Palaeovegetational reconstruction of the Krios Valley, northern Achaea (Greece): Archaeobotanical analysis conducted as part of the Aegialia Survey Project

Since 2001 the Aegialia Survey Project (A.S.P.) has sought to reconstruct the dynamics of human occupation in Aegialia, northern Achaea (Greece). In doing so it has followed a multidisciplinary approach, with the involvement of various skills and institutions. The surveys in the Krios Valley also entailed the recognition and recording of the current flora in the area. The survey made it possible to identify the site of Kassaneva, characterised by a high concentration of ceramic artefacts near the surface, which were subsequently subjected to chrono-typological analysis and attributed to the Early Helladic II phase (3rd millennium B.C.). The archaeological excavation yielded palaeoenvironmental data directly from the ancient context. Specifically, systematic sampling strategies were adopted in order to recover burnt plant remains belonging to arboreal, shrub and herbaceous species. Together with data from the regional-scale palaeoenvironmental survey, the archaeobotanical analyses enabled us to reconstruct the palaeovege-tation in the Bronze Age and the ways in which ancient communities supplied themselves with fuel in numerous ecological areas. In addition, the recovery of seed and fruit remains provided a rare opportunity to highlight agricultural practices in these marginal and inland areas, raising questions about olive cultivation in Achaea from the Early Helladic period onwards.