Papers by Anna Maria Mercuri
Palynological Approach to Reconstruct Long-Term Environmental Changes and Human Impact at Morgantina (Sicily)
The palynological research has the potential to reconstruct plant landscape, land-use and ethnobo... more The palynological research has the potential to reconstruct plant landscape, land-use and ethnobotanical-agricultural exploitation based on the microscopic plant remains unearthed from archaeological sites [1,2]. The first palynological investigation at Morgantina, an ancient Greek and Roman center located in east-central Sicily, was carried out between 2016 and 2019 with the main aim of contributing new insights on ancient foodways and economic activity at the archaeological site. Moreover, the floristic list permits us to infer the main habitats and environmental feautures of the surrounding territory, which might have offered natural resources or spaces for agriculture. In 2018, 30 pollen samples were collected from a 5-meters deep trench that was excavated in the area of the city\u2019s ancient agora. The 2018 trench revealed a stratigraphic sequence that encompassed the entire arc of human occupation at the site, from Neolithic to present day. Pollen, NPPs (palaeoecological bioindicators of local conditions such as fungal and algal remains) and charcoal particles (indicative of local or regional fires) were analysed. Only a third of the samples contained enough pollen to carry out the analyses; notably, there were lowpreserved pollen grains reflecting oxidation (open air context), trampling (local presence of people, or animals) and human activities like the floor preparation in the agora. Palynological data suggest some main features of the landscape next to the site and in the surroundings: open landscape with shrubby Mediterranean vegetation and scattered waterplaces, with synanthropic plants covering most areas including margins of fields and houses. The oldest phases of the pollen sequence show the lowest evidence of human environments. Here, the pastoral indicators may be evidence of an open pastureland browsed by wild animals or even frequented by seasonal pastoral activity. Pollen suggests that human activities have a clear impact on flora (synanthropic species) and cultivation (cereals) starting just before the Roman phases. These results, compared to the regional pollen data [3] and integrated with geo-archaeological investigations provide a long-term perspective on the environmental changes and human impact on the landscape of this central Mediterranean region
The agro-sylvo-pastoral system of 3600-3200 years ago (Terramare, Po Plain; SUCCESSO-TERRA project)
An interdisciplinary geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical (pollen and macroremains) investigati... more An interdisciplinary geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical (pollen and macroremains) investigation is carried out in the framework of the national-funded project SUCCESSO-TERRA (Human societies, climate, environment changes and resource exploitation/sustainability in the Po Plain at the Mid-Holocene times: the Terramara; PRIN-20158KBLNB). The research is providing significant data on the land transformations that occurred at the onset, duration, and end of the Terramare culture in the southern-central Po Plain (Emilia Romagna region). The Terramare are archaeological remains of banked and moated villages, located in the central alluvial plain of the Po River and dated to Middle/Recent Bronze ages (3600-3200 yr. BP). Pedosedimentary features and biological records from Terramare sites help to shed light on the relationships between Late Holocene regional environmental vicissitudes and land use changes, and allow a detailed comprehension of adaptive strategies of the Terramare people (1). Pollen samples were collected from trenches excavated within the main structures of the archaeological sites (namely Santa Rosa di Poviglio and Vasca Grande di Noceto sites). The pollen spectra resulted from both human presence/action and natural vegetation cover in the area. A set of anthropogenic pollen indicators, also common in the spectra from other Italian archaeological sites (2), was considered especially useful to reconstruct the agro-sylvo-pastoral system besides the distribution of wetland plant associations. The palynological research showed a transformation in flora composition and plant communities, suggesting a complex and dynamic agricultural economy based on wood management, fruit collection on the wild, and crop fields. At the top of the sequence of Santa Rosa di Poviglio, in correspondence with a global, dry climatic episode, a dramatic decrease of fields and woods is recorded. Along with aridity, an intensive landuse might have played a fairly synchronous action on vegetation. Data suggest a scenario of an impoverished plant landscape at the end of the life of the Poviglio Santa Rosa village, and connected with the collapse of the Terramare culture
The Pollen Reference Collection of LPP – UNIMORE
The LPP of Modena and Archeobotany: research in Italy over the last twenty years
