| Abstract [eng] |
Humans and plants have always shared a deep and complex relationship. Thus, plant remains from the archaeological settlement contexts contain evidence on agriculture, subsistence strategies, economic and technological development of the past communities. Also, information on various processes and activities inside the settlement and its environment. However, archaeobotanical research in Lithuania is still in its infancy. This project aimed to analyse and organise all accessible archaeobotanical material from 11th c. BC – 12th c. AD settlement sites in Lithuania. New archaeobotanical finds collected during the ongoing fieldwork form the basis for this project. In addition, it utilizes published data and the re-analysis of legacy botanical finds. A total of 247 archaeobotanical samples from 24 Lithuania sites were analysed resulting in identification of ca. 100 000 plant macrofossils. The results facilitated the reconstruction of the development and main characteristics of farming in different periods. Also, the construction of a model illustrating the impact of agricultural development on the changing settlement patterns in Bronze – Iron Age Lithuania. Finally, these suggest that local agricultural and settlement development in 11th c. BC – 12th c. AD ought to be seen as an integral part of a broader economic, technological and social development of the Baltic Sea region. |
