Palynology of San Vincenzo-Stromboli: Interdisciplinary perspective for the diachronic palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of an island of Sicily

Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cannavò, Valentina; Clò, Eleonora; Renzoni, Andrea Di; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Yoon, David; Levi, Sara Tiziana

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102235

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The vegetational landscape, characterized by agrarian systems and extensive pastures, was even more open than it is today. Unexpected low values of Olea match the contemporary reduced diffusion detected at many sites in southern Italy [9,[11][12][13][14][15]17,86,87]. While it is improbable that Olea cultivation deteriorated throughout the Roman period, it is also difficult to speculate on a possible explanation, which might include unfavorable climate conditions as well as susceptibility to a pathogen analogous to modern Xylella [88].…”

Section: The Greek and Roman Periods (750 Bc-200 Ad)mentioning

confidence: 86%

“…Recent palynological investigations from continental sites have provided crucial information about the Holocene vegetation and fire history of Sicily in a wide range of environments, from the coast to the highest elevations [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. However, a comprehensive view of the regional vegetation dynamics is still missing, especially for the SE sector of the island.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Three Millennia of Vegetation, Land-Use, and Climate Change in SE Sicily

Michelangeli

Rita

Celant

et al. 2022

Forests

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This study presents the first Late Holocene marine pollen record (core ND2) from SE Sicily. It encompasses the last 3000 years and is one of the most detailed records of the south-central Mediterranean region in terms of time resolution. The combined approach of marine palynology and historical ecology, supported by independent palaeoclimate proxies, provides an integrated regional reconstruction of past vegetational dynamics in relation to rapid climatic fluctuations, historical socio-economic processes, and past land-use practices, offering new insights into the vegetation history of SE Sicily. Short-term variations of sparse tree cover in persistently open landscapes reflect rapid hydroclimatic changes and historical land-use practices. Four main phases of forest reduction are found in relation to the 2.8 ka BP event, including the Late Antique Little Ice Age, the Medieval Climate Anomaly, and the Little Ice Age, respectively. Forest recovery is recorded during the Hellenistic and Roman Republican Periods, the Early Middle Ages, and the last century. Agricultural and silvicultural practices, as well as stock-breeding activities, had a primary role in shaping the current vegetational landscape of SE Sicily.

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Section: The Greek and Roman Periods (750 Bc-200 Ad)mentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three Millennia of Vegetation, Land-Use, and Climate Change in SE Sicily

Michelangeli

Rita

Celant

et al. 2022

Forests

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Introduction, spread and selective breeding of crops: new archaeobotanical data from southern Italy in the early Middle Ages

Fiorentino,

Grasso,

Primavera

2024

Veget Hist Archaeobot

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This paper presents a summary of the record of the cultivated plant macroremains from southern Italy during the early Middle Ages, with a focus on the recent discoveries of crop remains in Sicily. These have shed light on the introduction of new plants in the central Mediterranean region at ca. 500–1100 ce. Specifically, we are dealing with the first evidence of the adoption of two new varieties of crops, one of flax (Linum usitatissimum cf. conv. mediterraneum) and the other of broad (or faba) bean (Vicia faba cf. var. equina) during the 8th century, a period of Byzantine domination, and also the introduction of exotic plants such as Solanum melongena (aubergine) and Gossypium herbaceum/arboreum (cotton) following the Islamic conquest. In some cases these developments were to have long term impacts, for example in Sicily with regard to cotton, which became an important cash crop there in the 13th century, and throughout southern Italy with regard to a new variety of Vicia faba (Vicia faba cf. var. major), which was grown in Puglia from the late Middle Ages onwards.

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The Establishment of the Agricultural Landscape of Central Sicily Between the Middle Neolithic and the Beginning of the Iron Age

Speciale,

Giannitrapani,

Mercuri

et al. 2024

Hum Ecol

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The possible co-variation of human occupation and vegetation from the Middle Neolithic to the beginning of the Iron Age (7.5–2.8 ka BP) in Central Sicily in the context of the central Mediterranean between Middle and Late Holocene are analysed in this paper to provide new insights on Sicilian prehistoric demography. The demographic and economic trends during these millennia were reconstructed using archaeological, Accelerator Mass Spectrometry 14C dates, palynological, archaeobotanical, and zooarchaeological data from the northern, central, and southern sectors of Central Sicily through a diachronic comparison with variation in Arboreal Pollen, Anthropogenic Pollen Indicators, Olea-Juglans-Castanea pollen, microcharcoals, and Sporormiella from four pollen cores from sites in different ecosystems. A very significant spread of farming activities was found at the end of the Neolithic, together with an apparent demographic gap during the Middle Copper Age, and the emergence of agricultural landscapes at the end of the Copper Age associated with a striking increase in population. A combination of cultural and climatic changes during the late phase of the Bronze Age resulted in a subsequent overall decrease in population.

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Palynology of San Vincenzo-Stromboli: Interdisciplinary perspective for the diachronic palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of an island of Sicily

Cited by 4 publications

References 27 publications

Three Millennia of Vegetation, Land-Use, and Climate Change in SE Sicily

Three Millennia of Vegetation, Land-Use, and Climate Change in SE Sicily

Introduction, spread and selective breeding of crops: new archaeobotanical data from southern Italy in the early Middle Ages

The Establishment of the Agricultural Landscape of Central Sicily Between the Middle Neolithic and the Beginning of the Iron Age

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