The study of pollen, NPPs, seeds and fruits, wood and charcoal from archaeological contexts is es... more The study of pollen, NPPs, seeds and fruits, wood and charcoal from archaeological contexts is essential to investigate the history of man and the environmental changes connected to the anthropic pressure in a territory. The archaeobotanical record is highly influenced by human activity; this feature has to be considered in order to correctly interpret the data, and also it is valuable to obtain detailed informations on relationship between humans and plants from prehistoric to recent times. Over the last twenty years, archaeobotanical materials from about eighty Italian sites have been studied by our Laboratory; the investigation has focused on regions of Northern (especially Emilia Romagna), Central (mainly Tuscany) and Southern (mainly Basilicata and Sicily) Italy. The sites range in dates from the Bronze Age, Roman Period, Middle Ages, Renaissance, up to the modern age. These investigations have become more multidisciplinary using the paleo-ecological and ethnobotanical approaches. The data have been interpreted as a possible source of information for the understanding of the biodiversity of the past, even for purposes of conservation. A new field is represented by the analysis of ancient DNA (aDNA), which can be a source of new and interesting information, especially on crops
Palynology from Mediterranean archaeological sites for cultural landscape reconstruction
Palynology is probably the best biological approach to investigate relationships between humans a... more Palynology is probably the best biological approach to investigate relationships between humans and the environment in the past. The genesis and evolution of cultural landscapes of the Mediterranean sites is more and more explored by palaeoecologists and archaeobotanists with analyses of on-site and off-site contexts that invariably contain signs of human presence and activities carried out during millennia of civilizations. The presentation will report in particular on pollen analyses from archaeological sites located in southern Italy. The case studies are selected among interdisciplinary research analyses, with examples of sites from Basilicata (e.g. Pantanello, from the 7th BC) and Sicily (e.g. San Vincenzo di Stromboli, Bronze Age)
The Duchesses Garden of the Ducal Palace at Ferrara, from Ercole I d’Este (15th cent. AD) to the current time: archaeobotanical and historical-archaeological reconstruction
Archaeobotanical evidence of fig (Ficus carica L.) in Europe on the axis of South-North gradient. Preliminary information about Papaver Centre research project
Ficus carica L. is one of the oldest domesticated fruit trees in the world. The sweet fruits were... more Ficus carica L. is one of the oldest domesticated fruit trees in the world. The sweet fruits were widespread across Europe and seeds frequently recorded in many archaeobotanical datasets. The use of figs in diet varied substantially along the geographical South-North European axis. The question is, if this is determined by its local availability or by cultural factors. The aim of the research project in framework of the Papaver Centre is to collect every proper information about chronology and chorology of fig finds in archaeological contexts using archaeobotanical databases in Italy (BRAIN research group), in the Southern part of Germany (ARBODAT Ba-W\ufc), in Czech archaeobotanical database (CZAD) and in the archaeobotanical databases of Scandinavia (HANSA network project). The main effort of the study is an attempt to explain patterns of fig occurrence in time and trace its diffusion from the Mediterranean to Central and Northern Europe. An additional goal is to explain fig finds in archaeological context by correlating the finds with specific human behaviour. Collaborators: BRAIN: D. Arobba, M. Bandini Mazzanti, A. Bernardov\ue1, M. Buonincontri, R. Caramiello, M.L. Carra, E. Castiglioni, A. Celant, L. Costantini, G. Fiorentino, A. Florenzano, V. Kom\ue1rkov\ue1, M. Marchesini, M. Mariotti Lippi, M. Maritan, S. Marvelli, A. Masi, A. Miola, M. Mori Secci, R. Nisbet, L. Pe\uf1a-Chocarro, C. Pepe, R. Rinaldi, M. Rottoli, D. Sabato, L. Sadori L., M. Ucches
BRAIN – cooperative network and website
Proposals for rural landscape and archaeological site flora management: the contribution of archaeobotany through the BRAIN network research
Archaeobotanical data suggest that models of a multiple land use have always contributed to the f... more Archaeobotanical data suggest that models of a multiple land use have always contributed to the fruitful management of environmental resources, and this is among the most interesting results obtained from the reconstructions of past landscapes in the Mediterranean. The development of Historical Ecology, an historical approach that promotes interdisciplinary studies involving several research fields (like botany, archaeobotany, history, archaeology, geography, cartography, forestry, geology, climatology, landscape genetics), is carrying out proposals for applications in agricultural management and environmental conservation based on rigorous land use reconstructions. Several members of the BRAIN community are involved in these topics thanks to the interdisciplinary plant-based studies carried out on archaeological sites and other human-influenced contexts (Environmental Archaeology)
Vitis representation in modern pollen spectra from Southern Europe vineyards
Le diagramme pollinique de la tourbiere de Pavullo nel Frignano (Modena - Italie) dans le contexte de l'histoire de la vegétation de l'Apennin Toscan-Emilien
Digging up the roots of the Italian flora, 1. Fossil record of Lycopus (Lamiaceae, Mentheae)
