Project Consultant : Christine Shaw
Crop Studies
This paper formed another of the early cornerstones of Peter Reynolds' research at Butser Ancient Farm. It covers all the early philosophy of crop growing, including the impact of weeds, for which data is given, along with yields for spelt and emmer for 1973 - 1980. Much background to the original Research Site on Little Butser is included. The soil on that site is also detailed to a greater extent than elsewhere.
The paper was published in "Les techniques de conservation des grains a long terme, 3, fasc. 2. Editions du CNRS Paris, 1985 pp 397 - 407. The paper is one of the more detailed presentation of the work undertaken on this topic at Butser Ancient Farm.
A useful bibliography, especially for those interested in the earliest endeavours in Experimental Archaeology relating to crops and field systems, is included. This also includes reference to his earlier papers, from 1979 and 1980, on the topic.
A later paper, in German, "Zur herkunft verkohlter Getreidekoerner in urgeschichtlichen Siedlungen : eine alternative Erklaerung" (Eng. trans. "On the origin of carbonised cereal grain in prehistoric settlements : an alternative interpretation"), Reynolds P J, in Archaeophysica 13, "7000 Jahre bauerliche Landschaft : Entstehung, Erforschung, Erhaltung (Eng.trans. 7000 years of rural landscape : origin, research, conservation ) 199...., covers the results arising from the work that arose from the thinking given in pp 404 406 below.
Created 12November 2009 - Updated 1o September 2010