Anna Maria MERCURI - personale UniMoRe

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Anna Maria MERCURI

Professore Ordinario
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita sede ex-Scienze Biomediche

Pubblicazioni

2024 - Human-induced fires and land use driven changes in tree biodiversity on the northern Tyrrhenian coast [Articolo su rivista]
Furia, Elisa; Clò, Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2023 - A Multidisciplinary Study of Wild Grapevines in the River Crati Natural Reserve, South Italy (Calabria): Implications in Conservation Biology and Palaeoecological Reconstructions [Articolo su rivista]
Clo', E.; Torri, P.; Baliva, M.; Brusco, A.; Marchianò, R.; Sgarbi, E.; Palli, J.; Mercuri, A. M.; Piovesan, G.; Florenzano, A.
abstract

Nowadays, wild grapevine populations are quite limited and sporadic mainly due to habitat destruction, land-use change, and the spread of pathogens that have reduced their distribution range. Palaeoecological, archaeobotanical, and genetic studies indicate that modern cultivars of Vitis vinifera are the results of the domestication of the dioecious, and sometimes hermaphrodite, wild species standing in riparian zones and wet environments. Wild grapevine populations have declined as a consequence of various forms of anthropogenic disturbance and were assigned by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to the Least Concern category. The River Crati Natural Reserve (Riserva Naturale Foce del Crati), located in southern Italy, hosts a population of Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris in a rewilding wet forest close to the Ionian Sea. These protected areas are of high scientific, biogeographic, and conservation interest in terms of Mediterranean biodiversity. Dendroecological and pollen morpho-biometric analyses of the wild grapevine are presented in this study. Palaeoecological perspectives for a landscape management strategy aimed at conserving and restoring the relic grapevine population are discussed.

2023 - BRAIN - Botanical Records of Archaeobotany Italian Network [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

BRAIN - Botanical Records of Archaeobotany Italian Network is a database listing sites from which anthropogenic pollen, palynomorphs and macroremains are available in Italy and close Mediterranean regions. The database BRAIN includes data from archaeological sites that have been studied for plant remains (pollen, seeds and fruits, wood or charcoal) since the 1980s. BRAIN will support the use of these data for scientific, educational and disseminative purposes. BRAIN was firstly organised as a large collection of metadata, available free online; the database has been recently implemented to get the possibility to upload raw data that can be shared with users on demand. BRAIN website and database: https://brainplants.successoterra.net/index.html

2023 - BRAIN id: CLA 61 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Accorsi, C. A.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Torri, P.
abstract

Lago Albano (Latium). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the PALB 94 - 1E core drilled in Lago Albano (Rome; 41°45'00"N 12°40'00"E; 13.875 m long at 70 m watwr depth; chronology: 30,000 years BP - present) within the EU-funded project PALICLAS. The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CLA61).

2023 - BRAIN id: CLA6 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Torri, P.
abstract

Minturno (Latium). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from 3 cores (P1, P2, P3; CLA6a = P1+P3; CLA6b = P2) drilled in the area of the mouth of the Garigliano River Latina; 41°16'00" N, 13°45'00" E, 141 m a.s.l.; about 600 cm long; chronology: last 8,200 years). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CLA6).

2023 - BRAIN id: CLA64 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Accorsi, C. A.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Torri, P.
abstract

Lago di Nemi (Latium). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the PNEM 94 - 1B core drilled in Lago di Nemi (Rome; 41°43'00"N 12°42'00" E; 915 cm long at 30 m water depth; chronology: last 12,000 years) within the EU-funded project PALICLAS. The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CLA64).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO 15 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.
abstract

Case Nuove (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the Roman site of Case Nuove (Grosseto; 42°53'29.33" N 11°20'45.39" E, 318 m asl; chronology: 1st century BC - 5th century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO15).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO 16 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.
abstract

Colle Massari (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the Roman site of Colle Massari (Grosseto; 42°53'35.83" N 11°20'37.69" E, 130 m asl; chronology: 1st century BC - 1st century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO16).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO11 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.
abstract

Podere Marzuolo (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from two contexts (CTO11a, CTO11b) opened during archaeological excavations at the Area 11000 of the Roman site of Podere Marzuolo (Grosseto; 42°57'27.08" N 11°24'25.41" E, 108 m asl; chronology: 2nd-3rd century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO11).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO12 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.
abstract

San Martino (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the Roman site of San Martino (Grosseto; 42°56'42.89" N 11°23'04.97" E, 130 m asl; chronology: 2nd century BC - 1st century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO12).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO13 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.
abstract

Poggio dell’Amore (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the Roman site of Poggio dell’Amore (Grosseto; 42°56'21.48" N 11°23'57.91" E, 123 m asl; chronology: 1st century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO13).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO14 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.
abstract

Podere Terrato (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the Roman site of Podere Terrato (Grosseto; 42°55'39.00" N 11°22'32.00" E, 159 m asl; chronology: 1st century BC - 1st century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO14).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO46 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Furia, Elisa; Clo', Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Vetricella (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the Roman-Early Middle Age site of Vetricella (CTO46; Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy; 42°56'37"N 10°50'17"E, 14 m asl) within the nEU-Med project (ERC-2014-ADG). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO46).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO47 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Furia, Elisa; Clo', Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Val di Pecora (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from two sediment cores (CTO47a – Pecora 3; CTO47b – Pecora 4) drilled in the Pecora Valley (Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy; 42°55'42"N 10°50'14"E, 11 m asl; chronology: (from ~1250 BC to 1050 AD) within the nEU-Med project (ERC-2014-ADG). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO47).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO48 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Furia, Elisa; Clo', Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Val di Cornia (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from two sediment cores (CTO48a – Cornia 3; CTO48b – Cornia 7) drilled in the Cornia Valley (Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy; 42°58'40"N 10°33'16"E, 71 m asl; chronology: from ~5550 BC to 1550 AD) within the nEU-Med project (ERC-2014-ADG). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO48).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO49 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Rattighieri, E.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Molino San Vincenzo (Firenze). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the archaeological site of Molino San Vincenzo (Firenze; 43°41'38.94" N, 11°5'41.82" E, 70 m a.s.l.; chronology: from c. 150 to c. 450 AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO49).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO50 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.; Clo', E.
abstract

Certosa di Calci (Pisa). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from different friars’ cells gardens (CTO50a, CTO50b, CTO50c, CTO50d, CTO50e, CTO50f) within the monumental monastery of Certosa di Calci (Pisa, 43°43'18" N, 10°31'24" E, 50 m asl; chronology: 14th-18th centuries AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO50).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO52 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.; Rattighieri, E.
abstract

Tombarelle (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from two contexts (CTO52a, CTO52b) of the Roman site of Tombarelle (Grosseto; 42°56'01" N 11°22'23" E, 174 m asl; chronology: 1st century BC - 1st century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO52).

2023 - BRAIN id: CTO53 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Rattighieri, E.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Podere Marzuolo - MAP (Tuscany). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from four contexts (CTO53a, CTO53b, CTO53c, CTO53d) opened during archaeological excavations of the Roman site of Podere Marzuolo (Grosseto; 42°57'26" N, 11°24'18" E, 111 m asl; chronology: 1st-3rd century AD) within the Marzuolo Archaeological Project coordinated by Cornell University. The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: CTO53).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER110 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Torri, Paola
abstract

Modena via Campi - S2 (Modena, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the off-site trench Campi-S2 (Modena, N Italy; 44°37'59" N, 10°56'44" E, 34 m asl). The chronology of the trench includes samples from Roman age, transitional phase and Medieval age. The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER110).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER123 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Torri, P.; Mercuri, A. M.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.
abstract

FG Lugo near site (Ravenna, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples of the near-site sequence outside the Neolithic village of Lugo (Ravenna; 44°25'31" N, 11°55'17" E, 10 m a.s.l.; chronology: from c. 5000 years BP to c. 540 years BP). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER123).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER3 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Marvelli, Silvia; Marchesini, Marco
abstract

Sant’Agata Bolognese - Nuova Geovis (Bologna, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the site of Sant’Agata Bolognese - Nuova Geovis (Bologna; 44°41'10" N, 11°10'12" E, 17 m a.s.l.; chronology: from c. 2550 BC to ca. XI century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER3).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER64 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora
abstract

