title: Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence for Neolithic and Bronze Age Crop Water Management in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia.
abstract: In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determined for 275 charred grain samples from nine archaeological sites, dating primarily to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This has revealed that wheat (Triticum spp.) was regularly grown in wetter conditions than barley (Hordeum sp.), indicating systematic preferential treatment of wheat that may reflect a cultural preference for wheat over barley. Isotopic analysis of pulse crops (Lens culinaris, Pisum sativum and Vicia ervilia) indicates cultivation in highly varied water conditions at some sites, possibly as a result of opportunistic watering practices. The results have also provided evidence for local land-use and changing agricultural practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, Northgate House, West Street, Sheffield, S1 4ET, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, Northgate House, West Street, Sheffield, S1 4ET, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Glynis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford, 36 Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.affiliation: Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford, 36 Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.affiliation: NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tim H E
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Heaton
authors.affiliation: Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford, 36 Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogaard
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D001208:Asia; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D049690:History, Ancient; D008522:Mediterranean Sea
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes