Macroscopic plant remains from Mediterranean caves and rockshelters: Avenues of interpretation

Macrobotanical remains from caves and rockshelters in the Mediterranean pro vide substantial information about past human use of the sites as well as t he surrounding environment. The modes of deposition of both fresh and carbo nized plant material in the past axe varied and it is not always possible t o distinguish among the geogenic, biogenic, and anthropogenic processes. On ce deposited, seeds and other plant parts may be preserved through desiccat ion, mineralization, or, most commonly, carbonization, depending on the env ironment of the cave or rockshelter as well as human and other animal activ ities. It is assumed that large quantities of carbonized remains are the re sult of human activity, and such dense deposits can be used as a measure of the intensity of occupation of the site. Where sufficient remains of wood charcoal are recovered from stratified deposits, it is possible to identify the local vegetation and changes in the surrounding plant communities thro ugh time. When compared to other environmental information, such as pollen studies, it is possible to obtain a more complete picture of the environmen t and to identify refugia for Mediterranean plants during the Pleistocene. In some cases, plants that are underrepresented or not at all represented i n pollen spectra from lacustrine deposits may be recovered from the archaeo logical sites. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.