Baggiovara (Modena, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from five short vertical profiles (NER64a, NER64b, NER64c, NER64d, NER64e) of the Terramara di Baggiovara (Modena; 44°36′26″ N, 10°52′18″ E; 59 m a.s.l.; chronology: from c. 1650 to c. 1500 BC). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER64).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER67 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora
abstract

Casinalbo (Modena, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from one vertical profile taken from the central area of the necropolis of Casinalbo, belonging to the Terramare culture (Modena; 44°35'00" N, 10°52'00’’ E; 60 m a.s.l.; chronology: from c. 1650 BC and up to Late Roman). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER67).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER79 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Clo', E.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Noceto Vasca Votiva - NER79 (PR, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from two sections (NER79a, NER79b) of the archaeological site “Vasca di Noceto”, an artificial wooden basin dating to the Bronze Age (ca. 1420–1320 BC) and discovered in 2004 in the central Po Plain, near Parma (44°48'02.96" N, 10°10'19.35" E, 81 m asl). This research is part of the national-funded interdisciplinary SUCCESSO-TERRA Project (PRIN-20158KBLNB). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER79).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER80 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mazzanti, Marta; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Parma - Piazza Garibaldi (N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from two contexts (NER80a - Roman depression, NER80b - Medieval pits) opened during archaeological excavations at Parma - Piazza Garibaldi (44°48'05.49" N 10°19'40.59" E, 55 m asl; chronology: 3rd-2nd centuries BC, and 10-11th centuries AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER80).

2023 - BRAIN id: NER92 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.; Torri, P.; Clo', E.; Zappa, J.; Furia, E.; Montecchi, M. C.
abstract

Terramara S. Rosa di Poviglio (RE, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from five trenches (NER92a - VP-VG Moat, NER92b - VP-VG II Moat, NER92c - VP-VG III Moat, NER92d - Well 2106, NER92e - Well 6170) opened during archaeological excavations at the Terramara S. Rosa di Poviglio (Poviglio, Reggio Emilia, N Italy; 44°52′21″ N 10°34′31’’ E, 21 m asl; site chronology: 1550-1170 BC). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER92).

2023 - BRAIN id: NFV26 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Zappa, J.; Florenzano, A.; Torri, P.; Servera-Vives, G.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Palù di Livenza - PaluON (PN, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from a trench excavated at the Neolithic pile-dwelling archaeological site of Palù di Livenza (Pordenone, N Italy; 46°01'19.9" N 12°28'56.8" E, 33 m asl; site chronology: c. 4400-3650 BC). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NFV26).

2023 - BRAIN id: NSM1 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Marchesini, Marco; Montecchi, Maria Chiara
abstract

Domagnano (San Marino). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the site of Domagnano (San Marino; 43°56'52" N, 12°28'08" E, 255 m a.s.l.; chronology: from c. 250 BC to c. 650 AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NSM1).

2023 - BRAIN id: NSM2 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Accorsi, C. A.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Trevisan Grandi, G.
abstract

Poggio Castellano (San Marino). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the site of Poggio Castellano (San Marino; 43°56'52" N, 12°28'08" E, 513 m a.s.l.; chronology: from c. 1150 BC to c. 950 BC). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NSM2).

2023 - BRAIN id: NSM3 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, A. M.; Accorsi, C. A.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Trevisan Grandi, G.; Marchesini, M.
abstract

Ca’ Rigo (San Marino). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the site of Ca’ Rigo (San Marino; 43°56'34" N, 12°26'46" E, 410 m a.s.l.; chronology: from 6th to 4th century BC). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NSM3).

2023 - BRAIN id: NTR40– pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Zappa, J; Torri, P.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Gardolo (Trento, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the archaeological site of Gardolo (Trento; 46°06'55.3" N, 11°06'58.43" E; 360 m a.s.l.; chronology: from ca. 2550 to ca. 1150 BC ). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NTR40).

2023 - BRAIN id: NVE15 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, M.; Mercuri, A. M.; Rivalenti, C.; Torri, P.
abstract

Canàr di S. Pietro in Polesine (Rovigo, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from 10 samples collected from a core drilled 20 m south of the Early Bronze Age pile-dwelling site of Canàr (Rovigo; 45°03'00" N, 11°20'00" E, 7 m asl; site chronology: c. 2130-1780 BC). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NVE15).

2023 - BRAIN id: NVE71 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Rattighieri, E.; Clo', E.; Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.
abstract

Colombare di Negrar di Valpolicella (Verona, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from 2 trenches (NVE71a, NVE71b) excavated at the Late Neolithic - Bronze Age site of Colombare di Negrar di Valpolicella (Verona, N Italy; 45°32'45.57" N, 10°57'55.73" E, 650 m asl; site chronology: c. 4300-2500 cal BC). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NVE71).

2023 - BRAIN id: SEA1 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Mazzanti, Marta; Florenzano, Assunta; Furia, Elisa
abstract

Marine core RF93-30. Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the marine core RF93-30 (SEA1) drilled in the central Adriatic Sea (Italy; 42°04'01"N 15°40'03"E, -77 m asl; chronology: last 7000 years). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SEA1).

2023 - BRAIN id: SSI7– pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Torri, Paola
abstract

Philosophiana (Sofiana; Sicily). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from late antique contexts of the site of Philosophiana (Enna; 37°19'03.10" N 14°16'26.68" E, 628 m asl; chronology: from 2nd century BC to 11th century AD). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SSI7).

2023 - BRAIN id: SSI9 – pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Rattighieri, E.; Clo', E.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Stromboli - San Vincenzo (Aeolian Islands, Sicily). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from different contexts at the archaeological site of San Vincenzo-Stromboli (Aeolian Islands; 38°48'05.72" N, 15°14'10.76" E, 55 m asl; chronology: from Bronze Age to late Medieval Ages) during seven fieldwork seasons (2009–2015). The dataset was created as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC, Palermo, Italy). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SSI9).

2023 - First archaeobotanical evidence of multiporate Poaceae pollen from early–middle Holocene deposits of the Takarkori rock shelter in the central Sahara [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Clo', Eleonora; Rotunno, Rocco; Di Lernia, Savino
abstract

The Takarkori rock shelter, located in the Tadrart Acacus mountains in southwestern Libya (central Sahara), has been the subject of interdisciplinary research that has repeatedly shed light on the complex relationships between humans and plants in prehistory. The preservation of organic matter is so exceptional that well identifiable plant macro- and micro-remains, zoological remains, as well as molecular residues, lipids, and ancient DNA are recovered. Well preserved pollen grains were extracted by sediments and coprolites accumulated into the site. Among them, some multiporate pollen of Poaceae were extracted for the first time, an interesting anomaly that has never been reported in the Holocene Sahara (Mercuri et al. 2022). Poaceae multiporate pollen is known to be an effect of reproductive cycle abnormalities; it is often related to high levels of hybridization, polyploidy and apomixis. The occurrence of this anomaly in Poaceae pollen has been connected to plasticity of the grass species, and to their ability to reply to environmental stresses. Takarkori's multiporate pollen was found in the pollen sequence from the site, mainly concentrated in the Late Acacus foragers (~10,170 - ~8180 cal BP) and Middle Pastoral herders (~7160 - ~5610 cal BP), and in coprolites of ovicaprines dated to ~9500-5700 cal BP (di Lernia et al. 2019). Its presence reveals that Poaceae that lived in central Sahara have tackled several environmental stresses, under climate or anthropogenic change pressures, during the early and middle Holocene. The highest amount of multiporate Poaceae pollen in coprolites was found in samples taken from the area of an enclosure of young Barbary sheep, dated to the Late Acacus (early Holocene) period. This strongly suggests that the fodder collected to feed the animals was repeatedly selected from high stands of weed and wild cereals in the area, like those known by hunter-gatherers and repeatedly visited to gather wild cereals for food, and that this was a form of management strategy originating from a deep knowledge of environmental dynamics.

