaeobotanical studies from the area indicated that the plants used as temper in coarse ware mostly included remnants of cereal chaff. Consequently, this paper will test this hypothesis in the case of the finer Neolithic ceramics.     

Archaeobotanical analysis of some early Neolithic settlements in the Kujawy region, central Poland, with potential plant gathering activities emphasised

Neolithic settlements in the Kujawy region of central Poland are represented by seven archaeological sites which have botanical material archaeologically dated to the Linear Pottery culture (LBK) (ca. 5400-5000 cal. B.C.) and the Lengyel culture (ca. 4400-4000 cal. B.C.). The composition of plant remains suggests that Stipa pennata s.l. played a certain role in the economy of the Neolithic settlers. The presence of this xerothermic grass is best explained by local gathering rather than distant transport or coming into the sediment by chance. The finding of Hierochlo? cf. australis grains represents the first identification of this plant in archaeobotanical material from Poland. This, now rare, plant contains coumarin and for this reason could have been useful in prehistory. Other plants such as Bromus spp., Chenopodium album type, Fallopia convolvulus and Galium spp. were found in large quantities, and although common weeds now, they could also have been collected by the Neolithic settlers. Plants such as Corylus avellana and Vaccinium vitis-idaea that are typically considered to be collected as foods are present in the studied material but in very small quantities. Received September 17, 2001 / Accepted March 13, 2002     

From the field to the hearth: plant remains from Neolithic Croatia (ca. 6000–4000 cal <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">bc</Emphasis>)

Until recently the recovery of plant remains in Croatia was rare, resulting in few studies addressing the nature of Neolithic crop cultivation. This paper presents new archaeobotanical data from eleven Neolithic settlements in coastal and continental Croatia. Within continental Croatia, three sites dating to the Star?evo culture (early/middle Neolithic; ca. 6000–5300 cal bc) and six to the Sopot culture (late Neolithic; ca. 5300–4000 cal bc) are examined along with two Hvar culture sites (late Neolithic; ca. 4800–4000 cal bc) located along the coast. Different settlement types are included in the study: open air sites, tells and cave sites. From the data collected the most common crops identified were einkorn, emmer, barley, lentil, pea and flax, as well as the fruits Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry) and Physalis alkekengi (Chinese lantern), which were particularly dominant in the Sopot culture settlements. By examining formation processes, sieved crop processing products and by-products were identified at six of the sites, suggesting that cereals were processed on a day-to-day basis at the household level. In contrast, the remains from the late Neolithic coastal cave site of Turska Pe? suggest two distinct formation processes. At the eastern side of the cave the plant remains suggest that episodes of dung burning occurred, possibly to clear the cave of excess waste during seasonal habitation of the cave by herders and livestock. Towards the back of the cave, cereal remains and higher charcoal densities may suggest an area used for food preparation or cooking.     

Grain versus chaff: identifying a contrast between grain-rich and chaff-rich sites in the Neolithic of northern Greece

Recent archaeobotanical investigations of Late Neolithic sites in northern Greece have revealed a pattern as regards the crop parts represented at each site. Some sites appear to be dominated by chaff, mainly glume wheat chaff, while other sites are mainly characterised by cereal grain and pulses. This pattern could be the outcome of various factors: a. pre-depositional differential treatment of crops selecting for one category of plant remains to arrive at the site, b. depositional, therefore related to the type of activity represented at the excavated contexts and the use of space in relation to plants, and c. post-depositional factors such as erosion, or the type of features sampled. These alternative factors are considered in light of the preliminary results of the archaeobotanical investigation of seven Late Neolithic (5500–4000 cal. B.C.) sites from northern Greece. It is suggested that this pattern is the outcome of a differential use of space in relation to plants (storage, processing/food preparation, refuse disposal), probably related to aspects of the socioeconomic organisation of the settlements.     

