Sickles and forks: traditional rural knowledge of agricultural practices and its possible applications in archaeology

Abstract

This paper presents the results of ethnographic observations of non-mechanized crop-processing activities at two localities in Catalonia (Spain). The aim of the study is to analyze the patterns of phytolith deposition on threshing floors and to be able to reconstruct them. Phytoliths are extremely durable plant micro-remains that are commonly found in archaeological sediments and can provide information on the types and parts of plants used in the past. The preliminary results of phytolith analysis and geostatistic applications to the identification of spatial patterns of deposition are presented. The application of geostatistic techniques allows for the identification of general spatial patterns derived from the circularity of movement with which the crop processing took place. The combination of phytolith analysis and geostatistics could help to identify archaeological threshing floors, thus providing information on early crop-processing practices and the adoption of agriculture.