2023 - Flora-vegetation history and land use in Medieval Tuscany: The palynological evidence of a local biodiversity heritage [Articolo su rivista]
Clo', Eleonora; Furia, Elisa; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This paper introduces the high resolution palynological analyses carried out on samples from four cores drilled in the coastal plains of the Cornia and Pecora rivers, southern Tuscany, Italy. This study provides new information on the landscape transformations that the area has undergone over the past 7500 years, with focus on Medieval times when settlement patterns and land use contributed the onset of the current landscape. The study area, considered one of the most important early centres of the European civilization, has been fully investigated by the ERC funded nEU-Med project through an interdisciplinary approach combining archaeological, geomorphological, chemical, and archaeobotanical analyses. Environmental features and resource availability were explored through pollen markers of natural environments and human activities suggesting similarities and dissimilarities between the two valleys. In the Cornia Valley, the high diversity and percentages of woody taxa is connected to agrarian exploitation with arboriculture, while the Pecora Valley had a mostly open landscape, with lower diversity and higher percentages of anthropogenic pollen indicators. In both valleys, the land was mainly exploited for grazing resources: the high presence of pasture indicators suggests that domesticated animals should have been an important local resource especially in Medieval times. Pastoral/breeding activities fit into a larger context of management of the territory with specific vocation (namely, salt and iron in these two valleys). The detailed palynological analysis and the comparison between the two valleys highlight the local character of these activities, probably carried out in a collateral way by the peasant communities between the 7th-12th centuries AD.

2023 - From microscopic biodiversity to flora and vegetation dynamics: Palynology for monitoring, conservation, and enhancement of Italian and Mediterranean ecosystems [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Clò, Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Ricucci, Cristina; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2023 - Human-Impact Gradients through Anthropogenic Pollen Indicators in a Mediterranean Mosaic Landscape (Balearic Islands) [Articolo su rivista]
Gabriel, Servera-Vives; Mus Amezquita, Maurici; Snitker, Grant; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Ruiz, Maurici; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This paper proposes new anthropogenic pollen indicators for the Balearic Islands and attempts to assess gradients of human impact on vegetation in Mediterranean islands. A combination of modern pollen analogue studies, complemented by phytosociological descriptions and ordination techniques using quantitative and presence/absence data was used. Redundancy analysis allowed us to evaluate the relationships between pollen types and significant environmental variables and propose regional (e.g., Centaurea, Rubus, Plantago lanceolata-t) and local/microregional anthropogenic pollen indicators (e.g., Cerealia, Poygonum aviculare, Matricaria-t). Additionally, an anthropogenic index score (AIS) for each sampled location was calculated to correlate each pollen type to a specific degree of human impact: (a) low (e.g., Cerastium-t, Erica arborea-t, Cistus albidus), (b) moderate (e.g, Sinapis-t, Sanguisorba minor-t, Plantago bellardii-t), (c) high (e.g., Papaveraceae undiff., Dipsacaceae, Secale-t). This paper contributes to a further understanding of land-use dynamics and to defining the degree of impact, which is especially necessary to assess colonization and anthropization rhythms in Mediterranean island environments.

2023 - L’apporto della palinologia per la ricostruzione paleoeconomico-ambientale del sito di Torre di Satriano [Capitolo/Saggio]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Il capitolo presenta i risultati dell'indagine palinologica condotta nel sito archeologico di Torre di Satriano, insediamento dell'età del Ferro ubicato in Basilicata tra i comuni di Tito e di Satriano di Lucania (PZ). I dati emersi dalle analisi di polline e palinomorfi non pollinici (NPP) hanno fornito informazioni utili per ricostruire destinazioni d’uso e distribuzione spaziale di diversi contesti del sito, nonché dettagli sul paesaggio vegetale e sugli aspetti economici delle fasi arcaiche del sito di Torre di Satriano.

2023 - Palaeoenvironment and land-use at the UNESCO archaeological site of Palù di Livenza (Pordenone): a palynological perspective [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, Jessica; Torri, Paola; Fontana, Alessandro; Degasperi, Nicola; Bassetti, Michele; Florenzano, Assunta; Braga, Lorenzo; Micheli, Roberto; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2023 - Palynology of Gardens and Archaeobotany for the Environmental Reconstruction of the Charterhouse of Calci-Pisa in Tuscany (Central Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Gattiglia, G.; Rattighieri, E.; Clo', E.; Anichini, F.; Campus, A.; Rossi, M.; Buonincontri, M.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

In central Italy, the Charterhouse of Calci hosts the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa. This monumental monastery was founded in 1366 by Carthusian monks. The Charterhouse has experienced various transformations over the centuries, until its abandonment in the 1970s. Since 2018, interdisciplinary archaeological research focused on the monks' gardens (and particularly: the Prior's, the Apothecary's, and the Master's garden) and the green spaces outside the cloister walls, consisting of courtyards and orchards, to determine the individual (gardens) and collective (green spaces and surrounding woods) practices adopted by Carthusians. Palynology and archaeobotany have allowed to reconstruct the plant biodiversity, with flowers and ornamental, aromatic, and medicinal herbs that grew in the gardens, as well as the management of local hilly woods and agricultural practices, including the cultivation of fruit trees, such as chestnut, olive tree, almond tree, and grapevine. Our research has been based on a solid theoretical approach, interpreting archaeological and archaeobotanical data in relation to the intricate network of human and non-human connections. Gardens are seen as a co-creation made together by human and non-human agencies, and their diachronic transformation is read as an expression of personalities of the monks, feelings, and connections with nature and divinity.

2023 - Palynology on reconstructing the long-term dynamics of plant biodiversity: Insights from nature-value areas in Italy – Preliminary analysis from Pollino National Park (southern Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Ricucci, Cristina; Florenzano, Assunta; Clò, Eleonora; Piovesan, Gianluca; Palli, Jordan; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2023 - Pedoanthracology sheds light the ancientness of the pastoral highlands of three mediterranean mountain: Sierra de Gredos (Spain), southeast Massif Central (France), and northern Apennines (Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Bal, M. -C.; Benatti, A.; Bosi, G.; Florenzano, A.; Garcia-Àlvarez, S.; Mercuri, A. M.; Rubiales, J. M.
abstract

The Mediterranean mountain zone is probably one of the parts of the world with the longest documented history of interactions between vegetation, climate, and human activities. The twofold objective of the present study was to examine and compare changes in three silvopastoral mountain areas, and to identify the natural and human processes that have shaped today’s mountain landscapes. Although there were differences in vegetation and history between the three areas, there were also similarities in agropastoral practices, including livestock pressure and the use of fire. These similarities were supported by strong evidence based on soil charcoal and complemented by multiple other proxies (i.e., pollen analysis, archeology, historical documentation, and climatic data). The processes that led to the current physiognomy of the landscapes took place over the previous millennium, with a degree of synchrony over the past 500–800 years. The long co-evolution of humanity and landscape led us to reflect on the legacy of previous human practices and climatic changes, in terms of the composition of modern forests and the sensitivity of certain arboreal taxa (Pinus gr. sylvestris, Abies alba and Taxus baccata) that declined or disappeared during the late Holocene when the rates of vegetation change accelerated markedly. In summary, the comparative study of the history of the three highland landscapes attests to the interaction between long-term human impact (mainly pastoral societies, including livestock pressure and use of fire) and protracted climatic episodes that led to common changes in the study areas.

2023 - Plants, Fire and Landscape at the Prehistoric Pile-Dwelling Village of Palù di Livenza (PaluON1), UNESCO Site in the Italian Alps [Articolo su rivista]
Zappa, Jessica; Degasperi, Nicola; Bassetti, Michele; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Gabriel, Servera-Vives; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Micheli, Roberto
abstract

This paper presents palynological data obtained from a trench excavated at the Neolithic pile-dwelling archaeological site of Palù di Livenza (northeastern Italy). The site is in a wetland located in a tectonic basin at the foot of the Cansiglio plateau, crossed by the Livenza river. Environmental conditions have made this wetland a suitable area for settlements since prehistoric times. Thanks to the peaty sediments that characterise the area, archaeological materials and botanical remains have been exceptionally well preserved. Their study has shed light on a Neolithic pile-dwelling settlement that developed in various phases between c. 6350 and 5600 cal BP (c. 4400 and 3650 BC), and has also allowed for a detailed environmental reconstruction of the surrounding environment. A vertical sequence of 20 samples was analysed to study pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs and microcharcoals. An age-depth model was performed based on three radiocarbon dates. The palynological analysis provided insight into the response of vegetation to environmental changes caused by both climatic fluctuations and human pressure. In this sense, it was possible to highlight differences in vegetation cover, some fires, the use of woody resources, the spread of cereal fields, as well as the presence of other cultivated plants and plant processing by the people within the village.

