Palynological Data from the Iron Age Cemeteries at Sâncrai‑Darvas (Alba County)

GRINDEAN, ROXANA; TANŢĂU, IOAN; AUREL, RUSTOIU; EGRI, MARIANA

EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS 33 (XXXIII/2023)

Palynological Data from the Iron Age Cemeteries at Sâncrai‑Darvas (Alba County)

(pages 103-128)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33993/ephnap.2022.33.103

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Authors:
ROXANA GRINDEAN
Babeş‑Bolyai University, Department of Geology, Mihail Kogălniceanu Street 1, 400084, Cluj‑Napoca, Romania; Institute of Archaeology and History of Art Cluj-Napoca, Romanian Academy Cluj Branch, Mihail Kogălniceanu Street 12–14, 400084, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: roxana.grindean@yahoo.com

IOAN TANŢĂU
Babeş‑Bolyai University, Department of Geology, Mihail Kogălniceanu Street 1, 400084, Cluj‑Napoca, Romania. E‑mail: ioan.tantau@ubbcluj.ro.

AUREL RUSTOIU, MARIANA EGRI
Institute of Archaeology and History of Art Cluj-Napoca, Romanian Academy Cluj Branch, Mihail Kogălniceanu Street 12–14, 400084, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: aurelrustoiu@yahoo.com

MARIANA EGRI
Institute of Archaeology and History of Art Cluj-Napoca, Romanian Academy Cluj Branch, Mihail Kogălniceanu Street 12–14, 400084, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. E-mail: marianaegri@yahoo.com

Keywords: Keywords: pollen, spores, anthropogenic indicators, human activities, burials, Scythian horizon, Celtic horizon.

Abstract
Abstract: This study discusses some aspects of environmental reconstruction through the palynological analysis of soil samples recovered from archaeological contexts belonging to the Iron Age at Sâncrai-Darvas. The microscopic fossils included in this study are pollen, fungal spores, microscopic charcoal and eggs of intestinal parasites. Pollen taxa were divided into categories of different types of land cover and land-use, while fungal spores were classified between coprophilous (fungi that grow on animal dung) and plant pathogens (parasitic/smut fungi). Intestinal parasites include two species infecting both humans and animals: roundworm and tapeworm. The abundance of microcharcoal particles suggests both regional biomasses burning in association with climate conditions, as well as in situ fires depending on the archae- ological context (e.g. cremation). The overall palynological aspects suggest mixed agro-pastoral practices throughout the different archaeological horizons.

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EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS

Issues

Palynological Data from the Iron Age Cemeteries at Sâncrai‑Darvas (Alba County)