De botanische samenstelling van mestkoeken en ashopen in relatie tot de reconstructie van akkervegetaties

Samenvatting

The botanical contents of dung cakes and ash heaps in relation to the reconstruction of agricultural practices. Off-site evidence for ancient cereal fields and agricultural practices can be inferred from the botanical remains present in dung cakes and ash layers. To test this model, the botanical composition of four recent dung cakes and two samples from recent ash heaps was analysed. Although most of the plant remains could be interpreted as originating from a cereal field, implying that they could indeed be used for the reconstruction of the former vegetation and of agricultural practices, some plant remains were indicative of either contamination or the use of alternative sources of fuel. When threshing remains of cereals were mixed up with those from other crops, such as Sorghum and Sesame, their interpretation is especially complicated.