2023 - Pollen and Flora as Bioindicators in Assessing the Status of Polluted Sites: The Case Study of the Mantua Lakes (SIN “Laghi di Mantova e Polo Chimico”; N Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Braga, Lorenzo; Furia, Elisa; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

An integrated floristic and palynological approach was carried out at the site of national interest “Laghi di Mantova e Polo Chimico” to obtain an environmental assessment useful for monitoring polluted sites. The flora of highly contaminated sectors (area A and area B) was surveyed, and the floristic composition and ecological strategies of the species were compared with a control sector (area C). A total of 195 species were observed in the three sectors. Pollen preservation of six selected species was checked as a bioindicator of environmental health in the same sectors. Area A and area B likely share similar environmental pressures, including anthropogenic stressors such as pollution, geographical proximity and a similar set of habitats, leading to similarities in flora composition. Similarly, the incidence of pollen without cytoplasm is higher in area A (9.3%) and area B (7.6%) than in area C (2.5%). The floristic differences among the sectors and the quantity of empty or abnormal pollen, together with the CSR strategies adopted by the species, suggest that the effects of anthropogenic impact on local vegetation can be detected at both macroscopic and microscopic levels. The discovery of the protected species Narcissus pseudonarcissus in area C is noteworthy, which may be important in directing efforts towards the protection of plant communities in this sector.

2023 - The Fathers' cell gardens of the Charterhouse of Calci-Pisa in Tuscany (Central Italy): pollen and multidisciplinary reconstruction [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Clò, Eleonora; Gattiglia, Gabriele; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Anichini, Francesca; Campus, Antonio; Rossi, Marta; Buonincontri, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2023 - Urban green development through a palynological approach [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Furia, Elisa; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cremaschi, Mauro; Capurso, Annalisa; Travaglini, Alessandro
abstract

2022 - Archaeobotany (pollen, macroremains) and land use history of the Copper and Bronze Age site at Gardolo di Mezzo (Trento, Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, J.; Torri, P.; Rottoli, M.; Castiglioni, E.; Bassetti, M.; Mercuri, A. M.; Mottes, E
abstract

2022 - BIG DATA PALAEOECOLOGY: A NEW APPROACH IN PALYNOLOGY TO RECONSTRUCT HISTORICAL KEY EVENTS SUCH AS THE BLACK DEATH ACROSS EUROPE [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Masi, Alessia; Ejarque, Ana; Florenzano, Assunta; Kouli, Katerina; Antonio LÓPEZSÁEZ, José; LUELMO-LAUTENSCHLAEGER, Reyes; Masci, Lucrezia; Mazier, Florence; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Palli, Jordan; PÉREZ-DÍAZ, Sebastián; Piovesan, Gianluca; Sadori, Laura; Vignola, Cristiano; Izdebski, Adam
abstract

2022 - BRAIN id: NER68 - pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Marchesini, Marco; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Terramara di Montale (Modena, N Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from three trenches (NER68a, NER68b=NER137, NER68c) opened during archaeological excavations at the Terramara di Montale (Montale, Modena, N Italy; 44°34'34"N 10°54'38"E, 71 m asl; site chronology: 1650–1200 B.C.). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: NER68).

2022 - BRAIN id: SBA1 - pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Altojanni (Matera, S Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from two different contexts (SBA1a, SBA1b) opened during 2006-2007 archaeological excavations at the Altojanni site (Grottole, Matera, S Italy; 40°36'36"N 16°23'40"E, 375 m asl; site chronology: 3rd-5th cent.; 12th-15th cent AD). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SBA1).

2022 - BRAIN id: SBA12 - pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Torre di Satriano (Potenza, Southern Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected the site of Torre di Satriano (Potenza, S Italy; 40°34'12"N 15°38'15"E, 930 m asl; site chronology: 6th-5th cent. BC). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SBA12).

2022 - BRAIN id: SBA2 - pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Miglionico (MT, S Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the castle 'Castello del Malconsiglio' of Miglionico (Matera, S Italy; 40°34'03"N 16°40'51"E, 138 m asl; site chronology: 14th-15th cent AD). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SBA2).

2022 - BRAIN id: SBA4 - pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Difesa San Biagio (Matera, S Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the site of Difesa San Biagio (Grottole, Matera, S Italy; 40°30'21"N 16°40'51"E, 138 m asl; site chronology: 5th-1st cent. BC). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SBA4).

2022 - BRAIN id: SBA5 - pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Fattoria Fabrizio (Matera, S Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from the Greek farmhouse of Fattoria Fabrizio (Matera, S Italy; 40°24'46"N 16°44'28"E, 57 m asl; site chronology: 6th-4th cent. BC). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SBA5).

2022 - BRAIN id: SBA9 - pollen dataset [Banca dati]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Pantanello (Matera, S Italy). Dataset including pollen counts from sediment samples collected from three trenches opened during 2013 (SBA9a, SBA9b) and 2010 (SBA9c) archaeological excavations at the Pantanello site (Matera, S Italy; 40°23'21"N 16°47'11"E, 8 m asl; site chronology: 7th-1st cent BC). The site is included in the BRAIN database (https://brainplants.successoterra.net/; site id: SBA9).

2022 - Biodiversity, climate change and land-use management at the Neolithic site of Palù di Livenza (4400 and 3600 cal BC) told by pollen [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, J.; Torri, P.; Fontana, A.; Degasperi, N.; Bassetti, M.; Mercuri, A. M.; Micheli, R.
abstract

2022 - Climate, environment, and human occupation in the Holocene Tadrart Acacus [Capitolo/Saggio]
di Lernia, Savino; Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This chapter offers a synthetic analysis of the climate and environmental variations in the Tadrart Acacus during the Holocene. Most of the information is based on geological and palynological data, although other proxies were occasionally used. Starting with the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, wet conditions decreased until they reached the cool and arid “8.2 calBP event”. The environmental improvements recorded in the Middle Holocene were interrupted by a short arid interval around 7400- 7100 calBP. From 5900-5600 calBP onward, with the final disappearance of the African Monsoons, the region turned to the desert conditions that endure to this day. Within this environmental framework, the combination of geoarchaeological surveys, stratigraphic excavations, and a firm radiocarbon chronology allowed for a reconstruction of the societal and cultural changes across time. Groups of hunting-gathering-fishing humans who practiced immediate and/or delayed systems of resource exploitation were followed by transhumant cattle herders and year-round specialized shepherds and, later, oasis farmers and traders.

2022 - Environmental and land-use changes in a Mediterranean landscape: palynology and geoarchaeology at ancient Metapontum (Pantanello, Southern Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, A.; Zerboni, A.; Carter, J. C.; Clo', Eleonora; Mariani, G. S.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

The paper presents the results of palynological and geoarchaeological investigation carried out on the Greek- Roman site of Pantanello – ancient Metapontum – in the Metaponto Plain (southern Italy). This area, archaeologically investigated since the ‘70s, is an example of the long-term interaction between human communities and the environment. A total of 29 pollen samples and 43 bulk samples for sedimentological and mineralogical analyses were collected from three 2-m-deep trenches excavated in the vicinity of the archaeological complex of Pantanello and the alluvial plain of the Basento River. Our multidisciplinary investigation permitted to elucidate the main natural and human-controlled sedimentary processes that took place in the last two millennia. Large part of sedimentation occurred in fluvial environments and led to the accumulation of fine and organic matterrich deposits. This happened in alluvial to swampy environments at the margin of the Basento River plain. Since the Greek occupation of the area, human communities contributed to the sedimentation with different degree of intensity. In fact, human agency (herding and cultivation) tuned the intensity of soil erosion and slope processes, thus activating the colluvial mobilization of coarse sediments into the sedimentary sequence. Pollen analyses allowed exhaustive landscape reconstructions of the site, giving specific details on the land use and its transformations during the Greek and Roman phases. The increased human exploitation of the area altered the intensity of surface processes (erosion and sedimentation) and the evolution of plant cover promoted by natural dynamics.

