ABSTRACT
This chapter aims at a contextual analysis of plant macroremains from mortuary contexts at the Late Bronze Age harbour city of Hala Sultan Tekke, Cyprus. The botanical assemblage, which is among the richest and most diverse of this period on the island, was retrieved from the contents of several hundreds of complete vessels deposited in Tombs RR and SS at the site’s extra-urban cemetery.
The samples included fig, grapevine, lentils, olive, almond, segetal and ruderal plants, as well as numerous species of cereals comprising barley, emmer, einkorn, common wheat, and oat. Most striking is, however, the presence of flowering plants complementing the edible taxa in two jugs from Tomb SS. By using a taphonomic approach, the function and meaning of the plants will be discussed with a specific focus on their sensory perception. This will contribute towards a broader understanding of the role-specific rituals may have played in Late Cypriot society.
