Reconstructing and interpreting ancient crop management practices : ethnobotanical investigations into traditional dryland farming in northern Jordan.

This study is an exploration of agricultural decision-making and an investigation into
the effects of different crop management practices on weed composition. The aim of this
research is to enable the reconstruction of ancient crop management practices from
archaeological weed assemblages and to inform archaeological interpretation, i.e. to
interpret what the identified ancient crop management practices may imply. This
particular Investigation focuses on con temporary and recent 'traditional' farmers in
northern Jordan.
The first aspect of this study looks at agricultural practice and agricultural decision making. In order to sustain agricultural production farmers rotate their crops -
typically with a period of bare, or cultivated, fallow. The choice of crop rotation regime
(and indeed, how crops are managed during the agricultural year) is affected not only by
environmental factors but also by cultural and social factors. For example,
contemporary farmers who own livestock often cultivate legume crops rather than
practice fallow between wheat years. On the other hand, short-falls in labour can result
in the elimination of legumes from a crop rotation regime. In the past 60 years, the
system of land tenure in the study area has profoundly changed - from communal to
private ownership - and this also has affected crop management practices. The
implications of these observations for archaeological Interpretation are assessed.
The second aspect of this study examines the way different crop management practices
affect weed composition. Although the main factor affecting weed composition was found
to be vegetation zone, there was also some indication that crop management practices do
indeed affect weed composition, but further substantiation is required. There is
evidence that cultivated fallow favours the presence of weeds which can germinate in
either autumn or spring whilst continuous cultivation encourages the establishment of
perennial weeds. In both cases, tilage - the number of episodes and the timing of the
operations - would seem to be the key factor. The way these results can be developed in
the future are discussed.