KOEN DEFORCE · JAN BASTIAENS · HANS VAN CALSTER · SOFIE VANHOUTTE IRON AGE ACORNS FROM BOEZINGE (BELGIUM): THE ROLE OF ACORN CONSUMPTION IN PREHISTORY In 2005, an Iron Age pit containing an exceptionally large amount of charred acorns was excavated in Boezinge (prov. West-Vlaanderen/B). The discovery raises questions about the role of acorns in prehistoric subsistence strategies. Although acorns are nowadays no longer considered as fit for human consumption, the growing number of archaeobotanical finds of acorns and especially this recent find from Belgium point to their former importance as a staple food. THE SITE During an archaeological rescue excavation in November 2005 on the World War I site »Caesar’s Nose« at Boezinge, a small village to the north of Ieper (Fig. 1; N 49°17´43.81´´/E 2°18´ 21.83´´), a large, shallow, oval Iron Age pit was discovered (feature code CN.05.I/S34). The pit measured 2.30 by 1.75m and had a flat bottom with a maximum depth of 0.30 m (Fig. 2). It was found directly under a WWI trench which makes it likely that the upper part of the pit was missing. Apart from this pit, no other Iron Age features have been found at the site. 381 ARCHÄOLOGISCHES KORRESPONDENZBLATT 39 · 2009 Fig. 1 Location (white triangle) of the site Boezinge/Caesar’s Nose, prov. West-Vlaanderen/B. – (Map Nationaal Geografisch Instituut).