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Olive cultivation and oil production in Palestine during the early Bronze Age (3500–2000 b.c.): the case of Tel Yarmouth, Israel

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Abstract

Identification of numerous remains (stones, seeds, charcoal) of Olea europaea (olive) at the early Bronze Age site of Tel Yarmouth, Israel, shows the importance of olives in the local economy. Production of olive oil is indicated by the presence of crushed olive stones as well as an oil extracting area. The role of olive oil production in the Levantine area and at Tel Yarmouth in particular during the early Bronze Age is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Stéphanie Thiébault and Margareta Tengberg for reviewing the text as well as my friends C. Leduc, D. Sebag and F. Toulemonde for their advice and encouragement. I also would like to thank P. de Miroschedji. I don’t forget the team of the 2004 mission at Tel Yarmouth and the good moments that we had together.

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  1. UMR 7041, Archéologie et Sciences de l’Antiquité (ArScAn), CNRS, 21 allée de l’Université, 92023, Nanterre cedex, France

    Aurélie Salavert

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  1. Aurélie Salavert
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Correspondence to Aurélie Salavert.

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Communicated by A. Fairbairn.

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Salavert, A. Olive cultivation and oil production in Palestine during the early Bronze Age (3500–2000 b.c.): the case of Tel Yarmouth, Israel. Veget Hist Archaeobot 17 (Suppl 1), 53–61 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-008-0185-3

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