Dear Denise,
For an interesting hypothesis concerning onion couch in archaeological deposits
see:
Robinson, M., Straker, V. and Moffett, L. (1988). Charred plant remains.
In: Lambrick, G. (ed.) The Rollright Stones: megaliths, monuments, settlement
in the prehistoric landscape. English Heritage archaeological report 6. London:
English Heritage, pp. 101-105.
By the way, my new address:
Örni Akeret
Palaeoecology Research Services
Unit 8, Dabble Duck Industrial Estate
Shildon
County Durham
DL4 2RA
United Kingdom
>-- Original-Nachricht --
>Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 17:40:54 -0000
>Reply-To: The archaeobotany mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
>From: elizabeth huckerby <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: query by colleague of E. Huckerby on onion couch tubers
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>Dear all
>
>I have recently been working on some CPR from sites in Northern England
and
>have consistently come across charred tubers of onion couch (Arrhenatherum
>elatius var. bulbosum). It has been found in a number of different contexts,
>i.e. pits, ditches, burials, often with charred weed seeds and cereal grains.
>The period of the sites range from the Bronze Age through to the Medieval
>but the main concentration appears to be during the Iron Age.
>
>I have seen it referred to on several occasions and it has been associated
>with cremations (i.e. ritually? deposited), for use as food, and an indicator
>of turf material. I was wondering if anyone had any other explanations for
>its consistent presence in such a wide range of contexts.
>
>I look forward to any replies
>
>Dr. Denise Drice
>Oxford Archaeology North
>Storey Institute
>Meeting House Lane
>Lancaster
>LA1 1TF
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