Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Plant use in a city in Northern Italy during the late Mediaeval and Renaissance periods: results of the archaeobotanical investigation of “The Mirror Pit” (14th–15th century a.d.) in Ferrara

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Results are presented from archaeobotanical analyses carried out in ‘The Mirror Pit’, a rectangular pit, situated in the city of Ferrara, in Emilia Romagna—Northern Italy. The study is part of wider research focused on the Mediaeval period of this city. The pit belongs to a building which was in use from the second half of 14th to the end of 15th century a.d. The pit itself was filled with domestic rubbish during a few years in the middle of the 15th century. The layers were preserved by waterlogging and are therefore extraordinarily rich in organic remains and artifacts, among which was the beautiful spherical mirror which gave its name to the pit. Approximately 256,000 well-preserved seeds and fruits belonging to 98 species or carpological types were identified in 12 l of sediment from the different layers. Ficus carica, Brassica rapa subsp. rapa/subsp. sylvestris and Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera prevailed. Many cultivated plants and weeds were present, together with a smaller number of wild plants of wet environments and woodlands. Altogether they provided much new information on the diet (cultivated and wild fruits, cereals and pulses, vegetables, spices and medicinal/fibre/oil plants) of the middle to upper class inhabitants of a city in Northern Italy during the Renaissance period. The records also yielded evidence of domestic activities such as winemaking, oil making, mustard making and other kitchen practices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Accorsi CA, Bandini Mazzanti M, Forlani L, Giordani N, Marchesini M, Marvelli S, Bosi G (1997a) Archeobotany of the Cognento hiding well (Modena; northern Italy; 34 m a.s.l.; 44°38′12″ N 10°35′2″ E; late roman—modern age). In: Proceedings of 1st International Congress on: Science and Technology for the Safeguard of Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean Basin, Vol. 2 (November 27–December 2, 1995—Catania, Siracusa, Italy), pp 1537–1544

  • Accorsi CA, Bandini Mazzanti M, Mercuri AM, Rivalenti C, Trevisan Grandi G (1997b) Holocene forest pollen vegetation of the Po Plain—Northern Italy (Emilia Romagna Data). Allionia 24(1996):233–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Accorsi CA, Bandini Mazzanti M, Mercuri AM, Trevisan Grandi G, Farello P, Pellegrini S (1999) Archeologia e paesaggio. Indagini archeologiche, botaniche e zoologiche integrate applicate ai sondaggi geognostici in un settore urbano di Mutina. In: Quilici Gigli S (ed) La forma della città e del territorio. “L’Erma” di Bretschneider, Roma, pp 157–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderberg AL (1994) Atlas of seeds. Part 4 Resedaceae-Umbelliferae. Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  • Badiali F (1999) Cucina medioevale italiana. Stupor mundi, Bologna

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandini F (ed) (1992) Cristoforo da Messisbugo. Banchetti composizioni di vivande e apparecchio generale. Neri Pozza, Vicenza

  • Bandini Mazzanti M, Bosi G (in press) La frutta sulle tavole medievali emiliane: testimonianze carpologiche nei siti archeologici. In: Atti Convegno Nazionale ‘La ricerca paleobotanica/paleopalinologica in Italia: stato dell’arte e spunti di interesse’ (Modena 20–21 novembre 2003). Informatore Botanico

