POLLEN, STARCH, AND PHYTOLITH ANALYSIS AT GHWAIR I, JORDAN

Ghwair I is located along a major drainage to the Dead Sea in southern Jordan. The Pre-
Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) village covers approximately 2-3 acres, dating to approximately 7700
BP. This village overlooks the confluence of Wadi Ghwair and Wadi Feinan, which then drains west
to the Dead Sea. Pollen and phytolith samples were collected as washes from six pieces of
groundstone. In addition, two Caprine teeth, recovered in Room 3, were scraped to obtain dental
calculus to identify any remains that might assist in discussing their diet. Although the primary
purpose for examining the pollen, phytolith, and starch records from these pieces of groundstone
was to recover evidence of foods processed at the site, pollen analysis is expected, by this author,
to provide information concerning local vegetation, as well.

Ghwair I遗址坐落于约旦南部通往死海的一条主要流域沿岸。该前陶新石器时代B期（Pre-Pottery Neolithic B, PPNB）村落遗址占地约2至3英亩，年代可追溯至距今约7700年。遗址俯瞰瓦迪盖维尔（Wadi Ghwair）与瓦迪费南（Wadi Feinan）的汇流处，两河自此向西注入死海。研究人员通过洗脱法从6件研磨石器（groundstone）中采集了花粉与植硅体（phytolith）样本。此外，在3号房址中出土的2枚山羊科动物牙齿被刮取牙石（dental calculus），以提取其中的遗存，辅助探讨该动物的饮食结构。尽管对这批研磨石器的花粉、植硅体与淀粉粒记录开展分析的首要目的是获取遗址内食物加工的相关证据，但本文作者认为，花粉分析亦可提供当地植被的相关信息。