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Advances in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany
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Advances in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 March 2025 | Viewed by 4949

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marco Sarigu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (CCB) Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, v.le Sant'Ignazio da Laconi, 9-11, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: archaeobotany; seed image analysis; crop evolution; agriculture; domestication; CWR
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mariano Ucchesu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution (ISEM), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Université Montpellier, UMR 5554, CEDEX 05, 34095 Montpellier, France
Interests: archaeobotany; seed image analysis; crop evolution; agriculture; domestication; CWR
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

One of the most debated themes of archaeobotanical research is to find a way to quickly identify archaeobotanical remains arriving to outline distinctive characters at genus or species level. In the past two decades, to overcome the manual seed discrimination system, image morphometric and outline analysis has received considerable attention in plant research using automated systems that have the potential to replace human visual assessments. A number of examples of research testify to the importance of biometric characteristics, measured with computer vision techniques in taxonomic studies to identify plant macro-remains such as charred seeds, water-soaked seeds and charcoal of both wild and cultivated plant species.

This Special Issue of Plants will collect archaeobotanical research on methods for the identification of archaeobotanical remains including micro- and macro-remains, charcoal wood and fossil seeds.

Research works, methods, reviews and original perspectives are welcome, able to provide a clearer picture of the plant economy of the past in a new perspective.

Dr. Marco Sarigu
Dr. Mariano Ucchesu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • archaeobotany
  • agriculture
  • diet
  • seeds/fruits
  • seed morphometry
  • paleobotany

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 3934 KiB  
Article
New Advances in Iberian Medieval Agriculture: Plant Remains from the Islamic Site of Castillo de Valtierra (Navarre, Northern Spain)
by Antonio Peralta-Gómez, Leonor Peña-Chocarro and Jesús Lorenzo Jiménez
Plants 2024, 13(21), 3047; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13213047 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 658
Abstract
There has been a notable lack of archaeological research into the medieval period in Iberia, particularly in comparison to earlier periods. Consequently, the majority of our current understanding of agricultural practices and plant food sources in this region is derived from textual sources. [...] Read more.
There has been a notable lack of archaeological research into the medieval period in Iberia, particularly in comparison to earlier periods. Consequently, the majority of our current understanding of agricultural practices and plant food sources in this region is derived from textual sources. However, there has been a notable increase in interest in archaeobotanical studies in medieval contexts over the past decade. In this context, this paper presents the results of a study of plant remains from Castillo de Valtierra (Navarre), with the objective of providing insights into agricultural practices and dietary habits during the Islamic period. In this area (the Ebro Valley), the Islamic period is divided as follows: Emiral period 756–929 AD, Caliphal period 929–ca.1012 AD, Taifal period ca.1012–1119 AD. This period was followed by the Christian period from 1119 AD onwards. Samples were collected from a variety of contexts in a systematic manner. A total of 2574 remains were recovered, and 57 taxa were identified. The findings of this study demonstrate that the community that inhabited Valtierra was primarily engaged in agricultural activities and had access to a diverse range of crops sourced from various productive areas, including cereal fields, home gardens, and forests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany)
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14 pages, 2926 KiB  
Article
Food and Environment During the Late Roman Age at the Site of Alba Fucens (Abruzzi, Italy)
by Claudia Moricca, Gilda Russo, Duilio Iamonico, Emanuela Ceccaroni, Gabriele Favero and Laura Sadori
Plants 2024, 13(20), 2930; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202930 - 19 Oct 2024
Viewed by 735
Abstract
Archaeobotanical analyses in Italy are uneven in terms of geographical and chronological distribution. Amongst the different regions, Abruzzi is poorly represented, with only one study covering the Roman Age. In this framework, the analyses carried out on carpological remains collected from the Late [...] Read more.
Archaeobotanical analyses in Italy are uneven in terms of geographical and chronological distribution. Amongst the different regions, Abruzzi is poorly represented, with only one study covering the Roman Age. In this framework, the analyses carried out on carpological remains collected from the Late Roman (late 5th–early 6th century AD) filling of a well in the Sanctuary of Hercules in Alba Fucens represents an important addition to the state of the art. The plant assemblage consists of over 1500 remains attributed to 68 different taxa. These are partly represented by gathered fruit plants, such as Corylus avellana, Juglans regia and Sambucus nigra, while cereals and pulses are missing. An interesting aspect is represented by evergreen plants (Pinus pinea and Cupressus sempervirens) that are likely to have been used for ritual purposes rather than for human consumption. Finally, the impressive amount of ruderal and spontaneous plants represents a unicum for this type of study, allowing us to describe the past environment surrounding Alba Fucens, characterized by substantial water availability, Apennine grasslands and influenced by human presence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany)
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23 pages, 12592 KiB  
Article
Braiding Fruits and Flowers as a Wish of Prosperity and Victory over Death in the Carved Festoons of Ancient Rome
by Alessandro Lazzara, Alma Kumbaric, Agnese Pergola and Giulia Caneva
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2795; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192795 - 5 Oct 2024
Viewed by 710
Abstract
Plant motifs had a significant role in ancient cultures, with decorative, artistic, and communicative values. However, little knowledge exists of the botanical composition of festoons, widely used in Greek-Roman art. We analysed 81 festoons, exclusively from sculpture artworks, collected from 13 museums and [...] Read more.
Plant motifs had a significant role in ancient cultures, with decorative, artistic, and communicative values. However, little knowledge exists of the botanical composition of festoons, widely used in Greek-Roman art. We analysed 81 festoons, exclusively from sculpture artworks, collected from 13 museums and archaeological sites in Rome (1st century BC–3rd century AD). Using iconographic sources and previous data, we identified the represented species and analysed their abundance and composition using statistical methods (Cluster Analysis, Principal Components Analysis) and diversity indexes (Shannon and Evenness). We documented 3081 botanical elements, identifying 30 taxa, in which fruits with leaves (45%) or alone (10%) represented the most common ones. Laurus nobilis and Quercus cfr. robur were the most frequently depicted species, followed by “pomes” (Pyrus, Malus, Cydonia), Vitis vinifera, Punica granatum, and Ficus carica. Festoons with one or two species can be easily distinguished from those with multiple species, often arranged with figs or vine branches at the ends, with symbolic aims related to fertility, rebirth, and abundance values. A balanced botanical composition also exists, with flowers typically in the middle and a species distribution that is not casual. The results enriched our comprehension of ancient Roman society, considering funerary and celebrative events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany)
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17 pages, 4050 KiB  
Article
Morphological Characterization of Fossil Vitis L. Seeds from the Gelasian of Italy by Seed Image Analysis
by Mariano Ucchesu, Edoardo Martinetto, Marco Sarigu, Martino Orrù, Michela Bornancin and Gianluigi Bacchetta
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1417; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101417 - 20 May 2024
Viewed by 1218
Abstract
The discovery of well-preserved fossil Vitis L. seeds from the Gelasian stage in Italy has provided a unique opportunity to investigate the systematics of fossilized Vitis species. Through seed image analyses and elliptical Fourier transforms of fossil Vitis seeds from the sites Buronzo−Gifflenga [...] Read more.
The discovery of well-preserved fossil Vitis L. seeds from the Gelasian stage in Italy has provided a unique opportunity to investigate the systematics of fossilized Vitis species. Through seed image analyses and elliptical Fourier transforms of fossil Vitis seeds from the sites Buronzo−Gifflenga and Castelletto Cervo II, we pointed out a strong relationship to the group of extant Eurasian Vitis species. However, classification analyses highlighted challenges in accurately assigning the fossil grape seeds to specific modern species. Morphological comparisons with modern Vitis species revealed striking similarities between the fossil seeds and V. vinifera subsp. sylvestris, as well as several other wild species from Asia. This close morphological resemblance suggests the existence of a population of V. vinifera sensu lato in Northen Italy during the Gelasian. These findings contributed to our understanding of the evolution and the complex interplay between ancient and modern Vitis species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany)
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Review

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17 pages, 6628 KiB  
Review
Retrospective Approach to the Endemic Dianthus fruticosus L. ssp. fruticosus on Serifos Island (Cyclades, Greece)
by Sophia Rhizopoulou and John Pouris
Plants 2024, 13(21), 3002; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13213002 - 27 Oct 2024
Viewed by 839
Abstract
The carnation Dianthus fruticosus L. ssp. fruticosus (Caryophyllaceae) is a range-restricted perennial, endemic plant that grows on cliffs, rocks, ravines, terraces, and boulders on Serifos Island in the Cyclades in the Aegean archipelago (Greece), possessing an impressive, aesthetic blossoming during the dry season. [...] Read more.
The carnation Dianthus fruticosus L. ssp. fruticosus (Caryophyllaceae) is a range-restricted perennial, endemic plant that grows on cliffs, rocks, ravines, terraces, and boulders on Serifos Island in the Cyclades in the Aegean archipelago (Greece), possessing an impressive, aesthetic blossoming during the dry season. This indigenous carnation of Serifos has attracted the interest of naturalists and scientists. Specimens of this subspecific taxon from the island of Serifos (Greece) were collected during botanical explorations in preindustrial times by the French naturalist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1702) and in the late eighteenth century by the English Professor of Botany at the University of Oxford John Sibthorp (1787). Those specimens, documented in relevant publications and labelled with different names (i.e., Caryophyllus Graecus arboreus and Caryophyllus arboreus Seriphius in the early eighteenth century and Dianthus fruticosus in the early nineteenth century), are related to aspects of vegetation history, linking the past to the present and (most probably) to the future. Today, a thorough understanding of the in situ development and functionality of this endemic carnation is still required, as is a framework of its sustainability and management in small-scale insular habitats. The timeless perception of the emblematic wild carnation Dianthus fruticosus ssp. fruticosus, which is still growing on inland and coastal sites of Serifos and neighboring islands in the Cyclades (Greece), is also a reminder that a native plant is often a repository to which local communities may look when crafting their identity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Vegetation History and Archaeobotany)
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