grapevine

From: flefort@...
Message: 6654
Date: 2001-03-21

I have found this interesting reference (see below)which shows that
neolithic people gathered wild grape in westen europe, that has te
consequence that the had words for it, eveywhere where Vitis
sylvestris was growing. I do not know if they were makking wine, but
at least juice making is plausible.
I would be delighted if someone among all the Indoeuropean scientists
of this list here could confront all occurences of wine related words
in IE and European non-IE languages.


Gathered fruits and cultivated plants at Bercy (Paris), a Neolithic
village in a fluvial context
Dietsch MF
VEGETATION HISTORY AND ARCHAEOBOTANY
5 (1-2): 89-97 JUN 1996

Document type: Article Language: English Cited References:
18 Times Cited: 1

Abstract:
Recent rescue excavations at Bercy (Paris), a site on the alluvial
plain of the Seine valley, yielded plant remains which are associated
with the recent occupation phase dating from the middle Neolithic II
(Chasseen), when a village was established on the former channel of
the river Seine. Various contexts (the channel, the flat lower part
of the bank, and several archaeological features) have been studied
and 84 taxa have been identified. Cultivated plants are represented
by Triticum aestivum/durum, T. dicoccum, T. monococcum and Hordeum
vulgare. Among the wild plants with potentially edible fruits or
seeds, only very few satisfy the various criteria for association
with human activities: Corylus avellana, Vitis sylvestris, Cornus
sanguinea, Quercus sp. and Prunus spinosa of which carbonized fruits
were also present, were found in archaeological features and were
very abundant. Though not found in archaeological features, we
consider that Crataegus monogyna (carbonized and well represented)
and Rubus spp. (especially abundant) were not deposited there
naturally and had also been intentionally collected. Finally, it is
suggested that the allochthonous (varied) origin of these taxa is the
reason why there are no concentrations of their fruits in the
channel. The exploitation of wild seeds and fruits appears to have
been very selective. All other wild taxa can be attributed to natural
deposition.
Author Keywords:
seeds, Neolithic, channel, natural processes, human activities

Addresses:
Dietsch MF, UNIV PARIS 10,LAB ETUD SOC PREHIST,200 AVE REPUBL,F-92001
NANTERRE,FRANCE

Publisher:
SPRINGER VERLAG, NEW YORK

IDS Number:
UV691

ISSN:
0939-6314