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Plant gathering and cultivation in prehistoric Tuscany (Italy)

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Abstract

This paper presents the first general survey of carpological analyses carried out in archaeological sites in Tuscany (Italy), based on literature and our own research. The data show that with the onset of the Neolithic, naked wheats (Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum), unfortunately not certainly identifiable due to the lack of chaff, different glume wheats (Triticum monococcum/dicoccum/spelta) of which einkorn and emmer are certainly identified and barley (Hordeum vulgare) play a definite role. Certainly identified specimens of spelt (Triticum spelta) and millet (Panicum miliaceum) appear in the Bronze Age. The importance of oats is difficult to assess. Beginning in the Bronze Age, an increasing importance of pulses is observed, as in some other parts of Europe. Grape collection seems to be a practice that goes back at least to the Neolithic in Tuscany, while it is not yet clear as to when the appearance of viticulture and wine-making should be dated. The use of cornelian cherry was widespread in the Bronze Age and also continued in the Etruscan period (around 1000 b.c.). However, the available results are scarce and previous identifications may need verification. Corroboration of the data is needed through future systematic research.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. H. Kroll (Institute für Ur-und Frühgeschichte, Kiel, Germany), Dr. L. Peña-Chocarro (Centre of Human and Social Sciences of the CSIC, Madrid, Spain) and Dr. A. Sarpaki (Crete, Greece) for suggestions and for providing useful information about the literature. Special thanks to Prof. S. Jacomet (Institute for Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland) for substantial improvement to the paper. The study was carried out under the subsidies of the Fondi di Ateneo, Università di Firenze.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Università di Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121, Florence, Italy

    Cristina Bellini, Marta Mariotti-Lippi & Miria Mori Secci

  2. Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Toscana, Via della Pergola 65, 50121, Florence, Italy

    Biancamaria Aranguren & Paola Perazzi

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  1. Cristina Bellini
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  2. Marta Mariotti-Lippi
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  3. Miria Mori Secci
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  4. Biancamaria Aranguren
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  5. Paola Perazzi
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Correspondence to Marta Mariotti-Lippi.

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Communicated by S. Jacomet.

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Bellini, C., Mariotti-Lippi, M., Mori Secci, M. et al. Plant gathering and cultivation in prehistoric Tuscany (Italy). Veget Hist Archaeobot 17 (Suppl 1), 103–112 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-008-0189-z

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