The Neolithic is a period in the history of mankind that is characterized by the emergence of pottery, domesticated animals and domesticated plants. Researchers believe that the Neolithic has its...Show moreThe Neolithic is a period in the history of mankind that is characterized by the emergence of pottery, domesticated animals and domesticated plants. Researchers believe that the Neolithic has its origins in the Fertile Crescent, which is based on the oldest recorded dates of domesticated plants and animals found there. From this point, the ‘Neolithic package’ has spread across the globe. As of 2019, there are a large number of academic debates revolving around the route of dispersal of the ‘Neolithic package’ from its earliest starting point. One of these debates revolves around the way in which agriculture has reached Northwest Africa, or more specifically, Morocco. Since agriculture is one of the primary components of the ‘Neolithic package’, the author will put a large emphasis on this topic in this research. The spread and emergence of agriculture will be researched through archaeobotanical research, with an emphasis on macrobotany. Macrobotany is a subfield within botany and revolves around investigating plant macrofossils to learn more about topics such as: past environments, past traderoutes, past diets and so on. Plant macrofossils are generally not transported very far from time of sediment deposition, thus enabling accurate descriptions of past environments and vegetation types. This thesis will use archaeobotanical data generated from a Neolithic site in Oued-Beth, which is a site in the vicinity of Rabat and Meknes. The main objective of this thesis is to use this archaeobotanical data within the existing framework created by past archaeobotanical research in Morocco, in order to better understand the process of Neolithisation in Morocco.Show less
