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SUMMARY:Dung and desert copper - Evaluating 3rd millennium BCE desert subs
 istence at the macro- and microscales - Dr Zachary Dunseth (Brown Universi
 ty)
DTSTART:20210305T131500Z
DTEND:20210305T140000Z
UID:TALK157339@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Laura Courto
DESCRIPTION:A massive settlement phenomenon characterizes the arid Negev H
 ighlands (southern Israel) during the Intermediate Bronze Age (IBA) (ca. 2
 500-1950 BCE). However\, the subsistence practices of this large desert po
 pulation are poorly understood. Previous work has suggested the existence 
 of two complementary elements during the period: large central sites speci
 alized in copper processing and production\, and smaller ephemeral sites s
 upported by nomadic-pastoralism. Both settlement types have been assumed t
 o have practiced livestock rearing and dry seasonal farming. However\, to 
 date\, these assumptions have been based on ceramic typologies\, presence 
 of flint blades\, grinding stones\, and scant zooarchaeological assemblage
 s. Direct evidence for either herding or cultivation is non-existent.\nRec
 ent geoarchaeological work at other sites in the Negev Highlands showed th
 e potential for recovering direct evidence for subsistence practices throu
 gh the identification of sediments containing degraded animal dung\, follo
 wed by the analysis of phytoliths from this material. The latter reflect a
 nimal foddering practices\, and thus whether cereal cultivation was carrie
 d out. Following this approach\, two large and two smaller IBA sites were 
 excavated. The excavations focused on sediment sampling from varied contex
 ts (habitation floors\, courtyards\, pits etc.). Analyses included mineral
 ogical characterization via FTIR spectroscopy\, extraction and quantificat
 ion of phytoliths as well as morphotype analysis\, extraction and quantifi
 cation of ash pseudomorphs and dung spherulites\, and XRF analyses to dete
 ct evidence for copper production/processing. The results show the presenc
 e of ancient livestock dung at the ephemeral sites\, with phytolith assemb
 lages indicative of free-ranging animal husbandry. In contrast\, the two c
 entral sites show no evidence for any type of food production or copper pr
 ocessing activities. These results force a new discussion about subsistenc
 e and society at central sites and the role of larger international econom
 ies in the arid Negev Highlands during the third millennium BCE.\n
LOCATION:Online via zoom
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