  • Bandini Mazzanti M, Accorsi CA, Forlani L, Marchesini M, Torri P (1992) Semi e frutti dalla Ferrara basso medioevale. In: Gelichi S (ed) Ferrara prima e dopo il Castello. Spazio Libri Editori, Ferrara, pp 118–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandini Mazzanti M, Mercuri AM, Trevisan Grandi G, Barbi M, Accorsi CA (1999) Il fossato di Argenta (Ferrara) e la sua bonifica in età medievale: contributo alla ricostruzione della storia del sito in base ai semi e frutti del riempimento. In: Guarnieri C (ed) Il Tardo Medioevo ad Argenta - Lo scarico di via Vinarola-Aleotti. Quaderni di archeologia dell’Emilia Romagna 2. Edizioni All’Insegna del Giglio, Firenze, pp 219–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandini Mazzani M, Bosi G, Marchesini M, Mercuri AM, Accorsi CA (2001a) Quale frutta circolava sulle tavole emiliano-romagnole nel periodo romano? Suggerimenti dai semi e frutti rinvenuti in siti archeologici. Atti Società Naturalisti e Matematici Modena 131:63–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandini Mazzanti M, Mercuri AM, Bosi G, Marchesini M, Accorsi CA (2001b) The Archaeobotanical Archive: plants used by man (which, where, how, when?) - What fruits did Romans eat in Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)? Some responses from seeds and fruits. In: Guarino A (ed) Proc. 3rd Int. Congr. ‘Science and Technology for the safeguard of Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean Basin’ (9–14 July 2001, Alcalá de Henares, Spain), I. CNR-Progetto Finalizzato Beni Culturali, Roma, pp 318–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbi M, Mercuri AM, Bandini Mazzanti M, Guarnieri C (1998) Semi e frutti dalla latrina di un monastero rinascimentale (XV–XVI sec. d.C.) ad Argenta (Ferrara - Nord Italia). In: Bertuzzi G (ed) Studi in ricordo di Daria Bertolani Marchetti. Aedes Muratoriana, Modena, pp 225–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Behre KE (1999) The history of beer additives in Europe – a review. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 8:35–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beneš J, Kaštovský J, Kočárova R, Kočár P, Kubečková K, Pokorný P, Starec P (2002) Archeobotany of Old Parague Town defence system, Czech Republic: archaeology, macro-remains, pollen and diatoms. In: Jacomet S, Jones G, Charles M, Bittmann F (eds) Archaeology of plants. Current research in archaeobotany. Proceedings of the 12th IWGP Symposium, Sheffield 2001. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 11:107–109

  • Beijerinck W (1947) Zadenatlas der Nederlandsche Flora. H. Veenman & Zonen, Wageningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Berggren G (1969) Atlas of seeds—Part 2 Cyperaceae. Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockolm

    Google Scholar 

  • Berggren G (1981) Atlas of seeds—Part 3 Salicaceae – Cruciferae. Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockolm

    Google Scholar 

  • Brombacher C, Helmig G, Hüster-Plogmann H, Klee M, Rentzel P, Rodel S und Veszeli M (1999) ...und was davon übrig bleibt - Untersuchungen an einem mittelalterlichen Latrinenschacht an der Bäumleingasse 14 (1992/20). Jahresbericht der Archäologischen Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 1998, pp 93–131

  • Bonasera F (1965) Forma veteris urbis Ferrariae. Olschki, Firenze

  • Bosi G (2000) Flora e ambiente vegetale a Ferrara tra il X e il XV secolo attraverso i reperti carpologici dello scavo di Corso Porta Reno - Via Vaspergolo nell’attuale centro storico. Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Firenze

  • Cambornac M (1998) Plantes et jardins du Moyen Age. Hartmann Ėdition, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Castelletti L, Di Vora A (1994) Indagine preliminare sull’archeologia della vite (Vitis vinifera L.) in base ai caratteri diagnostici del vinacciolo. Rivista archeologica dell’antica provincia e diocesi di Como 176:333–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Castelletti L, Castiglioni E, Rottoli M (1999) L’agricoltura dell’Italia settentrionale dal Neolitico al Medioevo. In: Failla O, Forni G (eds) Le piante coltivate e la loro storia. Franco Angeli, Milano, pp 33–84

  • Danin A, Baker I, Baker HG (1978) Cytogeography and taxonomy of the Portulaca oleracea L. polyploid complex. Israel Journal of Botany 27:177–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis LW (1993) Weed seeds of the Great Plains. University Press of Kansas, Kansas

    Google Scholar 

  • Delorit RJ (1970) An illustrated taxonomy manual of weed seeds. Agronomy Pubblications, Wisconsin

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickson C (1996) Food, medicinal and other plants from the 15th century drains of Paisley Abbey, Scotland. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 5:25–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faccioli E (ed) (1988) Giacomo Castelvetro. Brieve racconto di tutte le radici di tutte le erbe e di tutti i frutti che crudi o cotti in Italia si mangiano. Gianluigi Arcari Editore, Mantova

  • Farinelli Toselli A, Scafuri F (1993) Ferrara VII–XX secolo. Giardini e fortificazioni. Comune di Ferrara

  • Flandrin JL, Montanari M (eds) (2003) Storia dell’alimentazione. Editori Laterza, Bari

    Google Scholar 

  • Forlani L, Accorsi CA, Bandini Mazzanti M, Marchesini M (1992) Legni e carboni di Piazza della Repubblica a Ferrara - XIV secolo (Basso Medioevo). In: Gelichi S (ed) Ferrara prima e dopo il Castello. Spazio Libri edizioni, Ferrara, pp 138–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank K-S, Stika H-P (1988) Bearbeitung der makroskopischen Pflanzen- und einiger Tierreste des Römerkastells Sablonetum (Ellingen bei Weissenburg in Bayern). Materialhefte zur bayerischen Vorgeschichte A61

