ABSTRACT
Apart from their archaeological and botanical interest the identification of plant remains is of considerable significance in view of the light they throw on past vegetation and the climate that prevailed in the region during the period of occupation. Except Quercus, Buxus, Ficus, Platanus, and Cupressus, all the species grow as indigenous components of the present-day vegetation. Of course Quercus is the most important of all. Its charcoals are not found after period II at Semthan. The tree might have been growing in very low frequencies in the forests and as a result of biotic factor and some still unknown reasons, it was reduced to omission. The direct or indirect anthropogenic influence of man on vegetation have resulted from disturbance of the natural vegetation; transformation of the natural landscape into agricultural and pastoral land; destruction of indigenous species through transformations such as silvicultural practices; and introduction and spread of exotics.