2022 - European pollen-based REVEALS land-cover reconstructions for the Holocene: methodology, mapping and potentials [Articolo su rivista]
Githumbi, Esther; Fyfe, Ralph; Gaillard, Marie-Jose; Trondman, Anna-Kari; Mazier, Florence; Nielsen, Anne-Birgitte; Poska, Anneli; Sugita, Shinya; Woodbridge, Jessie; Azuara, Julien; Feurdean, Angelica; Grindean, Roxana; Lebreton, Vincent; Marquer, Laurent; Nebout-Combourieu, Nathalie; Stancikaite, Migle; Tantau, Ioan; Tonkov, Spassimir; Shumilovskikh, Lyudmila; LandClimII data contributors, And; Åkesson, Christine; Balakauskas, Lauras; Batalova, Vlada; Birks, H. John B.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Zernitskaya, Valentina
abstract

Quantitative reconstructions of past land cover are necessary to determine the processes involved in climate–human–land-cover interactions. We present the first temporally continuous and most spatially extensive pollen-based land-cover reconstruction for Europe over the Holocene (last 11 700 cal yr BP). We describe how vegetation cover has been quantified from pollen records at a 1∘ × 1∘ spatial scale using the “Regional Estimates of VEgetation Abundance from Large Sites” (REVEALS) model. REVEALS calculates estimates of past regional vegetation cover in proportions or percentages. REVEALS has been applied to 1128 pollen records across Europe and part of the eastern Mediterranean–Black Sea–Caspian corridor (30–75∘ N, 25∘ W–50∘ E) to reconstruct the percentage cover of 31 plant taxa assigned to 12 plant functional types (PFTs) and 3 land-cover types (LCTs). A new synthesis of relative pollen productivities (RPPs) for European plant taxa was performed for this reconstruction. It includes multiple RPP values (≥2 values) for 39 taxa and single values for 15 taxa (total of 54 taxa). To illustrate this, we present distribution maps for five taxa (Calluna vulgaris, Cerealia type (t)., Picea abies, deciduous Quercus t. and evergreen Quercus t.) and three land-cover types (open land, OL; evergreen trees, ETs; and summer-green trees, STs) for eight selected time windows. The reliability of the REVEALS reconstructions and issues related to the interpretation of the results in terms of landscape openness and human-induced vegetation change are discussed. This is followed by a review of the current use of this reconstruction and its future potential utility and development. REVEALS data quality are primarily determined by pollen count data (pollen count and sample, pollen identification, and chronology) and site type and number (lake or bog, large or small, one site vs. multiple sites) used for REVEALS analysis (for each grid cell). A large number of sites with high-quality pollen count data will produce more reliable land-cover estimates with lower standard errors compared to a low number of sites with lower-quality pollen count data. The REVEALS data presented here can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937075 (Fyfe et al., 2022).

2022 - FROM ARCHEOPALYNOLOGY TO AEROPALYNOLGY: A FIRST LOOK AT THE URBAN GREEN DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF REGGIO EMILIA [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Furia, Elisa; Travaglini, Alessandro; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2022 - IN SEARCH OF NEW TOOLS TO TRACE BACK THE HISTORY OF OLIVE CULTIVATION [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Ricucci, Cristina; Snitker, Grant; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Gabriel, SERVERA-VIVES
abstract

2022 - Modern analogs for understanding pollen-vegetation dynamics in a Mediterranean mosaic landscape (Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean) [Articolo su rivista]
Gabriel, Servera-Vives; Mus Amezquita, Maurici; Snitker, Grant; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Estrany Bertos, Joan; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This paper presents the study of modern pollen analogs from the Balearic Islands. While similar studies have been largely applied to mainland areas, research focused on modern vegetation dynamics on Mediterranean islands remains very rare. In this research, we combine vegetation surveys, pollen analysis and multivariate statistics to understand landscape composition. The main objectives of are: (1) to examine pollen-vegetation relationships in relation to environmental and land-use variables; (2) to understand modern pollen representation in a mosaic landscape structure; and (3) to propose pollen indicators that characterize the primary vegetation types from the Balearic Islands to better interpret past pollen records in Mediterranean island environments. Pollen results and Redundancy Analysis (RDA) distinguish three major groups: (a) Holm oak and box formations; (b) maquis and garrigues; and (c) anthropogenic and open habitats. Landscape form, mean decadal rainfall, mean decadal temperature, fire activity, trampling, slope percentage, wet/ flooded soil, saline soil, distance to agropastoral cells, gHM index, domestic herbivory presence, agropastoral use, and soil type are the major variables explaining modern pollen assemblage variation in our research. Poaceae undiff., Plantago sp., Apiaceae undiff., Cerealia-t, and Cichorieae are highly correlated to human activities but should be interpreted cautiously when occurring in low values. Quercus ilex-t, Hypericum, and Buxus are correlated to humid locations while Pistacia, Pinus, Juniperus-t, and Olea to high mean decadal temperatures. Our study indicates how pollen analysis and multivariate analysis are powerful tools for characterizing the mosaic landscape, with special focus on the main vegetation types of the Balearic Islands.

2022 - Modern pollen analogues from the Balearic Islands (Full Dataset) [Banca dati]
Servera-Vives, Gabriel; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This dataset includes the full pollen types identified from the study of modern pollen analogues from the Balearic Islands. This dataset counts on 46 locations from Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa, Formentera and Cabrera. Samples were collected during 2016 and 2017, and they were selected to gather information about the pollen rain of the main vegetation types forming the typical Mediterranean mosaic landscape that dominates the archipelago. Further details on the methods and information about the samples can be obtained in this paper: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/09596836221088229

2022 - Multiporate Pollen of Poaceae as Bioindicator of Environmental Stress: First Archaeobotanical Evidence from the Early–Middle Holocene Site of Takarkori in the Central Sahara [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Clo', Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta
abstract

This paper reports on the most ancient unusual morphological trait of the apertures of Poaceae pollen found in archaeological layers. In Poaceae, high levels of hybridization, polyploidy, apomixis, and multiporate pollen are often related. Multiple genomes in polyploids are critical for the adaptation of plant species to stresses and could be revealed by anomalies in pollen development. Therefore, the paleoenvironmental research can gain great benefits from identifying polyploids in past contexts by observing anomalous pollen morphology during pollen counts. The occurrence of multiporate pollen in Poaceae has also been related to special features of the ecology of the species showing this anomaly, as well as to climatic and environmental stresses experienced by Poaceae living in a given region. Multiporate and bi- or tri-porate instead of monoporate pollen grains have been observed in samples taken from Takarkori rockshelter, an archaeological site in southwestern Libya (central Sahara) that has been occupied between ~10,200 and ~4650 cal BP. Multiporate pollen was found in organic sands and coprolites of ovicaprines. On the basis of archaeobotanical research, this work aims to investigate whether the presence of supernumerary pores in Poaceae pollen may be an effect of both climatic/hydrological changes and continued anthropogenic pressure on the wild grasses living in the region. The presence of multiporate pollen reveals that Poaceae that lived in central Sahara tackled several kinds of stress during the early and middle Holocene. The Takarkori pollen record suggests that climate change could have played a major role in the early Holocene, while human pressure became stronger during the middle Holocene. The change in environmental conditions determined adaptive responses of polyploid grasses even in the form of multiporate pollen.

