Humans and fire: changing relations in early agricultural and built environments in the Zagros, Iran, Iraq

Fire-centred studies have recently been highlighted as powerful avenues for investigation of energy flows and relations between humans, materials, environments and other species. The aim in this paper is to evaluate this potential first by reviewing the diverse theories and methods that can be applied to investigate the ecological and social significance of anthropogenic fire, and second by applying these to new and existing data sets in archaeology. This paper examines how fire-centred approaches can inform on one of the most significant step-changes in human lifeways and inter-relations with environment and other species – the transition from mobile hunting-gathering to more sedentary agriculture in a key heartland of change, the Zagros region of Iraq and Iran, c. 12,000–8,000 BP. In the review and case studies multiple links are investigated between human fire use and environment, ecology, energy use, technology, the built environment, health, social roles and relations, cultural practices and catastrophic event

Millets across Eurasia: chronology and context of early records of the genera Panicum and Setaria from archaeological sites in the Old World

We have collated and reviewed published records of the genera Panicum and Setaria (Poaceae), including the domesticated millets Panicum miliaceum L. (broomcorn millet) and Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. (foxtail millet) in pre-5000 cal b.c. sites across the Old World. Details of these sites, which span China, central-eastern Europe including the Caucasus, Iran, Syria and Egypt, are presented with associated calibrated radiocarbon dates. Forty-one sites have records of Panicum (P. miliaceum, P. cf. miliaceum, Panicum sp., Panicum type, P. capillare (?) and P. turgidum) and 33 of Setaria (S. italica, S. viridis, S. viridis/verticillata, Setaria sp., Setaria type). We identify problems of taphonomy, identification criteria and reporting, and inference of domesticated/wild and crop/weed status of finds. Both broomcorn and foxtail millet occur in northern China prior to 5000 cal b.c.; P. miliaceum occurs contemporaneously in Europe, but its significance is unclear. Further work is needed to resolve the above issues before the status of these taxa in this period can be fully evaluated

Carbonisation and morphological changes in modern dehusked and husked Triticum dicoccum and Triticum aestivum grains

Modern Triticum dicoccum and Triticum aestivum grains, with and without glumes, were subjected to experimental carbonisation under anoxic conditions. Experimental variables were the presence or absence of glumes, temperature, exposure time and heating rate. The maximum temperature was 600°C, the time of exposure was 60 min and the heating rate between 1 and 100°C/min. Length, width, area, mass loss and reflectance of uncarbonised and carbonised grains were measured as a function of the variables. The main effects of charring are an increase in width, decrease in length and formation of protrusions. Reflectance measurements allow for the determination of the temperature at which carbonisation occurred. The occurrence of protrusions on the pericarp, longitudinal imprints in the pericarp and concave flanks are observed and discussed. The calculated shape factor 100L/W is a useful tool for distinguishing between T. dicoccum and T. aestivum grains in samples that contain at least thirty specimens, but for single grains this method is problematic