This article makes an effort to examine the spatial distribution of fourteen plant taxa found on floor III of brush hut 1, one of the six brush huts uncovered following the excavation of the Ohalo II Upper Paleolithic site in Israel. It then compares the results to other published works pertaining to the spatial distribution of the same plant taxa on floor II. The authors argue that the similarities in plant taxa concentration between these two floors could indicate similar food preparation activities.
Methods
The analysis of the first section of the article is mostly on floor III, which is the oldest. The researchers began by examining a sample of botanical remains spread across this floor. This resulted in the analysis of 55,000 seeds and fruits. After this, they mapped the spatial distribution of fourteen plant taxa across the entire floor. The next step involved mapping the burned broken grains discovered on the hearth and comparing them to modern broken grains purchased in a Jerusalem market in 1980. Both archaeological and modern broken grains had somewhat straight break surfaces that suggested a type of food preparation took place. The researchers also compared the frequency of occurrence and distribution between the two floors (Snir et al., 2015).
Results
By assuming that the builders of floor II were very aware of the presence of floor III. The researchers found various concentrations of plant species on both floors. On floor III, B. brachystachys grains had a concentration of 77% which made up 6% of the entire floor. Floor II had 42% of B. brachystachys grains, making up 9% of the floor area (Snir et al., 2015).
Additionally, 32% of the H. spontaneum grains on floor II were concentrated in 7% of the area, while 49% of the grains were contained in 11% of the floor space on Floor III. On Floor III, 13% of the area contained 55% of the P. holciforme grain concentration. 60% of the grains on Floor II were confined to 7% of the space (Snir et al., 2015). Despite this being a fraction of plant remains’ spatial distribution, it denotes a unique use of space by both floors. The large concentration of preserved food discovered in specific areas shows a mode of food preparation.
Discussion
Since a large concentration of food-related plants was found in the northern part, it is logical to say that the occupiers of floor II were conversant with the food preparation strategies of those who occupied floor III. The high concentration of broken grains close to the hearth suggests that the preparation of cereals likely involved cooking the grains over fire. Additionally, the presence of P. cf. convoluta and B. brachystachys in two locations that are far from the hearth may imply that those regions were used for food preparation without the use of fire. It appears that the P. cf. convoluta was utilized differently on the two floors based on the distributions of the plant. The plants were gathered on Floor III, possibly in the late summer or early winter, and spread as a soft bedding material to cover the majority of the floor (Snir et al., 2015).
The argument made by this article is plausible, especially considering the concentration of food-related plants near the hearth and grinding stone, on floors III and II respectively. However, this difference in concentration also highlights distinct food preparation locations that were distinct for both floors.
Reference
Snir, A., Nadel, D., & Weiss, E. (2015). Plant-food preparation on two consecutive floors at Upper Paleolithic Ohalo II, Israel. Journal of Archaeological Science, 53, 61–71. Web.