Exploitation and consumption of legumes during the Early Neolithic at Kharaysin, Jordan

This paper investigates the evolution of plant exploitation practices during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) period in the southern Levant, with the particular focus on the exploitation of legumes. We analyse the archaeobotanical assemblages from the PPN site of Kharaysin, in Jordan (9000–6800 cal bce), which have yielded a significant assemblage totalling 6,807 plant remains. The results show that legumes including Vicia narbonensis (Narbon vetch), V. faba (faba bean) and Lens spp. (lentil), were the major components of the subsistence economy at this site during the Early PPNB. While cereals and fruits are present, they represent minor components. The archaeological contexts in which the plant remains were recovered provide evidence of domestic activities, particularly those related to plant processing and consumption. The long occupation of the settlement, spanning from the late 10th to the early 7th mill. bce offers a unique opportunity to investigate changes in plant exploitation and consumption throughout the neolithisation process and link them to the regional changes that are observed across the rest of the territory.