Archaeobotanical research at Arslantepe: traditional approach and new challenges

This article deals with past and current archaeobotanical research on plant macroremains recovered at Arslantepe by the archaeologists of the MAIAO (Missione Archeologica Italiana in Anatolia Orientale) from 1978 onwards. Archaeobotany plays a key role in the integration of archaeological disciplines, especially for complex sites such as Arslantepe. Palaeoenvironmental study provides added value to this because it enriches the information contained in the archaeobotanical data in many ways. This paper aims to describe the state of the art on the knowledge of past agricultural systems and of the environment at Arslantepe for more than one millennium (3350-2000 BC), namely from the Late Chalcolithic 5 to the Early Bronze age III. A short outline of newly developed lines of research are also presented.