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<p>This study presents new phytolith evidence from 18 sediment samples at the Pre-Pottery Neolithic site of Beisamoun in the Hula Valley, northern Israel, documenting plant use during the PPNB–PPNC transition (ca. 7200–6200 cal <span>bce</span>). Quantitative analysis reveals pronounced variability in phytolith concentration and composition across burial, cremation, fireplaces, the built environment including walls/ stone ‘floors’, post holes, plaster and mortars, and a unique articulated boar deposit, reflecting diverse pathways of plant use and deposition. Wetland morphotypes dominate architectural and posthole samples, indicating the exploitation of marsh vegetation for construction materials, temper, and fuel. Woodland phytoliths are concentrated in fireplace and wall-associated deposits, consistent with wood-based combustion practices, while parkland grasses and cereal husks are proportionally elevated within mortuary, cremation, and fireplace contexts. These patterns point to an integrated resource strategy drawing upon the local ecotonal abundance characteristic of marsh environments. The simultaneous exploitation of wetland, woodland, and parkland niches alongside early domestic cattle and pig resonates well with conceptions of the mixed subsistence economy, defined as the dual integration of wild and domestic plant and animal resources. This paper thus contributes towards our understanding of the subsistence strategies employed during the advent of agriculture in the southern Levant and positions ecological flexibility as a primary factor contributing to the community’s resilience at the close of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic.</p>

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Ecological flexibility: phytolith evidence for wetland-based mixed subsistence at the Pre-Pottery Neolithic megasite of Beisamoun, Israel

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月3日

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  • Lachlan Kyle-Robinson,
  • Fanny Bocquentin,
  • Monica N. Ramsey

摘要

This study presents new phytolith evidence from 18 sediment samples at the Pre-Pottery Neolithic site of Beisamoun in the Hula Valley, northern Israel, documenting plant use during the PPNB–PPNC transition (ca. 7200–6200 cal bce). Quantitative analysis reveals pronounced variability in phytolith concentration and composition across burial, cremation, fireplaces, the built environment including walls/ stone ‘floors’, post holes, plaster and mortars, and a unique articulated boar deposit, reflecting diverse pathways of plant use and deposition. Wetland morphotypes dominate architectural and posthole samples, indicating the exploitation of marsh vegetation for construction materials, temper, and fuel. Woodland phytoliths are concentrated in fireplace and wall-associated deposits, consistent with wood-based combustion practices, while parkland grasses and cereal husks are proportionally elevated within mortuary, cremation, and fireplace contexts. These patterns point to an integrated resource strategy drawing upon the local ecotonal abundance characteristic of marsh environments. The simultaneous exploitation of wetland, woodland, and parkland niches alongside early domestic cattle and pig resonates well with conceptions of the mixed subsistence economy, defined as the dual integration of wild and domestic plant and animal resources. This paper thus contributes towards our understanding of the subsistence strategies employed during the advent of agriculture in the southern Levant and positions ecological flexibility as a primary factor contributing to the community’s resilience at the close of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic.