The Dataset for Tracing Invisible Hearths and Daily Routines through Carbonized Plant Remains and Geochemical Signals in an Early Iron Age Smithy at Pungrt Hillfort, Slovenia

The dataset presented in this paper comprises results from archaeobotanical and geoarchaeological analyses. It was compiled primarily to reconstruct the location of the archaeologically invisible forge hearth within a late 6th- and early 5th-century BC smithy in Building 24 at Pungrt Hillfort, central Slovenia.

The analysed sediment samples were systematically collected in a 50×50 cm grid during the excavation of the building. Archaeobotanical remains were extracted by flotation, then examined and sorted under a stereomicroscope. In addition, charcoal fragments were examined under a light microscope, and a selection of cereal food fragments were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Sediment analyses measured magnetic susceptibility, pH, organic matter content, plant-available phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. The results were spatially analysed using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Surfer software.

The data represent an invaluable comparative dataset that can be reused in archaeobotanical, archaeometallurgical, household, and methodological studies. It allows comparisons with other smithies and household contexts, as well as comparisons of types of archaeobotanical data obtained by different sampling strategies.