Usually, scholars dealing with modern and past biology of plants develop parallel and overlapping... more Usually, scholars dealing with modern and past biology of plants develop parallel and overlapping researches, sometimes with poor interchanges. A recent study of the genus Carex showed that the existing knowledge about the fossil record is neglected by people dealing with the biology of this genus, almost ignoring the wealth of information poten- tially useful for their studies that is available in several palaeobotanical collections. To overcome this missing communication we present the first step of a project aiming at revising and summarizing the fossil record of taxa recorded in the modern Italian flora. The team of authors has been assembled starting from a group of persons working with fossil records (mainly the BRAIN network) who invited experts of modern floristics to analyse and discuss the palaeobotanical data in the light of the knowledge on the modern flora. The focus is on Italy, because of the exceptionally rich plant fossil record of this country. Furthermore, the Italian record ade- quately covers the last 6 Ma, in a less discontinuous way than in other countries. Such analysis addressed to a national perspective does not preclude an expansion to an Eurasian and global scale; this is true for example when analysing evolutionary and historical bio- geography issues, for which a country-scaled analysis may not be successful. We choose to start this project with Lycopus. This genus has a highly diagnostic morphology of fossilizable parts (nutlets), it has a well-assessed phylogenetic placement and its divergence from the most closely related genera is attributed to relatively deep times. The fossil record of Lycopus is mainly represented by nutlets, that are easily preserved in sedimentary deposits containing scarcely to moderately altered organic matter, and were formed in waterlogged continental palaeoenvironments. The nutlet morphology is considered to provide diagnostic characters for the distinction of the living species. Contrarily, pollen grains are not easily identifiable at the light microscope, thus they are com- monly included in the Mentha type or in the Lamiaceae undifferentiated grains. The genus Lycopus includes approximately 16 species, distributed in the northern Hemisphere and in Australia. In Europe, three species are known: Lycopus europaeus L., L. exaltatus L.f. and L. lucidus Turcz. ex Benth., the latter intro- duced in recent times from eastern Asia. In contrast to the purported \u201clack of a strong fossil record\u201d, several authors reported fossil fruit records in Europe and West Asia: from the oldest ones of the Oligocene (ca. 30 Mya), limited to West Siberia, through the more frequent Miocene (23- 5 Mya) records, ranging from West Siberia to central Europe, to the abundant Pliocene and Pleistocene records (5-0.01 Mya). The last ones were mainly assigned to the modern species L. europaeus, whereas the Oligocene and Miocene records (plus a few Pliocene ones) were assigned to the fossil-species L. antiquus E.M.Reid. The Italian fossil records assigned to Lycopus have been reported in a table, where the localities have been listed alphabetically within selected time intervals. The preliminary analysis of these data suggests that several fossil records dating from 4 Ma to 0.1 Mya show a morphology of the nutlet\u2019s collar which is diagnostic for L. europaeus. The occur- rence of fossil nutlets which possibly refer to L. exaltatus is under investigation for a site dating ca. 1.5-1.3 Ma, while the abundant Holocene records, including some archaeologi- cal sites, are only referred to L. europaeus. The available fossil records firmly demonstrate the long-lasting presence of L. europaeus in Italy and its widespread occurrence in the Holocene. The past occurrence of other exotic or extinct species of Lycopus does not emerge from the fossil record
The Terramara di Montale (Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy): archaeobotanical-museological reconstruction of the fields in the Middle and Late Bronze Age
Pollen stratigraphy of Late Quaternary successions from the North Adriatic and from two crater lakes near Rome (part of the “PALICLAS” multi-proxy investigation)
Phytotaxa, 2021
Lycopus is a widespread herbaceous plant, currently part of European flora. Fossil remains of fru... more Lycopus is a widespread herbaceous plant, currently part of European flora. Fossil remains of fruits (nutlets or mericarps) attributed to this genus are frequently found in European archaeological and palaeontological sites, being easily preserved in sedimentary deposits. In a worldwide context, the oldest fossils are from the early Oligocene (ca. 30 Ma) of West Siberia, but they become more common in Miocene (23.0–5.3 Ma) records, ranging from West Siberia to Central Europe. In the literature, the Oligocene and Miocene remains (plus a few Pliocene ones) were assigned to fossil-species, whereas the abundant Pliocene and Pleistocene occurrences (5–0.01 Ma) in Europe were mainly assigned to the extant species L. europaeus. The present work is conceived as the result of an ad hoc research team whose task was to revise and summarize the Italian fossil record of Lycopus, assembling palaeobotanical and archaeobotanical data. We herein report ca. 6000 Lycopus nutlets from 61 sites located ...
The Eurasian (née European) Modern Pollen Database (EMPD) was established in 2013 to provide a pu... more The Eurasian (née European) Modern Pollen Database (EMPD) was established in 2013 to provide a public database of high-quality modern pollen surface samples to help support studies of past climate, land-cover and land-use using fossil pollen. The EMPD is part of, and complementary to, the European Pollen Database (EPD) which contains data on fossil pollen found in Late Quaternary sedimentary archives throughout the Eurasian region. The EPD is in turn part of the rapidly growing Neotoma database, which is now the primary home for global palaeoecological data. This paper describes version 2 of the EMPD in which the number of samples held in the database has been increased by 60% from 4826 to 8134. Much of the improvement in data coverage has come from Northern Asia, and the database has consequently been renamed the Eurasian Modern Pollen Database to reflect this geographical enlargement. The EMPD can be viewed online using a dedicated mapbased viewer at https://empd2.github.io, and downloaded in a variety of file formats at
Quaternary International, 2019
Palynological research carried out on two renowned archaeological sites located in central Sicily... more Palynological research carried out on two renowned archaeological sites located in central Sicily allows the reconstruction of agrarian landscapes in Late Antiquity. The palynological investigations may improve the resolution of vegetational-environmental events recorded from extra-local palynological sequences by giving information on local plant landscape and human influence in the region. The stratigraphy uncovered from these archaeological sites features very high resolution. Villa del Casale of Piazza Armerina, a monumental villa included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the near 'agrotown' Philosophiana are key sites to look for the effects of countryside exploitation in the Roman world. They were extraordinary rural complexes from the Roman to Medieval periods. Their long chronology offers the opportunity to investigate land use and economy transformations that occurred in the area at the transition from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages. The palynological research has been carried out on 40 samples, including archaeological samples dated from the end of 3rd to 7th century AD, and one moss polster collecting present pollen rain. Ornamental and shade plants were concentrated in the luxury villa, while fruit trees and agrarian activities were more evident in the next farmhouse. Late Antiquity is proved to be a critical period of both transition between different cultures and landscape transformations that have lead the past vegetation to the modern landscape of this island. Nevertheless, pollen suggests a continuity of the agrarian landscape during this period. Although changes had occurred, subsequent cultures were progressively incorporated in the agrarian-pastoral landscape management.
Quaternary International, 2018
In this paper, we focus on the most critical but low-studied Late Roman phase (3 rd-6th century A... more In this paper, we focus on the most critical but low-studied Late Roman phase (3 rd-6th century AD) of Mutina, an important Roman colony situated in Northern Italy. During this period, partly including the Late Antique, the seasonal variability with inconstant precipitation might have been responsible for devastating flood events. In the Po Plain, lying on four regions of Northern Italy (Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto), an impressive set of flood events occurred that resulted in evident, sometimes thick sediment strata, in between the Roman archaeological layers, and after their full deposition. The research is a key example of integrated archaeobotanical analyses based on five archeological sites (on-site records) excavated within the modern city of Modena and studied for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Plant micro-and macro-remains were analysed in the framework of interdisciplinary archaeological studies, aiming at reconstructing the main floristic, vegetational and palaeoecological features of Mutina and its surroundings. Since early phases of the Roman age, there have been wetlands and thinly scattered mixed oakwoods that together with human environments, i.e. cereal fields and gardens, characterised the plant landscape of the area. Interestingly, during the Late Roman period, the woodland cover increased. Overall, the archaeobotany studies highlighted the effects of the floods on the city of Modena and its surroundings showing that subsequent episodes of floods favoured the expansion or spreading of wetlands with the development of hygrophilous woods in the later phases, after the flood of the 6th century AD.
Late quaternary pollen diagrams from the central Adriatic Sea (part of the“paliclas”multidisciplinary project)
Giornale botanico italiano, 1995
The archaeo-environmental reconstruction from the Roman-Gothic site Fiorina di Domagnano (Repubblica di San Marino, 1st cent. BC-6th cent. AD) based on pollen and macroremains
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Papers by Anna Maria Mercuri