Scientists have developed a new way to analyze preserved hazelnut shells to understand the landscapes around ancient human settlements. By studying the carbon in hazelnuts from archaeological sites in southern Sweden, researchers can determine whether the surroundings were heavily forested or more open and pasture-like. This method provides insights into past environments and sheds light on how human activities have influenced habitats.

Hazelnuts have been a valuable resource for humans in northern Europe for thousands of years, providing energy, protein, and the ability to be stored for long periods. The shells of these nuts could also have been used as fuel. By examining the carbon isotopes in hazelnut shells, scientists can infer the openness of the woodlands where the nuts were collected. This information helps researchers understand the habitats in which ancient people foraged for food and materials.

To test their method, the scientists collected hazelnuts from trees growing in different light conditions in southern Sweden and analyzed the variation in their carbon isotope values. They then compared these results with hazelnut shells from archaeological sites from the Mesolithic to the Iron Age. The findings revealed that hazelnuts from earlier periods were harvested from more closed environments, while those from later periods were collected from progressively more open settings. This suggests a significant change in the microhabitats over time, reflecting the impact of human activities on the environment.

This innovative approach has the potential to reconstruct the landscapes exploited by ancient humans and explore the influence of human actions on their surroundings. By understanding how past societies interacted with their environments, researchers hope to gain valuable insights that inform our understanding of woodland use and change today.

Read further by viewing the research now published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology.

References

• Frontiers. (2024, February 29). Seeing the wood for the trees: How archaeologists use hazelnuts to reconstruct ancient woodlands. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-wood-trees-archaeologists-hazelnuts-reconstruct.html
• Styring, A. K., Jirdén, E., Lagerås, P., Larsson, M., Sjöström, A., & Ljung, K. (2024). Carbon isotope values of hazelnut shells: A new proxy for canopy density. Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, 3. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fearc.2024.1351411