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We present the plant macroremains from the site of Vadnagar, an important centre of Buddhist learning in western India spanned between first century BCE and fourth century CE. The cultural relics and AMS dates of the recovered carbonized seeds from the cultural horizon also confirm the archaeological context. The study indicate that the likely staples were cereals (Oryza sativa , Hordeum vulgare , Triticum aestivum), leguminous crops (Vigna unguiculata, Vigna radiata, Vigna mungo, and Macrotyloma uniflorum), and oil and fibre-yielding (Linum usitatissimum and Gossypium sp.) crops. In addition, there is an evidence that fruits such as Tamarindus indica and Ziziphus sp. may have been consumed by the settlers. Few weeds and wild taxa (Paspalum scrobiculatum , Vicia sp., and Ipomoea sp.), which turned up as an admixture with the above economically important seeds/grains have also been encountered. Abundance of Oryza sativa (rice) grains and spikelet bases indicate crop-processing at the site and played significant role in the subsistence economy. Moreover, the overall assemblage of summer and winter crops suggests the prevalence of multi-cropping system attributed to conducive environmental conditions during ~100 BCE–400 CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present archaeobotanical data based on plant macroremains obtained from three archaeological sites in the Ganga Plain. The paper provides insight into a range of taxa exploited by early inhabitants of different cultural occupations spanning from about beginning of 3rd millennium BC to 2nd century BC and also for the change in plant use over time. The evidence denotes a highly developed state of arable agriculture, which requires foresightedness and planning. The principal cultivated cereals were Oryza sativa , Hordeum vulgare , Triticum aestivum/durum , Triticum sphaerococcum followed by few African ( Eleusine coracana , Sorghum bicolor ) and indigenous ( Paspalum scrobiculatum , Panicum sp.) millets. While there is continuity in the agricultural pattern in time and space however, certain changes do seem in diversification of plant use during Iron Age. The record of Sesamum indicum , Brassica juncea , Carthamus tinctorius , Linum usitatissimum , Gossypium arboreum / herbaceum and Cannabis sativa emphasize the importance of oeliferous crops and textile production. Finds of Vitis vinifera , Vigna unguiculata , Luffa cylindrica , Allium cepa , Nigella sativa , Murraya koenighii and Ziziphus mauritiana along with Phoenix sp., Terminalia chebula , Terminalia bellerica , Emblica officinalis , and Crataeva sp., suggest horticultural practices and highly advanced medicinal system was in vogue during 1st millennium BC. Among the weeds and wild taxa, some are from cultivated field, moist places, ditches and some from fallow land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]