Research
The first step of the project is to create an archaeobotanical dataset in parallel with the ongoing archaeological projects. Since 2018 we are involved in several excavations in Iraq. We collect soil samples and process them using a mechanical flottation (and in some cases a manual system) to recover the macrobotanical remains. During field seasons we are assisted by local workers and students. We constantly interact with other archaeologists and specialists to ensure that our scientific aims meet the project research questions and vice versa.
S. Halko Fatah collecting bulk of soil on the site of Gird-i Lashkir (Erbil governorate)
The second step is to analyse the archaeological assemblages in order to provide a list of taxa present in the natural environment of the site and/or exploited by the inhabitants. We use a low-power microscope to sort the light residues exported with the permission of the iraqi authorities. To identify the floral parts and the taxa we compare the archaeological specimens to atlases and the reference collection (herbarium) of the Institute of Archaeology of Oxford. We also use regional floras, mostly the Flora of Iraq and the Flora of Lowland Iraq. The main aim of the project is to determine the major crops exploited on the different settlements, according to their occupation period and geographical location.