  • Guarnieri C (1995) Archeologia urbana a Ferrara e nel ferrarese; le ultime scoperte. In: Berti F (ed) Uno sguardo sul passato. Archeologia nel ferrarese. Firenze, pp 183–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Guarnieri C (2000) Un singolare esemplare di specchio a supporto ligneo proveniente dallo scavo di via Vaspergolo a Ferrara. In: Annales du 14e Congrès de l’Association Internazionale pour l’Historie du Verre. Venezia Milano 1998. Lochem, pp 287–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Guarnieri C, Librenti M (1996) Ferrara, sequenza insediativa pluristratificata. Via Vaspergolo- Corso Porta Reno (1993–94). 1. Lo scavo. Archeologia Mediaevale 23:275–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Häflinger E, Brun-Hool J (1981) Tavole delle malerbe. CIBA-GEIGY Edizioni, Basle

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey J (1981) Mediaeval Garden. Batsford, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hellwig M (1997) Plant remains from two cesspits (15th and 16th century) and a pond (13th century) from Göttingen, southern Lower Saxony, Germany. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 6:105–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hubbard NRLB (1992) Dichotomus keys for identification of the major Old World crops. Reviw of Palaeobotany and Palynology 73:105–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacomet S, Brombacher C, Dick M (1989) Archäobotanik am Zürichsee. Ackerbau, Sammelwirtschaft und Umwelt von neolithischen und bronzezeitlichen Seeufersiedlungen im Raum Zürich. Makroreste der Jahre 1979–1988. Berichte der Zürcher Denkmalpflege, Monographien 7, Zürich

  • Jacquat C (1988) Hauterive-Champrèveyres. 1.Les Plantes de l’age du Bronze. Catalogue des fruits et graines. Archèologie neuchateloise, 7. Edition du Ruau, Saint-Blaise

  • Kiffman R (1958) Bestimmungsatlas für Sämereien der Wiesen- und Weidepflanzen des mitteleuropäischen Flachlandes—Kräuter—Teil D, E, F. Freising-Weihenstephan

  • Lieutaghi P (1992) Jardins des savoirs, Jardins d’histoire. Les Alpes de Lumière, Marseille

    Google Scholar 

  • Marchesini M (1997) Il paesaggio vegetale nella pianura bolognese in età romana sulla base di analisi archeopalinologiche ed archeocarpologiche. Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Firenze

  • Mercuri AM, Gasparini E, Bosi G, Guarnieri C, Bandini Mazzanti M (1999a) Seeds and fruits from the town of Ferrara (Emilia Romagna – Northern Italy) in the Middle Age (X–XII century AD). In: Lenzi F (ed) Archeologia e ambiente. Atti del convegno internazionale, Ferrara, 3–4 aprile 1998. Documenti/30 1999, pp 231–236, Forlì

  • Mercuri AM, Trevisan Grandi G, Bandini Mazzanti M, Barbi M, Accorsi CA (1999b) I semi/frutti della latrina del Monastero di S. Caterina. In: Guarnieri C (ed) Il Tardo Medioevo ad Argenta—Lo scarico di via Vinarola-Aleotti. Quaderni di archeologia dell’Emilia Romagna 2. Edizioni All’Insegna del Giglio, Firenze, pp 238–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Montanari M (1979) L’alimentazione contadina nell’Alto Medioevo. Liguori Editore, Napoli

    Google Scholar 

  • Montegut J (1972) Clé de détermination des semences de mauvaises herbes. Laboratoire de Botanique Ecole nationale Supériieure d’Horticolture de Versailles

  • Nada Patrone AM (1989) Il cibo del ricco e il cibo del povero: contributo alla storia qualitativa dell’alimentazione: l’area pedemontana negli ultimi secoli del Medio Evo. Centro studi piemontesi, Torino

    Google Scholar 

  • Piccoli F (1986) La flora delle mura di Ferrara. Quaderno 13 La Pianura, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Ferrara

  • Piccoli F (1989) La flora. In: Atlante di Schifanoia, Edizioni Panini, Modena, pp 213–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Pignatti S (1982) Flora d’Italia - I-II-III. Edagricole, Bologna

    Google Scholar 

  • Pignotti L (1998) Revisione sistematica dei generi Scirpus L. Sect. Plur. (Bolboscoenus, Schoenoplectus, Actaegeton, Isolepis, Eleogiton) e Blysmus Panz. (CYPERACEAE) in Italia. Doctoral Thesis, Università degli Studi di Firenze