2022 - PALYNOLOGICAL ANALYSES AT GARDOLO DI MEZZO (TN): ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATIONS AND LAND USE IN A CULT AREA FROM THE COPPER AND BRONZE AGE [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, Jessica; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bassetti, Michele; Rottoli, Mauro; Castiglioni, Elisabetta; Mottes, Elisabetta
abstract

2022 - Palaeoecological Data indicates land-use changes across Europe linked to spatial heterogeneity in mortality during the Black Death pandemic [Articolo su rivista]
Izdebski, A.; Guzowski, P.; Poniat, R.; Masci, L.; Palli, J.; Vignola, C.; Bauch, M.; Cocozza, C.; Fernandes, R.; Ljungqvist, F. C.; Newfield, T.; Seim, A.; Abel-Schaad, D.; Alba-Sánchez, F.; Björkman, L.; Brauer, A.; Brown, A.; Czerwiński, S.; Ejarque, A.; Fiłoc, M.; Florenzano, A.; Fredh, E. D.; Fyfe, R.; Jasiunas, N.; Kołaczek, P.; Kouli, K.; 1, ; Kozáková, R.; Kupryjanowicz, M.; Lagerås, P.; Lamentowicz, M.; Lindbladh, M.; López-Sáez, J. A.; Luelmo-Lautenschlaeger, R.; Marcisz, K.; Mazier, F.; Mensing, S.; Mercuri, A. M.; Milecka, K.; Miras, Y.; Noryśkiewicz, A. M.; Novenko, E.; Obremska, M.; Panajiotidis, S.; Papadopoulou, M. L.; Pędziszewska, A.; Pérez-Díaz, S.; Piovesan, G.; Pluskowski, A.; Pokorny, P.; Poska, A.; Reitalu, T.; Rösch, M.; Sadori, L.; Sá Ferreira, C.; Sebag, D.; Słowiński, M.; Stančikaitė, M.; Stivrins, N.; Tunno, I.; Veski, S.; Wacnik, A.; Masi, A.
abstract

The Black Death (1347–1352 CE) is the most renowned pandemic in human history, believed by many to have killed half of Europe’s population. However, despite advances in ancient DNA research that conclusively identified the pandemic’s causative agent (bacterium Yersinia pestis), our knowledge of the Black Death remains limited, based primarily on qualitative remarks in medieval written sources available for some areas of Western Europe. Here, we remedy this situation by applying a pioneering new approach, ‘big data palaeoecology’, which, starting from palynological data, evaluates the scale of the Black Death’s mortality on a regional scale across Europe. We collected pollen data on landscape change from 261 radiocarbon-dated coring sites (lakes and wetlands) located across 19 modern-day European countries. We used two independent methods of analysis to evaluate whether the changes we see in the landscape at the time of the Black Death agree with the hypothesis that a large portion of the population, upwards of half, died within a few years in the 21 historical regions we studied. While we can confirm that the Black Death had a devastating impact in some regions, we found that it had negligible or no impact in others. These inter-regional differences in the Black Death’s mortality across Europe demonstrate the significance of cultural, ecological, economic, societal and climatic factors that mediated the dissemination and impact of the disease. The complex interplay of these factors, along with the historical ecology of plague, should be a focus of future research on historical pandemics.

2022 - Palaeoenvironment, settlement and land-use in the Late Neolithic –Bronze Age site of Colombare di Negrar di Valpolicella (N Italy, on-site) [Articolo su rivista]
Tecchiati, U.; Salzani, P.; Gulino, F.; Proserpio, B.; Reggio, C.; Putzolu, C.; Rattighieri, E.; Clo', E.; Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.
abstract

Palynological and archaeobotanical analyses have been carried out as part of the interdisciplinary project of Colombare di Negrar, a prehistoric site in the Lessini Mountains (northern Italy). The palaeoenvironmental and economic reconstruction from the Late Neolithic to the beginning of the Early Bronze Age was based on 16 pollen samples and three samples of macroremains taken from two contiguous trenches. The landscape reconstruction shows the presence of natural clearings in the wood. Forest cover was characterised by oak wood, with Ulmus and Tilia. The intermediate morphol ogy of size and exine of Tilia cordata/platyphyllos pollen may be regarded as the first palynological evidence of lime hybrids in palaeorecords. Hygrophilous trees and Vitis vinifera testify to the presence of riparian forests and moist soils. Among trees supplying fruits, in addition to the grapevine, hazel nut (Corylus avellana) and walnut (Juglans regia) were present. A mixed economy based on animal breeding and cultivation of cereals (Hordeum vulgare, Triticum monococcum, T. dicoccum, T. timopheevii) emerged from the data. The combined analysis of pollen and plant macroremains suggests that different activities were carried out simultaneously in Colombare and a relationship between natural resources and the socio-economic and cultural evolution of the territory.

2022 - Palynology for Sustainability: A Classical and Versatile Tool for New Challenges [Curatela]
Florenzano, A.; Clo', E.; Servera-Vives, G.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Palynology is a bridge between different research fields. This centenary discipline studying fossils and modern pollen and spores represents a landmark in multidisciplinary studies on both past and current environmental issues. Palynology plays an important role not only in ‘basic research’ on botanical taxonomy, phylogeny, reproductive biology, and phenology but also in ‘applied research’ focused on the measurement of environmental variables, including the quality of food and air. Aerobiology is one of the main fields, together with palaeoecology, which demonstrates the great power of pollen as a methodological approach to add details and information to other methods. In addition, paleoenvironmental studies are based on the analysis of pollen from sediments and archaeological layers, which provides a long-term perspective to understand ecosystem responses to different human and climate triggers. In this sense, recent palynological research has repeatedly demonstrated that past cultures adopted cultural choices to tackle environmental and climate changes to ensure social resilience by using multi-functional land uses to exploit nature without compromising the environment. Starting from the MedPalynoS-2021 meeting, this issue aims to collect groundbreaking papers using palynology as a cornerstone for their research, including some papers awarded during the conference. Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, and sedimentary charcoal are excellent bioindicators for detecting human impact and landscape development. For this reason, interdisciplinary bio-geo-archaeo investigations on on-site/off-site integration and Holocene contexts and palynology in studies on phylogeny, reproductive strategy, melissopalynology, and forensic sciences are welcomed. We encourage submissions of research articles from the palynological community on all aspects of the discipline, especially reporting the latest updates to face future challenges.

2022 - Plant use [Voce in Dizionario o Enciclopedia]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Plant use is a familiar word pair that emphasizes how the great wealth of properties and characters of different botanical species has allowed humans to develop different aspects of their culture. On one hand, plants communicate chemically with each other; on the other hand, their wealth of chemical communication tools has attracted humans, who are interested in colors and smells, taste and food, fuel, wellness, and health. The traces of plants buried in archeological sites—the subject of archeobotany—allow us to reconstruct the steps of the relationship between humans and plants. Surprisingly, the study of botanical remains from the past shows complex uses since the very early stages of human cultures, dating back even before the beginning of the Holocene. The relationship with the environment was structured in forms of increased control, at least from the invention of agriculture (as something that had never existed before) onward, undertaking complex forms of exploitation in accordance with the different cultures in the different regions of the world. In more recent times, people and plants have also progressively developed a history of greater management and interdependence, including the development of agricultural landscapes, selection of domesticated species, and creation of gardens. The relationship with plants changes as society changes, leading to the loss of much knowledge in present times because of less connection and contact with nature. Knowledge and conservation of traditions dealing with plants are studied with ethnobotany, which explores plant use in the present day. Ecology for ecosystem services is the newest perspective on plant use, where perhaps trees return to play a key role in human existence without being cut down, and the green color of chlorophyll returns as a reassuring signal to the human species.

2022 - Pollen as a tool to reconstruct environmental transformations and land use: case study from a cult area from the Copper and Bronze Age at Gardolo di Mezzo (TN). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, J.; Torri, P.; Mercuri, A. M.; Rottoli, M.; Castiglioni, E.; Bassetti, M.; Mottes, E.
abstract

2022 - Prime indagini palinologiche [Capitolo/Saggio]
Florenzano, A.; Rattighieri, E.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Il lavoro presenta i risultati delle prime indagini palinologiche condotte nel sito altogardesano del Doss Penede (Nago-Torbole, TN). Le indagini palinologiche si inseriscono nel quadro multidisciplinare delle ricerche finalizzate alla ricostruzione della vita e dell’ambiente locale durante le fasi di frequentazione dell’abitato. Le analisi microscopiche esplorative, condotte su campioni provenienti da contesti della seconda età del Ferro e romani, forniscono le prime informazioni utili alla conoscenza della paleoeconomia e alla ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale dell’area. Inoltre, i dati pollinici di campioni provenienti da diversi contesti del sito possono dare alcune indicazioni sulla destinazione d’uso da correlare con i dati archeologici.