Crop water availability in early agriculture: evidence from carbon isotope discrimination of seeds from a tenth millennium BP site on the Euphrates

The analysis of carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) in crop plant remains from archaeological sites may help to assess water availability for early agriculture. This study presents the analysis of Δ in seeds of naked wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum), lentil (Lens orientalis/culinaris), and flax (Linum sp.) found at the archaeological site of Tell Halula in the valley of the Middle Euphrates (Syria). This Neolithic site is the oldest in this region of the Fertile Crescent where the cultivation of domesticated plants has been reported, with seed remains ranging from 9550 to 8465 BP. Most of the seeds analysed showed Δ values greater than 16 ‰, reaching 20 ‰ for some samples of flax. For wheat, Δ values were much higher than those reported in present-day (1996) durum wheat crops cultivated under rainfed conditions in north-west Syria under environments with somewhat higher rainfall than Tell Halula. Similarly, grains of present-day (1997) barley cultivated in the archaeological site also showed lower values than those found in archaeological kernels. An empirical relationship between Δ of mature kernels and total precipitation (plus irrigation where applicable) from heading to maturity (r² = 0.82, n = 11) was established for durum wheat, currently cultivated in different environments of the Mediterranean basin. The resulting relationship was applied to the data on Δ of wheat fossil kernels from Tell Halula to estimate the accumulated water inputs during the time (about 6 weeks) the kernels were produced. Calculated water inputs for wheat during early agriculture were (over 110 mm) at least 5 times higher than current-day rainfall accumulated in Tell Halula during the same phenological period. These results strongly suggest that early agriculture wheat was cultivated at Tell Halula under much wetter conditions than are currently to be found in the area. The presence of flax and its very high Δ values also support this conclusion. Whether such humid conditions during cultivation were due to moister conditions prevailing at this time, by planting in alluvial areas or by irrigation works is discussed.     

Prehistory of plant growing and collecting in northern Italy, based on seed remains from the early Neolithic to the Chalcolithic (c. 5600–2100 cal b.c.)

The stages of the early Neolithic and the spread of agriculture in northern Italy are difficult to determine and basically still unclear, since this region was influenced by deeply different cultures coming from both the Mediterranean coasts and the Balkans. The complex interrelations due to the contributions from both cultures are reinterpreted here thanks to recent data, modifying a picture which 15 years ago was believed to be definite. According to radiocarbon chronology, the appearance of the earliest farming communities in northern Italy should be dated around 5600–5500 cal b.c. Early farmers cultivated several cereal and pulse taxa, of which the more important were Hordeum vulgare/distichum, Triticum dicoccum, T. monococcum, T. aestivum/durum/turgidum, Lens culinaris and Pisum sp. In addition they gathered many wild plants. The spread of agriculture was a rapid phenomenon and within a few centuries agriculture was established into the Alps. Little is known about the middle and late Neolithic, with the Square-mouthed pottery culture “Bocca Quadrata”, from c. 5100 cal b.c. onwards, since most of the archaeological features discovered up to the present have produced only a few plant remains. We demonstrate the introduction of poppy and a few other innovations like a slightly increased cultivation of free-threshing cereals and flax. Archaeobotanical analyses from Chalcolithic or Copper Age settlements, from c. 3500 cal b.c. onwards, are even scarcer and a comparison with the earlier Neolithic settlements does not yet seem possible.     

Assessing change in diet and biological affinity between the 4th and 3rd millennia cal BCE in the Portuguese Estremadura: A preliminary dental comparison of Feteira II and Bolores

Although the social and political changes accompanying the transition from the Neolithic through Copper Age, between the 4th and 3rd millennia cal BCE, in southwestern Iberia are reasonably well understood, much less is known about whether population movements and dietary changes accompanied these transformations. To address this question, human dental remains from the Middle through Late Neolithic site of Feteira II (3600–2900 cal BCE) and the Late Neolithic site of Bolores (2800–2600 cal BCE) in the Portuguese Estremadura were used to examine diet (microwear) and affinity (dental non-metrics). Microwear features were not found to be significantly different between Feteira II and Bolores, suggesting that the emergence of social complexity during this period did not result in large-scale changes in subsistence practices during the period of use at these sites. Using the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System and supporting statistics, no significant difference between the samples from Feteira II and Bolores was observed, suggesting that no population replacement occurred between the Middle Neolithic and Late Neolithic/Copper Age. However, at Bolores there is some indication that there may have been demographic exchanges between southern Iberian and North African populations during the Late Neolithic/Copper Age.     

