An archaeopalynological project has recently been set up at Piazza Armerina, promoted by the Planning and Restoration Regional Centre of the Sicilian Region. It includes archaeopalynological analyses at the Roman Villa (the renowned “Villa del Casale”) and medieval settlement recently unearthed in the southern area of the Villa (excavations directed by P. Pensabene) as well as analyses of recent pollen samples. Aim of the project is to reconstruct the history of the cultural landscape of the site, to compile a list of useful plants available in the past and to prepare pollen materials for the local indoor/outdoor museum. In 2007 around 100 samples were collected. This paper presents provisional results concerning the medieval settlement. The samples belong to two cultural phases. Based on archaeological records, Phase I was dated in the transition between the Arab and Norman age (10th – 12th century AD) and Phase II in the Norman age. The samples showed a sufficient pollen concentration, good state of preservation, and high floristic diversity (ca. 150 pollen taxa have been identified so far). Pollen flora and vegetation testified plant species and communities from different vegetation belts (e.g. Abies, Carpinus, Castanea, Fagus, Myrtus, Quercus cf. ilex, Pinus halepensis, Phyllirea, Pistacia, Quercus deciduous, Ulmus) as well as fresh water plant communities (Alnus, Carex type, Nymphaea, Populus, Salix, Typha angustifolia type). Besides woody plants suitable for timber, pollen suggested a number of useful plants, cultivated or exploited in the wild, for food, decoration or other uses (e.g. Avena-Triticum group, Beta, Corylus, Cynara cf., Hordeum group, Nerium oleander, Olea, Platanus, Pinus cf. pinea, Prunus, Secale cereale, Vitis). The plant landscape was open (arboreal pollen < 30-40%), and mainly characterized by olive yards and pastures. Olive yards were more spread in the Arab-Norman Phase I, and pollen morphology of Olea (pollen size, polar amb, muri and columellae depth, lumina size) suggested that more than one variety had been cultivated. Pastures were more spread in the Norman Phase II. They are testified by Cichorioideae and Gramineae, and many other herbs (e.g. Aster type, Anthemis type, Leguminosae, Mentha type, Umbelliferae). On the whole pollen spectra described a hilly Mediterranean cultural landscape, not far from a river and well managed by the inhabitants of the settlement.
Olive yards and pastures in the cultural landscape of Piazza Armerina (Enna, Sicily) in the Middle Ages by pollen analysis
MONTECCHI, Maria Chiara;
2008
Abstract
An archaeopalynological project has recently been set up at Piazza Armerina, promoted by the Planning and Restoration Regional Centre of the Sicilian Region. It includes archaeopalynological analyses at the Roman Villa (the renowned “Villa del Casale”) and medieval settlement recently unearthed in the southern area of the Villa (excavations directed by P. Pensabene) as well as analyses of recent pollen samples. Aim of the project is to reconstruct the history of the cultural landscape of the site, to compile a list of useful plants available in the past and to prepare pollen materials for the local indoor/outdoor museum. In 2007 around 100 samples were collected. This paper presents provisional results concerning the medieval settlement. The samples belong to two cultural phases. Based on archaeological records, Phase I was dated in the transition between the Arab and Norman age (10th – 12th century AD) and Phase II in the Norman age. The samples showed a sufficient pollen concentration, good state of preservation, and high floristic diversity (ca. 150 pollen taxa have been identified so far). Pollen flora and vegetation testified plant species and communities from different vegetation belts (e.g. Abies, Carpinus, Castanea, Fagus, Myrtus, Quercus cf. ilex, Pinus halepensis, Phyllirea, Pistacia, Quercus deciduous, Ulmus) as well as fresh water plant communities (Alnus, Carex type, Nymphaea, Populus, Salix, Typha angustifolia type). Besides woody plants suitable for timber, pollen suggested a number of useful plants, cultivated or exploited in the wild, for food, decoration or other uses (e.g. Avena-Triticum group, Beta, Corylus, Cynara cf., Hordeum group, Nerium oleander, Olea, Platanus, Pinus cf. pinea, Prunus, Secale cereale, Vitis). The plant landscape was open (arboreal pollen < 30-40%), and mainly characterized by olive yards and pastures. Olive yards were more spread in the Arab-Norman Phase I, and pollen morphology of Olea (pollen size, polar amb, muri and columellae depth, lumina size) suggested that more than one variety had been cultivated. Pastures were more spread in the Norman Phase II. They are testified by Cichorioideae and Gramineae, and many other herbs (e.g. Aster type, Anthemis type, Leguminosae, Mentha type, Umbelliferae). On the whole pollen spectra described a hilly Mediterranean cultural landscape, not far from a river and well managed by the inhabitants of the settlement.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
