Archaeobotanical studies in Batman/Beşiri Cemialo hillside

In this study, archaeobotanical data obtained from the layers of the 1st and 2nd millennium before christ (BC) between the years 2013 and 2015 were evaluated from the Çemialo Sırtı Excavations in Batman Province, Beşiri District. Seeds, which are predominantly carbonized have been obtained by using flotation technique. The archaeobotanical material is basically represented by two families: Fabaceae and Poaceae. Two of the most significant examples dating to the 1st millennium BC are from the graves. Within the two pithos graves, a large number of carbonaceous seeds from the Fabaceae family were found. Plant remains from the samples of the 2nd millennium BC have been predominantly obtained from areas defined as interior spaces. A large number of carbonized seeds were achieved from the samples taken from the areas where many broken clay containers were. These rooms are thought to be reserved for food storage because of numerous seeds of various species. When the archaeobotanical material was evaluated from the point of view of periods, although there is no significant change between the 1st and 2nd millennium BC findings, the number of Hordeum vulgare L. seeds in the samples of 2nd millennium BC is higher than that of the 1st millennium BC samples. In both periods, the particular amount of seeds belongs to Lens culinaris Medik.. Other seeds from the Fabaceae family are: Lathyrus sativus L., Pisum sativum L., Cicer arietinum L. and Vicia ervilia (L.) Willd.. From the Poaceae family, Triticum aestivum L., Triticum dicoccon (Schrank) Schübl. seeds were obtained. Galium L. (Rubiaceae), known to grow wild in the fields, was found in almost all the samples. Besides, the existence of wild species such as Malva L., Lolium L. and Trifolium L. seeds among the samples gives an idea about the flora of the 1st and the 2nd millennium BC. Fruit seeds are not many. Vitis vinifera L., Celtis australis L. were obtained as fruit seeds. Keywords: Archaeobotany, Batman, Çemialo Hillside.