Relecture d’un modèle architectural du III millénaire provençal : l’Habitation n 1 du Collet-Redon à La Couronne (Martigues, Bouches-du-Rhône)

The open-air site of Collet-Redon (Martigues, Bouches-du-Rhône) was discovered in the 1940s, and excavated by M. Escalon de Fonton until the beginning of 1980s. Those pioneering works gave up important series of artefacts and domestic structures of Late Neolithic and Bronze Age that permit to define a new Neolithic culture: the Couronnien group. The importance of this establishment, as a reference in research on Late Neolithic period in South of France, is particularly based on built remains revealed in a sector called “Habitation no. 1”. Quantity and quality of architectural structures allowed M. Escalon de Fonton to describe a Neolithic domestic unit, which became a model for interpreting other regional sites. Since 1999, various studies of artefacts and structures, coupled with an excavation, have been engaged in order to discuss first interpretations. The purpose of this article is to present our results concerning architectural remains of “Habitation no. 1” sector. Study of ancient publications and new observations on structures permit us to suggest a revision of the plan proposed for this third millenary construction.     

The chickpea, summer cropping, and a new model for pulse domestication in the ancient near east

The widely accepted models describing the emergence of domesticated grain crops from their wild type ancestors are mostly based upon selection (conscious or unconscious) of major features related either to seed dispersal (nonbrittle ear, indehiscent pod) or free germination (nondormant seeds, soft seed coat). Based on the breeding systems (self-pollination) and dominance relations between the allelomorphs of seed dispersal mode and seed dormancy, it was postulated that establishment of the domesticated forms and replacement of the wild ancestral populations occurred in the Near East within a relatively short time. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), however, appears as an exception among all other "founder crops" of Old World agriculture because of its ancient conversion into a summer crop. The chickpea is also exceptional because its major domestication trait appears to be vernalization insensitivity rather than pod indehiscence or free germination. Moreover, the genetic basis of vernalization response in wild chickpea (Cicer reticulatum Ladiz.) is polygenic, suggesting that a long domestication process was imperative due to the elusive phenotype of vernalization nonresponsiveness. There is also a gap in chickpea remains in the archaeological record between the Late Prepottery Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age. Contrary to the common view that Levantine summer cropping was introduced relatively late (Early Bronze Age), we argue for an earlier (Neolithic) Levantine origin of summer cropping because chickpea, when grown as a common winter crop, was vulnerable to the devastating pathogen Didymella rabiei, the causal agent of Ascochyta blight. The ancient (Neolithic) conversion of chickpea into a summer crop required seasonal differentiation of agronomic operation from the early phases of the Neolithic revolution. This topic is difficult to deal with, as direct data on seasonality in prehistoric Old World field crop husbandry are practically nonexistent. Consequently, this issue was hardly dealt with in the literature. Information on the seasonality of ancient (Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Early Bronze Age, calibrated 11,500 to 4,500 years before present) Near Eastern agriculture may improve our understanding of the proficiency of early farmers. This in turn may provide a better insight into Neolithic agrotechniques and scheduling. It is difficult to fully understand chickpea domestication without a Neolithic seasonal differentiation of agronomic practice because the rapid establishment of the successful Near Eastern crop package which included wheats, barley, pea, lentil, vetches, and flax, would have preempted the later domestication of this rare wild legume.     

From deciduous forest to open landscape: application of new approaches to help understand cultural landscape development in western Norway

Development of the cultural landscape in a village situated by the inner fjords of western Norway is investigated by pollen analysis and quantitative reconstruction methods. Pollen samples from lake sediments and a soil profile were analysed and represent different spatial scales. The Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm (LRA) is applied to a large and a small lake to convert pollen percentages from the small lake into estimated local vegetation cover in selected time periods starting from 2800 cal bc (Middle Neolithic A). This reconstruction shows that estimated forest cover has fluctuated through time, and changes in openness related to human impact are distinct from the Early Bronze Age (1800–1200 cal bc). Pollen analyses from the soil profile indicate forest clearances from the Late Neolithic (2300–1800 cal bc). Gradual intensification of farming is recognized in both pollen diagrams throughout the Bronze and Iron Ages with increasing openness and spatial differentiation in land-use practices. Presence of pollen of cereals and flax record the cultivation of these plants from the Iron Age, and intensification of land-use may have caused erosion and re-sedimentation in the lake in medieval times. To identify a possible landscape in the past, HUMPOL software has been used with the Late Neolithic as a case study. The LRA-based estimates of forest cover are supported by the HUMPOL simulations, but several solutions to the Late Neolithic landscape pattern exist. The results clearly demonstrate how implementation of LRA and HUMPOL improve the understanding of cultural landscape development.     

Analysis of plant macrofossils in goat/sheep faeces from the Neolithic lake shore settlement of Horgen Scheller — an indication of prehistoric transhumance?

213 goat or sheep faeces from the Neolithic lake shore settlement of Horgen Scheller (Switzerland) were analysed for plant macrofossils. Only 51 (24%) of them contained identifiable remains. The most frequent finds were prickles of Rosaceae, probably blackberry (Rubus fruticosus s.l.). This is interpreted as food that was grazed from hedges, woodland edges or clearings in winter or spring. Faeces from summer or autumn are apparently not present. Explanations for this are discussed, among which trans-humance seems most probable.     

The Holocene occurrence of Acipenser spp. in the southern North Sea: the archaeological record

Archaeological sturgeon remains from the southern North Sea basin used to be automatically attributed to Acipenser sturio, since this was the only acipenserid species believed to occur there. These species identifications, however, were in need of revision after a growing number of indications were found for the historical presence of Acipenser oxyrinchus in western Europe. In this study, morphological and genetic data on sturgeon remains from archaeological sites along the southern North Sea are revised. A large number of Dutch, Belgian, British and some French archaeological sturgeon remains, dating from the Mesolithic up to Late Modern times, are morphologically examined and fish sizes are reconstructed. This study of >7000 acipenserid bones proves the sympatric occurrence of European sturgeon A. sturio and Atlantic sturgeon A. oxyrinchus in the southern North Sea at least since the Neolithic (fourth millennium BC onwards), with A. oxyrinchus remains always outnumbering those of A. sturio. Human influence is documented by the decrease in finds through time, but no clear evidence was found for a diachronic change in fish lengths that could possibly be related to fishing pressure.     

Improving retting of fibre through genetic modification of flax to express pectinases

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a raw material used for important industrial products. Linen has very high quality textile properties, such as its strength, water absorption, comfort and feel. However, it occupies less than 1% of the total textile market. The major reason for this is the long and difficult retting process by which linen fibres are obtained. In retting, bast fibre bundles are separated from the core, the epidermis and the cuticle. This is accomplished by the cleavage of pectins and hemicellulose in the flax cell wall, a process mainly carried out by plant pathogens like filamentous fungi. The remaining bast fibres are mainly composed of cellulose and lignin. The aim of this study was to generate plants that could be retted more efficiently. To accomplish this, we employed the novel approach of transgenic flax plant generation with increased polygalacturonase (PGI ) and rhamnogalacturonase (RHA) activities. The constitutive expression of Aspergillus aculeatus genes resulted in a significant reduction in the pectin content in tissue-cultured and field-grown plants. This pectin content reduction was accompanied by a significantly higher (more than 2-fold) retting efficiency of the transgenic plant fibres as measured by a modified Fried’s test. No alteration in the lignin or cellulose content was observed in the transgenic plants relative to the control. This indicates that the over-expression of the two enzymes does not affect flax fibre composition. The growth rate and soluble sugar and starch contents were in the range of the control levels. It is interesting to note that the RHA and PGI plants showed higher resistance to Fusarium culmorum and F. oxysporum attack, which correlates with the increased phenolic acid level. In this report, we demonstrate for the first time that over-expression of the A. aculeatus genes results in flax plants more readily usable for fibre production. The biochemical parameters of the cell wall components indicated that the fibre quality remains similar to that of wild-type plants, which is an important pre-requisite for industrial applications. Magdalena Musialak and Magdalena Wróbel-Kwiatkowska participated equally in the preparation of this paper     