2022 - Reply to ‘Reduction in grain pollen indicates population decline, but not necessarily Black Death mortality’ [Articolo su rivista]
Izdebski, A.; Bauch, M.; Guzowski, P.; Mensing, S.; Mercuri, A. M.; Newfield, T.; Piovesan, G.; Sadori, L.; Vignola, C.; Masi, A.
abstract

Letter to reply to: Daniel R. Curtis et al. Nature Ecology & Evolution (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01862-4 (2022)) that raise concerns about the interpretation of the results of the analysis of pollen data from 261 sites from 19 modern-day European countries presented in the paper by Izdebski et al. 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-021-01652-4).

2022 - Sustainability in the Neolithic and the Bronze Age through the lens of archaeobotany [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.; Clo', E.
abstract

Sustainability has played an important role in human cultures since prehistoric times. People shaped the environment to assure stability to settlements and crop fields, and to allow survival and wellness to generations. Changes of land use and plant selection were evident at any climate change across the Lateglacial and Holocene periods. The Mediterranean Basin as the cradle of western civilization has been a witness of adaptive strategies of prehistoric people living in many territories in past millennia. Most economies of prehistoric people are revealed by palynology and archaeobotany which give plant evidence of past environmental conditions. During Neolithic and the Bronze Age, the relationships of humans with Nature have probably started to change. The Bronze Age is emblematic as important technical and cultural skills were achieved that triggered the evolution of complex agro-sylvopastoral systems, as in the case of the land management adopted by the Terramare culture in the Po Plain. The shaping of the environment has resulted in different cultural landscapes that still today tell tales of struggle for survival and challenges fought in search of a sustainable development.

2022 - The Archaeobotanical Study of Agriculture of Roman Peasants: Skilled Farmers of the 1st BC – 5th AD in Tuscany, Central Italy [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Florenzano, Assunta
abstract

This paper focuses on the archaeobotanical study of small farmhouses and rural facilities on Roman sites in central Italy studied in the framework of the Roman Peasant Project

2021 - 1.36 million years of Mediterranean forest refugium dynamics in response to glacial–interglacial cycle strength [Articolo su rivista]
Donders, Timme; Panagiotopoulos, Konstantinos; Koutsodendris, Andreas; Bertini, Adele; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Masi, Alessia; Combourieu-Nebout, Nathalie; Joannin, Sébastien; Kouli, Katerina; Kousis, Ilias; Peyron, Odile; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Francke, Alexander; Wagner, Bernd; Sadori, Laura
abstract

The sediment record from Lake Ohrid (Southwestern Balkans) represents the longest continuous lake archive in Europe, extending back to 1.36 Ma. We reconstruct the vegetation history based on pollen analysis of the DEEP core to reveal changes in vegetation cover and forest diversity during glacial–interglacial (G–IG) cycles and early basin development. The earliest lake phase saw a significantly different composition rich in relict tree taxa and few herbs. Subsequent establishment of a permanent steppic herb association around 1.2 Ma implies a threshold response to changes in moisture availability and temperature and gradual adjustment of the basin morphology. A change in the character of G–IG cycles during the Early–Middle Pleistocene Transition is reflected in the record by reorganization of the vegetation from obliquity- to eccentricity-paced cycles. Based on a quantitative analysis of tree taxa richness, the first large-scale decline in tree diversity occurred around 0.94 Ma. Subsequent variations in tree richness were largely driven by the amplitude and duration of G–IG cycles. Significant tree richness declines occurred in periods with abundant dry herb associations, pointing to aridity affecting tree population survival. Assessment of long-term legacy effects between global climate and regional vegetation change reveals a significant influence of cool interglacial conditions on subsequent glacial vegetation composition and diversity. This effect is contrary to observations at high latitudes, where glacial intensity is known to control subsequent interglacial vegetation, and the evidence demonstrates that the Lake Ohrid catchment functioned as a refugium for both thermophilous and temperate tree species.

2021 - A palynological approach to the reconstruction of medieval landscape in Tuscany, Central Italy (nEU-Med project) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Furia, Elisa; Clo', Eleonora; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Paolo BUONINCONTRI, Mauro; Bianchi, Giovanna; Hodges, Richard
abstract

Part of the nEU-Med project, these palynological analyses on cores taken from Tuscany aim to help the reconstruction of the landscape and land use to better understand the processes of economic growth that took place between the 7th and 12th centuries AD.

2021 - Agricoltura e gestione del territorio nell’età del Rame dei Lessini occidentali: lavori in corso nel sito di Colombare di Villa (Negrar di Valpolicella, VR) [Articolo su rivista]
Tecchiati, U.; Salzani, P.; Orioli, M.; Mercuri, A. M.; Talamo, S.; Nicosia, C.; Amato, A.; Casati, S.; Cercatillo, S.; Florenzano, A.; Palmisano, E.; Paleček, D.; Proserpio, B.; Putzolu, C.; Rattighieri, E.; Reggio, C.
abstract

Almost 70 years after the first excavations, the site of Colombare di Villa di Negrar di Valpolicella is now the focus of a project of archaeological and paleoenvironmental investigations led by the University of Milan and the Cultural Heritage Office for the provinces of Verona, Rovigo and Vicenza. In the light of the archaeological evidence, the site was occupied from the Recent Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age, apparently without interruption. Probably it was founded in the context of systematic activities of extraction, processing and export of the high quality flint of the western Lessini Mountains, but its long duration also implies a deep-rooted presence in the territory due to the agricultural exploitation of the land. The project is based on a rigorously interdisciplinary methodology of investigation, oriented towards the study of the relations between the community settled at Colombare and the surrounding territory, and it avails itself of the collaboration of several research institutes. The results of pollen and archaeobotanical studies show a relatively developed agricultural economy, with cereal growing and wild fruit picking activities. Among these, the vine and the hazelnut are particularly important as species that must have been present in the site, probably cared for and systematically used for human consumption. Radiocarbon dates document a reduction of tree species in favor of herbaceous species starting from the last centuries of the fifth millennium BC, which can be interpreted as the effect of an extensive deforestation. Archaeozoological data, although they’re substantially unreliable in terms of function and chronological detail, indicate a prevalence of domestic animals, including typically Neolithic large cattle, and hunting activities, especially of the large ungulates of forest habitat. The very detailed data of the paleo-environmental researches at Colombare di Negrar allow to advance some considerations on the construction of the agrarian landscape in the alpine and prealpine area during the recent prehistory and protohistory, and on its peculiarities compared to the better known Po Valley area.

2021 - Cannabis pollen records in Italy: when the taxon actually entered the Mediterranean? [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Palli, Jordan; Florenzano, Assunta; Masi, Alessia; Mensing, Scott; Piovesan, Gianluca; Sadori, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2021 - Changes in theWest African landscape at the end of the African Humid Period [Capitolo/Saggio]
Anne-Marie, Lézine; Kévin, Lemonnier; Martyn P., Waller; Ilham, Bouimetarhan; Lydie, Dupont; Akaegbobi, I. M.; Assi-Kaudjhis, C.; Ballouche, A.; Buchet, G.; Kadomura, C.; Lebamba, J.; Maley, J.; Marchant, R.; Mariotti Lippi, M.; Médus, J.; Mercuri, A. M.; Njokuocha, R. C.; Roche, E.; Salzmann, U.; Schulz, E.; Sowunmi, A.; Tossou, M.; Vincens, A.
abstract

2021 - Contrasted climate patterns during the Late Glacial and Holocene in Italy reconstructed from pollen data [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Blache, Marion; Robles, Mary; Joannin, Sébastien; Brugiapaglia, Elisabetta; Ménot, Guillemette; Dugerdil, Lucas; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Jeanty, Angèle; Peyron, Odile
abstract

This study proposes here to use pollen data to reconstruct quantitatively the climate trends at the Italian scale during the last 15000 years. In order to reconstruct the climate, the Modern Analogue Technique was used to reconstruct the mean annual temperature and the annual precipitations.

2021 - Environmental And land use changes in a Mediterranean landscape: the case study of the Ancient Metapontum (Pantanello, S Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Zerboni, Andrea; Coleman CARTER, Joseph; Clo', Eleonora; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The paper presents the results of palynological and geoarchaeological investigation carried out on the Greek-Roman site of Pantanello (Metapontum, S Italy). The combined bio-geoarchaeological approach provides information for palaeoenvironmental and economical reconstructions of the ancient Metapontum area, suggesting that human impact have locally prevailed over climate influence on environmental changes.

