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Preliminary analysis of the palaeobotanical remains from Aradetis Orgora

    During the 2015 season on the Aradetis Orgora Main Mound samples for paleobotanical analysis were taken on the field and processed in the expedition house laboratory by Ketevan Esebua. Among the carpological finds there were mainly cereals and legumes, but also remains of non domesticated plants. Cereals are represented by several kinds of wheat: mainly Einkorn wheat (Triticum diccocum) and Emmer wheat (Triticum durum aestivum). Nevertheless, a small quantity of Rye (Secale sereale) was also discovered. We could assume that, in this part of Shida Kartli, Rye was not cultivated, but was present as a self-grown wild plant in cornfields. We also distinguished few seeds of Pea (Pisum sativum), while Bitter Vetch (Vicia ervilia) and Faba bean (Vicia faba; SP.) are also represented by few seeds. According to a preliminary analysis of the available data, wild plants could be: thorough wax (Bufleorum rotundifolium), chaff (Lolium sp.), and ball mustard (Neslia paniculata).
    Carpological finds mainly come from the LBA horizons in both Field A (quadrants 097.100d and 097.099b, loci 1756, 1741, 1740, 1759, 1567, 1772, 1769, 1561, 1791, 1584, 1845, 1812, 1811, 1814, 1951, 1813, 1864, 1869, 1831, 1865, 1879, 1894) and Field B (quadrant 104.099d, 2508, 2516, 2515, 2518, 2509, 2503). On the contrary, only few seeds were recovered from the Kura-Araxes horizons, where samples were taken from layers 2404, 2414, 2424, 2431, 2439, 2443, 2445, 2444, 2447, 2448, 2453, 2451, 2416.
    According to our preliminary observations, wild plants from LBA layers in Fields A and B are identical to each other, and few in number. This fact provides reasons to assume that cereals were already prepared for use; in other words they were brought to the settlement after having been purified, and ready to use.
    Soil samples were also taken from Field C, i.e. from the area of the Hellenistic/Early Imperial palace. The carpological sample consisted of Emmer wheat, Einkorn seeds, and seeds of domesticated Grape (Vitis vinifera). Paleobotanical samples also contained fruit seeds.