Approaches to reconstruction of early Celtic land-use in the cent ral Neckar region in southwestern Germany

In four early Celtic settlements in the central Neckar region of Baden-Württemberg (Germany), 250 archaeobotanical samples were collected and studied for their plant macrofossils.Hordeum vulgare L. (hulled barley) andTrilicum spella L. (spelt wheat) could be recognized as the main crops, as well asPanicum miliaceum L. (millet) in some places. Legumes andLinum usitatissimum L. (flax) were important crops. Typical field weeds dominated the wild plant remains, but some present-day grassland taxa were abundantly and frequently found. The analysis of the data set of finds of the cereal remains, field weeds and grassland plants was done by Correspondence Analysis, but no significant differences between the various groups were found. Samples dominated by remains of grassland taxa, which could indicate that there were hay meadows, were absent. Consideration of plant macrofossil results as well as archaeological, osteological and pollen analytical data shows that there is likely to have been a land management system of arable fields and grassland. The densely settled fertile central Neckar region could therefore have been intensively utilised, using all available resources. Permanent grasslands in the form of pasture on river floodplains and on dry soils were certainly present. Hay meadows, on the other hand, were not identified. Cultivated plants such asFicus carica L. (fig) andVicia ervilia (L.) Willd. (bitter vetch) as well as some field weeds suggest connections with the Mediterranean lands.     

Ancient DNA from South-East Europe Reveals Different Events during Early and Middle Neolithic Influencing the European Genetic Heritage

The importance of the process of Neolithization for the genetic make-up of European populations has been hotly debated, with shifting hypotheses from a demic diffusion (DD) to a cultural diffusion (CD) model. In this regard, ancient DNA data from the Balkan Peninsula, which is an important source of information to assess the process of Neolithization in Europe, is however missing. In the present study we show genetic information on ancient populations of the South-East of Europe. We assessed mtDNA from ten sites from the current territory of Romania, spanning a time-period from the Early Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age. mtDNA data from Early Neolithic farmers of the Starčevo Criş culture in Romania (Cârcea, Gura Baciului and Negrileşti sites), confirm their genetic relationship with those of the LBK culture (Linienbandkeramik Kultur) in Central Europe, and they show little genetic continuity with modern European populations. On the other hand, populations of the Middle-Late Neolithic (Boian, Zau and Gumelniţa cultures), supposedly a second wave of Neolithic migration from Anatolia, had a much stronger effect on the genetic heritage of the European populations. In contrast, we find a smaller contribution of Late Bronze Age migrations to the genetic composition of Europeans. Based on these findings, we propose that permeation of mtDNA lineages from a second wave of Middle-Late Neolithic migration from North-West Anatolia into the Balkan Peninsula and Central Europe represent an important contribution to the genetic shift between Early and Late Neolithic populations in Europe, and consequently to the genetic make-up of modern European populations.     

Flax and weld: archaeobotanical records from Mutina (Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy), dated to the Imperial Age, first half 1st century a.d.

In the city centre of Modena (Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy) a noteworthy amount of carpological remains attributable to flax and weld came to light dated to the Imperial Age (first half 1st century a.d.). Flax remains, i.e. capsules and extremely small seeds, suggest the presence of either immature seeds and fruits of cultivated flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) or of a wild flax species (Linum bienne Mill.). The quantity of these remains along with the co-presence of seeds of Reseda luteola, an important dye plant, leads to the hypothesis of the cultivation of both flax and weld for textile manufacturing purposes, which are attested as important in the economy of the Roman period.