THE BEGINNING OF WINEMAKING IN THE ANCIENT CYPRUS, CHEMICAL EVIDENCE FOR A WINE RESIDUE

Archaeobotany research began in 2003. A stratigraphical and paleopalinology analyses was carried out and vegetable macroremains found in the layers were examined in order to reconstruct the sequence and nature of the ancient agricultural economy over the centuries and compare these results with those of the neighbouring sites. Since 2003 integrated sedimentology and palinology programs (chemistry and physics analyses, macroremains and pollen analyses) have been regularly carried out to investigate the evolution of the landscape and the exploitation of the natural resources. The aim of the paleoethnobotanical field work is to recover the charred plant remains from the archaeological soil sample, by means of different system of dry-sieving. Mud bricks and floor fragments has been another important source of information providing us with a large number of plant impression. The results of sedimentological and pollen analyses together with charred seeds, fruit stones and plant impression revealed the main agricultural cultivation of the farming communities who settled in that area from the 2000 B.C.. Among the products cultivated in the area were Vitis sp., Triticum durum/aestivum, Olea europea L. ssp. sativa, Coriandrum sativum L., Lens culinaris MEDICUS and Phalaris arundinacea..