Luminiţa BEJENARU^1,2,*, George BODI^2,*, Simina STANC^1,* & Mihaela DANU^1,*
1Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Biology, Carol I Bd., 11, 700506, Iași, Romania, lumib@uaic.ro, danum2007@yahoo.com;
²Romanian Academy - Iași Branch, Institute of Archaeology, Lascar Catargi Str., 18, 700107, Iași, Romania, georgebodi@gmail.com; *All authors contributed equally to this work

MIDDLE HOLOCENE LANDSCAPE TO THE EAST OF CARPATHIANS: BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON THE CHALCOLITHIC SITE OF HOISEȘTI (IAȘI COUNTY, ROMANIA)

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Bioarchaeological (palynological and archaeozoological) and archaeological studies carried out in the site of Hoisești (Iași County, Romania), contributed to reconstruct the environmental context of the chalcolithic settlement. Evidences of diverse human activities in the area were also examined. This site of the phase A Cucuteni culture has been identified as a pottery production center and, unlike the vast majority of contemporary settlements, cereal cultivation is poorly represented and pig husbandry was preferred over cattle. Pollen analysis highlights the salinity of the soils from this area as well as significant anthropic influence of the landscape. The faunal remains from Hoisești present an important depreciation mainly because of precarious conservation due to water circulation and stagnation in sediment. Cultural factors were also involved in the bone fragmentation; we have identified marks of butchering, manufacturing, burning and probably trampling. The settlement of Hoisești has valorised a relative large faunal spectrum, 20 animal taxa being identified in the archaeozoological sample. The hunting almost equalizes the husbandry in importance, according to animal remains frequencies, and the forest species are dominant. Aquatic resources are also represented.