PLANT REMAINS

PALEORIENTVol. 3 1975-1976-1977

FROM KHIROKITIA IN CYPRUS

J.G. WAI NES

N.P. STANLEY PRICE

The site of Khirokitia in southern Cyprus was extensively excavated by P. Dikaios in several seasons between 1936 and 1946 (1) revealing a large settlement of stone- built structures. Since techniques and interest in their recovery had not then developed, no botanical remains were reported from the site, although stone utensils and implements possibly used in crop processing were abundant. The recovery of plant remains was therefore one of the aims of a very brief sounding at the site in 1972 (2). Radiocarbon dates from this sounding confirmed that the main, aceramic occupation of Khirokitia flourished c.5500b.c. (3), followed by a limited re- occupation in the 4th millennium b.c.

The sounding consisted of a 2 m. square trench, of which the area under excavation rapidly decreased in size when architectural remains were encountered which occupied over one third of the trench area. The lowest 1 .40 m of the sounding was reached only by a probe of 1 m wide. Apart from a fire-pit (excavation unit 101.4) assigned to the ceramic re-occupation phase, all the stratified material belonged to the aceramic, and was associated with two phases of a single structure. Both phases consisted of floor-levels sealed by collapsed roof deposit, while two floor-levels (units 102.10, 102.11) probably immediately antedate the structure, though the small area excavated prevented resolution of the point. The total volume of earth which was wet-sieved was only a little over 2 cu.m.; the plant remains were recovered through flotation using a mesh 1.6 mm. square.

Botanical remains in the form of carbonised grains were recovered from every level which was wet-sieved. The results are summarised in Table 1 which lists the excavation' units in the probable order in which they were formed; the position of unit 102.6 is uncertain because of the small area excavated. The marked difference in the density of seeds per volume of earth between the two phases of Tholos XLVI is probably due to variable use of that area of the floor being sampled by the sounding. The lower floor-levels also yielded a higher density of bone fragments and chipped stone debris (4). The diffuse nature of carbonised seed distribution in the deposit and the overall mix of species

represented in any one level suggest that the remains are the residue from processing activities carried out elsewhere (5).

All the species listed in Table 1 have been previously identified from later prehistoric or historic sites in Cyprus (6). In addition to these, seeds of an undetermined wild grass species and a small quantity of unidentified seeds were recovered from units 102.2 and 102.9 respectively. Most samples also contained a quantity of small wood charcoal fragments.

Cereals

Triticum monococcum L. Einkorn Triticum diococcum L. Emmer Hordeum vulgar e L. Hulled barley

From the size of the grains and from the lack of evidence to the contrary, the cereals are assumed to be of these domesticated forms. Grain size of each species is similar between the two phases of Tholos XLVI (table 2) and the morphology approaches that of present-day cultivated forms.

Legumes

Lentil. A small-seeded lentil is the commonest legume in the sounding, the bulk of them belonging to the large assemblage from the final roof-collapse (unit 101.8). Of the 29 seeds from units 101.8 and 102.9, the mean measurements are: Diam. 3.1 (2.5-4.0) mm, and Th. 1.6 (1.5-2.2) mm, which are comparable with those reported from contemporary sites in the Levant, e.g. Jericho, Ramad and Beidha (7). The same authors argue that a reliable distinction on morphological grounds between wild and domestic lentil is impossible (8).

Pea. Four seeds of pea were found in the upper structure with only one uncertainly identified from Floor 4 of the lower. Seed diameters range from 3.0-5.5 mm and are therefore quite comparable with

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