Inside the House, Outside the Box: An Investigative Pollen Analysis of a Late Early Bronze Age Floor at Százhalombatta Földvár, Hungary

Százhalombatta-Földvár is one of the biggest and most extensively studied Bronze Age tell sites in Hungary. Due to its location on a dry loessy high bluff zone on the Western bank of the river Danube, a sedimentary environment that is appropriate for pollen preservation to conduct pollen analysis was not found around the site (Sumegi & Bodor, 2000). Instead, regional pollen analysis has been conducted to study the environment relating to the Százhalombatta-Földvár site. This regional sediment sample was obtained by coring from an oxbow lake about 500 m away from the site. During the Százhalombatta-Földvár excavation in 2022, however, the lithological examination of the floor sediment from [House] 9000 indicated the possibility for pollen preservation, followed by palynological investigation including the comparison to the regional pollen record. This unconventional method of pollen analysis was successfully conducted, yielding a well-preserved pollen assemblage. The methods of...Show moreSzázhalombatta-Földvár is one of the biggest and most extensively studied Bronze Age tell sites in Hungary. Due to its location on a dry loessy high bluff zone on the Western bank of the river Danube, a sedimentary environment that is appropriate for pollen preservation to conduct pollen analysis was not found around the site (Sumegi & Bodor, 2000). Instead, regional pollen analysis has been conducted to study the environment relating to the Százhalombatta-Földvár site. This regional sediment sample was obtained by coring from an oxbow lake about 500 m away from the site. During the Százhalombatta-Földvár excavation in 2022, however, the lithological examination of the floor sediment from [House] 9000 indicated the possibility for pollen preservation, followed by palynological investigation including the comparison to the regional pollen record. This unconventional method of pollen analysis was successfully conducted, yielding a well-preserved pollen assemblage. The methods of pollen analysis applied are pollen counts, taxonomic identification and states of preservation analysis. These methods indicate that the well-preserved pollen assemblage obtained from the unconventional context does not reflect the pollen assemblage from the oxbow lake pollen record. Especially the absence of arboreal pollen at the site compared to that recorded in the regional pollen data is conspicuous. These results allow us to discuss and investigate the sample from [House] 9000. Specifically, in the sample, taphonomic agents contributing to the absence of arboreal pollen in contrast with the regional palynological signal are analysed and the predominance of Poaceae is explained with taphonomic processes. Furthermore, the taphonomic agents causing the primary pollen preservation states are investigated and the taphonomic processes resulting in the preservation biases are explored in archaeological interpretation. In consequence, the investigation of the taphonomic processes suggests anthropogenic agents causing the discrepancy and bias in the pollen assemblage with the construction and materials used for [House] 9000. The pollen preservation state analysis revealed that the primary states of pollen preservation are degraded and folded. These in turn are evidence of the taphonomic processes of oxidisation and physical stress, which in combination with archaeological evidence suggests anthropogenic activities as cause. To conclude, this thesis could contribute to multi-disciplinary research and greater understanding of the Bronze Age site, Százhalombatta-Földvár. Moreover, it demonstrates new potential of palynological analysis employing an innovative sampling method that directly relates to the human activities at the site. The results of this thesis have the potential to stimulate further application of this new approach.Show less

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Inside the House, Outside the Box: An Investigative Pollen Analysis of a Late Early Bronze Age Floor at Százhalombatta Földvár, Hungary