book chapter

Abu Hureyra 1: the Epipalaeolithic

Village on the Euphrates: from foraging to farming at Abu Hureyra, byA.M.T. Moore, G.C. Hillman, A.J. Legge ; with contributions by J. Huxtable ... [et al • London • Published In 2000 • Pages: 327-399, 551-554

By: Hillman, Gordon C..

Abstract

Hillman examined the remains of plant foods preserved by charring and uses ethno-ecological modeling (especially comparing Abu Hureyra 1 with the more recent hunter-gathers of California as people inhabiting a similar habitat) to suggest what plants that are missing from the remains might have been eaten by the inhabitants of Abu Hureyra 1. He discusses what plants were used as fuels and the vegetative environment at the end of the Pleistocene. Hillman devoted 'some years to assembling a very extensive reference collection of archaic cereals, as well as fruits and seeds of other species , from my own field research in many areas of Southwest Asia.' (page 339). He also conducted experimental work on how plants might have been harvested, processed, and prepared. Hilllman discusses the Abu Hureyra 1 inhabitant's diet during the Epipaleolithic, the nutritional qualities of the major plant foods, where they would have gathered their food, how it would have been processed, and why and when they would have started agriculture, especially domesticating rye and growing pulses.

HRAF PubDate

2009

Region

Middle East

Sub Region

Middle East

Document Type

book chapter

Evaluation

Creator Type

Archaeobotanist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Sarah Berry; 2007

Field Date

1972-1973 and plant collection intermittently since 1971

Coverage Date

11,500 B.P.-10,000 B.P.

Coverage Place

Abu Hureyra 1, Syria

Notes

G. C. Hillman

For bibliographical references see the Aceramic Neolithic collection(M084) document 14:Moore

LCCN

98002893

LCSH

Neolithic period--Syria/Excavations (Archaeology)--Syria/Abu Hureyra, Tall (Syria)/Syria--Antiquities