BOISARAZM
Wood exploitation practices in the Zeravshan Valley during protohistoric times – anthracological study of Sarazm (3500–2600 BCE), Tajikistan
Scientific responsibility :
- Margareta Tengberg
- Alexia Decaix
- Benjamin Mutin
Methodological axes :
Thematic fields :
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Funding :
- DIM PAMIR
Project ID : IDF-DIM-PAMIR-2025-11-007
Summary :
The archaeological site of Sarazm, located in the province of Sughd (Tajikistan), appears to have been one of the first proto-urban centers in southern Central Asia in the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE. The study of artifacts and remains of fauna and flora has revealed a way of life based on agro-pastoral activities, but also the presence of craft productions—metallurgy and ceramics—which consumed raw materials. The BOISARAZM Master’s 2 internship project aims to study how wood was exploited for these productions as well as for domestic consumption. The anthracological analysis will also make it possible to reconstruct—through the botanical identification of the woody taxa exploited—the vegetation cover of the past and its evolution over time under the combined impact of semi-arid climatic conditions and human activities. The four-month internship will enable the intern to learn about archaeobotanical methods, particularly anthracology, and to be familiar with the principles of wood anatomy.
Legend: Opening of a new excavation site in Sarazm, Tajikistan. The protective roofs of the old excavations in the background (photo taken by Margareta Tengberg)