  • Redon O, Sabban F, Serventi S (1994) A tavola nel Medioevo. Editori Laterza, Bari

    Google Scholar 

  • Renfrew JM (1973) Paleoethnobotany. Methuen & Co., London

    Google Scholar 

  • Revedin P (1909) Contributo alla flora vascolare della provincia di Ferrara. Nuovo Giornale Botanico Italiano, 16 (Nuova serie), pp 269–333

  • Rottoli M (1996) L’orto medievale fra botanica, storia e archeologia: un contributo all’interpretazione dei termini botanici medievali. Archeologia uomo territorio 15:127–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Rottoli M (2001) Indagini archeobotaniche e ricostruzioni delle antiche foreste. In: Ruffo S (ed) Le foreste della Pianura Padana—Un labirinto dissolto. Quaderni habitat. Ministero dell’Ambiente—Museo friulano di Storia Naturale, Udine, pp 20–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruas MP (1992) The archaeobotanical record of cultivated and collected plants of economic importance from medieval sites in France. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 73:301–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabban F, Serventi S (1996) A tavola nel Rinascimento. Editori Laterza, Bari

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoch WH, Pawlik B, Schweingruber FH (1988) Botanische Makroreste. Paul Haupt, Bern

    Google Scholar 

  • Scully T (1998) L’arte della cucina nel Medioevo. Piemme, Torino

    Google Scholar 

  • Scurti JM (1948) Chiave analitica per il riconoscimento delle piante infestanti attraverso i semi. Annali Sperimentazione Agraria, suppl. 2(3): 1–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Spjut RW (1994) A systematic treatment of fruit types. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden, vol 70, New York

  • Tutin TG et al. (1964–80) Flora Europaea, vol 1(1964); vol 2 (1968); vol 3 (1972); vol 4 (1976); vol 5 (1980). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Trevisan Grandi G, Accorsi CA, Bandini Mazzanti M, Forlani L, Marchesini M, Mercuri AM (2001) Green Cultural Heritage in Emilia Romagna – Northern Italy – 1: Castanea sativa Mill. (Holocene pollen, fruit and wood/charcoal). In: Alpuente J, De Bustamante I, López PL, Sanz J (eds) 3rd International Congress on Science and Technology for the safeguard of Cultural Heritage the Mediterranean Basin, 9–14 July 2001, Alcalá de Henares, Spain, p 10

    Google Scholar 

  • Young JA, Young CG (1992) Seeds of Woody Plants in North America. Dioscorides Press, Portland, Oregon

    Google Scholar 

  • Vannini R, Stefanini S, Ciancolini R (2004) Notae de Coquina. Horus, Prato

    Google Scholar 

  • Viggiani P (1991) Erbe spontanee e infestanti: tecniche di riconoscimento. Edagricole, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  • Zucchini M (1967) L’agricoltura ferrarese attraverso i secoli. G. Volpe Editore, Roma

    Google Scholar 

  • van Zeist W, Woldring H (2000) Plum (Prunus domestica L.) varieties in late- and post-medieval Groningen: the archaeobotanical evidence. Palaeohistoria 39/40:563–576

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research is the result of the long-lasting collaboration between our laboratory and the Soprintendenza Archeologica of Emilia Romagna. This work was funded by C.N.R. (Centro Nazionale delle Ricerche; P.F. Beni Culturali – President: A. Guarino, Director: U. Baldini, Coordinator Subproject.4: G. De Stefano; Operative Unit: C.A. Accorsi). Figures and photographs in Fig. 2 are reproduced by permission of the Ministero Beni Culturali e Ambientali – Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell‘Emilia Romagna

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio di Palinologia e Paleobotanica, Dipartimento del Museo di Paleobiologia e dell’Orto Botanico - Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, V.le Caduti in Guerra 127, 41100, Modena, Italy

    Marta Bandini Mazzanti, Giovanna Bosi, Anna Maria Mercuri & Carla Alberta Accorsi

  2. Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell’Emilia Romagna - Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Ferrara, Italy

    Chiara Guarnieri

Authors
  1. Marta Bandini Mazzanti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Giovanna Bosi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anna Maria Mercuri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Carla Alberta Accorsi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Chiara Guarnieri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna Maria Mercuri.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bandini Mazzanti, M., Bosi, G., Mercuri, A.M. et al. Plant use in a city in Northern Italy during the late Mediaeval and Renaissance periods: results of the archaeobotanical investigation of “The Mirror Pit” (14th–15th century a.d.) in Ferrara. Veget Hist Archaeobot 14, 442–452 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-005-0082-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-005-0082-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation