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An investigation of processing and consumption of pulses among prehistoric societies: archaeobotanical, experimental and ethnographic evidence from Greece

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Abstract

Pulses have constituted an important food source for prehistoric communities in the Old World, yet little is known as regards their processing for consumption through the archaeobotanical record. This paper provides an overview of archaeobotanical evidence for the use of pulses in prehistoric Greece based on two case studies from the north, and explores (a) their preparation for consumption, in particular their detoxification and (b) the consumption of pulses as a component of ordinary daily meals in prehistoric times, as well as those for special occasions, within a context of feasting and ritual. The paper examines charred remains of Vicia ervilia (bitter vetch) and Lathyrus sativus (grass pea) from early Bronze Age Agios Athanasios and late Neolithic Kremasti Koiladas, respectively, as the former provides a basis for a pilot exploration of pulse detoxification and the latter, due to its origin, offers a rare opportunity to discuss the context of consumption. In the pilot exploration of pulse seed preparation for consumption, the inner cotyledon morphology of modern V. ervilia seeds which were experimentally processed with water and pounding was examined macroscopically and through SEM micrographs. Preliminary observations suggest that intentional splitting of pulse seeds as part of processing for consumption as food may be recognisable in the archaeobotanical record. Processing with water may also be detected. The particular context of the Kremasti finds suggests that pulses, in this particular case L. sativus, may have constituted special foods for particular occasions, loaded with symbolic meaning.

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Acknowledgments

S.M.V. would like to thank the excavators of Kremasti and Agios Athanasios, A. Chondrogianni and M. Pappa, respectively, for entrusting her with the study of the archaeobotanical material and for providing excavation photos, L. Papadopoulou (Dept. of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) for help with the SEM, N. Nikitidis and Y. Gavalas for permission to publish their wonderful photos from Amorgos and Iraklia and the enthusiastic response by the fraternity of Saint Anthony (Cofradía de San Antón) at Burgos, Spain, especially J. Toledano Escribano, J.A. Avilés Arjona and O. Abad Olalla, for sharing their St Anton L. sativus feasting photos and allowing their publication. G. Stratouli kindly provided information on the seed content of one of the burials from the site of Avgi. The British School at Athens provided financial support and access to laboratory facilities to K.M. for studying the Agios Athanasios plant remains and carrying out the V. ervilia charring experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Soultana Maria Valamoti & Angeliki Karathanou

  2. Monis Prevelis 104, 71006, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Aikaterini Moniaki

Authors
  1. Soultana Maria Valamoti
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  2. Aikaterini Moniaki
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  3. Angeliki Karathanou
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Correspondence to Soultana Maria Valamoti.

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Communicated by F. Bittmann.

Electronic supplementary material

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334_2011_302_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Fig. 1 ESM Flute made of bone from one of the pits from late Neolithic Kremasti (courtesy of A. Chondrogianni-Metoki) (TIFF 1192 kb)

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Fig. 2 ESM Miniature pots among human burial remains from late Neolithic Kremasti (courtesy of A. Chondrogianni-Metoki) (TIFF 1160 kb)

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Fig. 3 ESM Human burnt inhumation covered by pottery sherds from late Neolithic Kremasti (courtesy of A. Chondrogianni-Metoki) (TIFF 1164 kb)

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Fig. 4 ESM a, Grinding ‘katsouni’ (Pisum sativum) at Irakleia, Cyclades, Greece. Photo courtesy of Yannis Gavalas; b, ESM Modern Lathyrus sativus dish consumed as ‘fava’ in Greece (JPG 741 kb)

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Fig. 5 ESM Blessing and consumption of chickpea soup at the festival of Agios Ioannis Theologos (St John Theologian), on the island of Amorgos, Greece, 26th September 2007. Photos courtesy of Nikos Nikitidis (JPG 700 kb)

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Fig. 6 ESM Cooking Lathyrus sativus for the festival of Saint Anton on the 17th of January in the neighbourhood of Gamonal in Burgos, Spain. The festival is organised by the fraternity of St Anton de Gamonal (Photos, courtesy of the Cofradía de San Antón) (JPG 878 kb)

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Valamoti, S.M., Moniaki, A. & Karathanou, A. An investigation of processing and consumption of pulses among prehistoric societies: archaeobotanical, experimental and ethnographic evidence from Greece. Veget Hist Archaeobot 20, 381–396 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-011-0302-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-011-0302-6

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