Milena Primavera

The palaeoenvironmental study of the Alimini Piccolo lake enables a reconstruction of Holocene sea-level changes in southeast Italy

Based on multiproxy investigations of a 250 cm long sediment core (ALI1), a reconstruction of palaeoenvironmental dynamics for the Alimini Piccolo lake (south Adriatic coast of Apulia, Italy), is proposed. Our results indicate that shortly before 5500 cal. yr BP a marsh environment established. From 5400 cal. BP the marsh progressively became a lagoon and did not change until 3320 cal. BP, when Alimini Piccolo evolved into a shallow, sheltered, freshwater basin. Around 1400 cal. yr BP the basin became again a lagoon. Changes of the deposition environments and the chronological framework defined in the ALI1 sequence allowed speculation about local relative sea-level motions through the mid—late Holocene. Using proxy-data (molluscs, foraminifers, ostracods and plant macro-remains) as environment and bathymetry indicators, we reconstruct the elevation of the basin bottom (above or below sea level) through time. Plant macro-fossils have proved to be an especially reliable source of data for sea-level reconstruction. The resulting relative sea-level curve is characterised by a slow rise between 5500 and 3900 cal. yr BP, a drop culminating around 2500 cal. yr BP and a new, steeper rise continued to the present position. Our model differs from other curves (tectonically and isostatically corrected) proposed for a number of Mediterranean coastal sites where Holocene sea-level changes have been described with a continuously rising curve, steep before 7000—6000 yr BP, more gradual between 6000 yr BP and the present. On the other hand, our reconstruction seems to agree with evidence on sea-level position during the Roman age, found in several Apulian sites (Salento coastland) by means of geomorphological and archaeological investigations.

Climate changes and human–environment interactions in the Apulia region of southeastern Italy during the Neolithic period

The objective of our research was to define the main human–environment interactions during the Neolithic period (6500–3700 bc) in the Apulia region of southeastern Italy based on available published and unpublished data. Knowledge of these interactions is crucial to understanding the cultural and social dynamics of the period, particularly concerning the earliest farmers. Using a multidisciplinary approach, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatological data at the regional and Mediterranean scales were compared with the results of analyses performed on natural deposits and deposits in Neolithic settlements. The following data sets were used: (1) 121 14C dates for settlements, from which probability curves (%) of the Apulian Archaeological Occupation (AAO) were developed; (2) offshore data obtained from analyses performed on two offshore sediment cores drilled in the Adriatic Sea; (3) offsite data from studies conducted in two natural coastal contexts; and (4) onsite archaeobotanical data from 35 settlements. This study allowed us to tentatively define the main climatic features between 6200 and 3700 bc. We identified two dry phases (one between 5000 and 4600 bc and a second that peaked c. 4000 bc) and two wet intervals (one between 6200 and 5500 bc and a second that peaked around 4400 bc). Climate changes appear to have been relatively gradual. The use of archaeobotanical data allowed us to determine a direct link between paleoclimatic and archaeological sequences. These data highlight the variations in agricultural strategies (species used and harvest times) as humans responded to changes in the rainfall regime.

Archaeobotany as an In-Site/Off-Site Tool for Paleoenvironmental Research at Pulo di Molfetta (Puglia, South-Eastern Italy)

Archaeobotanical investigations of the Early Neolithic settlement of Fondo Azzollini (Molfetta, SE Italy) have been carried out since 1999 in order to reconstruct the environmental changes that occurred in the Murgia region (Puglia) during the main occupation phases of the site. The archaeological site is located on a calcareous plateau sloping down to a sinkhole called “the Pulo”. The rock surfaces of the sinkhole are marked by several caves, inhabited also during the Bronze Age. The heavy erosion processes active in the settlement area and the distinctive morphology of the plateau have caused eroded sediments to flow into the adjacent natural basin. This study compares archaeobotanical remains from the archaeological site (in-site data) and plant remains from the S1-bis core drilled in the Pulo (off-site data). AMS radiocarbon dating indicated that the lowest part of the S1-bis core had the same age as the Neolithic settlement, whereas the upper part of the core corresponded to the Bronze Age habitation of the caves. The off-site plant remains found in the core enriched the rather scarce archaeobotanical data from the archaeological site itself and enabled us to identify changes in plant resources and cultivation practices.

Inside sacrificial cakes: plant components and production processes of food offerings at the Demeter and Persephone sanctuary of Monte Papalucio (Oria, southern Italy)

Well-preserved finds of sacrificial cakes from the Sanctuary of Demeter at Monte Papalucio (Oria, southern Italy, VI-III cent. B.C.) are among the most famous bread-like remains from the ancient Mediterranean region. These unusual finds represent direct and rare evidence of the food products offered as part of religious practice by the indigenous (Messapian people) inside a particular ‘place of encounter’, a place of worship closely related to the south Italian colonial Greek world (Magna Graecia). This paper offers for the first time a detailed analysis of the internal structure of these bread-like remains using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope and Image Analysis in order to detect plant-based ingredients and the techniques employed in the production and cooking processes. Moreover, considering the cultural context, the sacrificial cakes from Oria Sanctuary offer a rare opportunity to directly compare the ‘cake’ finds and ancient written Greek sources, allowing for a deeper understanding of the chaînes opératoires of cereal processing in the past as well as the perception and role of these products among the ancient societies of the region. The contribution presents and discusses the results of these analyses and offers valuable, integrated information hidden inside the ancient cakes. A better understanding of the reciprocal influences and possible divergences between native and Greek culture is achieved by taking into consideration ancient Greek tradition on bread and cakes in sacred contexts and the interplay.