TAPHONOMIC OBSERVATIONS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL WHEAT PHYTOLITHS FROM NEOLITHIC ÇATALHÖYÜK,TURKEY, AND THE USE OF CONJOINED PHYTOLITH SIZE AS AN INDICATOR OF WATER AVAILABILITY*

An investigation of wheat husk phytoliths from a midden deposit at Neolithic Çatalhöyük provided the opportunity to investigate the impact of taphonomic processes on conjoined phytolith size. Wheat husk phytoliths from a possible crop processing deposit were examined using three methods. The results indicate that the size of conjoined forms decreases significantly as a result of laboratory extraction and slide preparation. Observations of the phytolith layer in thin section show some of the depositional and post‐depositional processes affecting phytolith size. These results indicate that these taphonomic factors need further investigation before conjoined phytolith size can be used to infer past water availability and agricultural practices.