2021 - Forging the Roman Rural Economy: A Blacksmithing Workshop and Its Tool Set at Marzuolo (Tuscany) [Articolo su rivista]
Oyen Astrid, Van; Tol, Gijs W.; Vennarucci, Rhodora G.; Agostini, Alexander; Serneels, Vincent; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Benatti, Alessandra
abstract

As an Early Imperial rural site of approximately two hectares in the hinterland of southern Tuscany with evidence of crafting and dwelling, Marzuolo belongs to an expanding and diverse group of known Roman minor centers. Between 2017 and 2019, excavations at Marzuolo revealed a blacksmithing workshop that was in operation in the first half of the first century CE and was violently destroyed in a fire and abandoned thereafter. As a result, the Marzuolo smithy presents a unique opportunity to investigate a “living” workshop, complete with its ephemeral features, worked objects, and comprehensive tool set. After reconstructing the chaîne opératoire of blacksmithing in its spatial setting at Marzuolo, this article integrates the rare find of the in situ tool set to argue for both a greater geo- graphical, social, and functional pervasiveness of metals in the Roman countryside than has hitherto been acknowledged and for the importance of minor centers in forging the ties that bound a dynamic rural economy.

2021 - Integrating palaeo- And archaeobotanical data for a synthesis of the Italian fossil record of Lycopus (Lamiaceae, Mentheae) [Articolo su rivista]
Martinetto, E.; Ardenghi, N. M. G.; Arobba, D.; Bertini, A.; Bosi, G.; Caramiello, R.; Castiglioni, E.; Florenzano, A.; Hvalj, A. V.; Kromer, B.; Maritan, M.; Mazzanti, M.; Macaluso, L.; Miola, A.; Perego, R.; Ravazzi, C.; Rinaldi, R.; Rottoli, M.; Talamo, S.; Vassio, E.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

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 in nine regions of Northern and Central Italy. Based on the available information on extant species, we detected nine morphological types of nutlets that can be used for the characterisation of fossils. Our analysis suggests that from 4 to 2.6 Ma a single taxon (L. cf. pliocenicus) with L. americanus-type of nutlets occurred in Italy. The first occurrence of the latter morphological type is from the early Oligocene of West Siberia. The available fossils mildly suggest that extant L. americanus could be the descendant of ancient Eurasian plants characterised by the L. americanus-type of nutlets, through expansion of their range to North America. Conversely, the abundant Italian records of the last 0.2 Ma, including remains from archaeological sites, are only referable to the Eurasian species L. europaeus.

2021 - Landscape evolution and social resilience in the Balearic Islands since Prehistory. The study case of Santa Ponça (Mallorca, Western Mediterranean) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Gabriel, Servera-Vives; Snitker, Grant; Gómez-Pujol, Lluís; Picornell-Gelabert, Llorenç; Fornós, Joan J.; Florenzano, Assunta; Calvo, Manuel; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The EU-funded OLEA-project (G.A.-895735) aims to focus on the drivers and timing of the spread of Olea macchia as a central feature of the current Balearic mosaic landscape. This work will advance research on mosaic landscape formation in the Mediterranean in relation to human, climate, and environmental drivers.

2021 - Late Quaternary paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Faideh fluvio-lacustrine sequence in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: a palynological approach. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, J.; Forti, L.; Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Regattieri, E.; Zerboni, A.
abstract

2021 - Paesaggio vegetale sulla base delle analisi del riempimento dei pozzi al margine del Villaggio Grande della Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio [Capitolo/Saggio]
Florenzano, Assunta; Clo', Eleonora; Zappa, Jessica; Chiara Montecchi, Maria; Furia, Elisa; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

L’ indagine palinologica del riempimento dei pozzi fornisce informazioni puntuali sulle modalità di formazione dei depositi ad integrazione del dato stratigrafico, testimoniando le varie fasi successive all’ utilizzo dei pozzi fino al loro completo riempimento in seguito a crolli o alla rifunzionalizzazione come rifiutaie. Inoltre, i dati pollinici danno indicazioni su flora e vegetazione nei pressi dei pozzi, nei momenti del loro utilizzo e nelle fasi di riempimento. Il confronto/integrazione dei dati ottenuti dalle analisi dei pozzi con quelli dalle sequenze dei fossati (in particolare con le serie polliniche prelevate nei Vertisuoli) consente una ricostruzione del paesaggio e dell’ uso del suolo, dettagliando i cambiamenti della vegetazione nelle fasi di vita e abbandono dell’ abitato. Tali informazioni sono fondamentali per investigare tempo e cause della crisi idrica e della concomitante azione antropica.

2021 - Palynology from Lake Faideh: environmental changes and human influence in Upper Mesopotamia (ca. 32,000 - 8,000 BC) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, Jessica; Forti, Luca; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Regattieri, Eleonora; Zerboni, Andrea
abstract

In this contribution we want to present the preliminary results of the palynological analysis of the Faideh fluviolacustrine sequence, located in the northwestern Kurdistan Iraqi Region (KRI). The study is part of a multidisciplinary project aimed at reconstructing the evolution of the Late Quaternary landscape of Upper Mesopotamia.

2021 - Palynology to investigate environmental transformations on a long‑term perspective in the Po Plain: the case study of the Terramara S. Rosa di Poviglio [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Clò, E.; Furia, E.; Torri, P.; Mariani, G. S.; Zerboni, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Cremaschi, M.
abstract

2021 - Pollen and molecular biomarkers from sedimentary archives: complementary tools to improve knowledge on the introduction of broomcorn millet in the central Po Plain (N Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Clo', Eleonora; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Jacob, Jérémy
abstract

2021 - Preliminary palynological analysis of the Late Neolithic and Copper Age site of Colombare di Villa (Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona, Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Rattighieri, Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Putzolu, Cristiano; Reggio, Chiara; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Salzani, Paola; Tecchiati, Umberto
abstract

The interdisciplinary research project of Colombare di Villa started in 2019 from the excavation made by Francesco Zorzi in the 50s, and included palynology to contribute to the palaeoenvironmental and economic reconstruction of people that settled in the N Italy site from late Neolithic to the beginning of early Bronze Age.

2021 - Rivularia heterocystis as indicator of long-term changes of moisture and nutrients in soils: a quali-quantitative study at the Terramara S. Rosa di Poviglio (Reggio Emilia, Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zini, Valentina; Taglini, Francesco; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Clo', Eleonora
abstract

This work is part of the constantly updated research on non-pollen palynomorphs (NPP). The study was focused on the identification of Rivularia, a cyanobacterium that is an excellent bioindicator as it requires certain trophic, climatic and environmental conditions at different stages of the life cycle (Whitton and Mateo 2012).

2021 - Sharing the Agrarian Knowledge with Archaeology: First Evidence of the Dimorphism of Vitis Pollen from the Middle Bronze Age of N Italy (Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Clo', Eleonora; Mariotti Lippi, Marta; Sgarbi, Elisabetta; Bignami, Cristina
abstract

The recovery of inaperturate pollen from functionally female ﬂowers in archaeological layers opens the question of a possible pollen-based discrimination between wild and domesticated Vitis vinifera in prehistoric times. Pollen analysis applied to archaeology has not routinely considered the existence of pollen dimorphism in Vitis, a well-known trait in the ﬁeld of agrarian studies. Therefore, the inaperturate shape of grapevine pollen is ignored by studies on the archaeobotanical history of viticulture. In this paper we investigate pollen morphology of the domesticated and wild subspecies of V. vinifera, and report the ﬁrst evidence of inaperturate Vitis pollen from an archaeological site. We studied exemplar cases of plants with hermaphroditic ﬂowers, belonging to the subspecies vinifera with fully developed male and female organs, cases of dioecious plants with male or female ﬂowers, belonging to the wild subspecies sylvestris and cases of V. vinifera subsp. vinifera with morphologically hermaphroditic but functionally female ﬂowers. The pollen produced by hermaphroditic and male ﬂowers is usually trizonocolporate; the pollen produced by female ﬂowers is inaperturate. This paper reports on the inaperturate pollen of Vitis found in an archeological site of the Po Plain, Northern Italy. The site dated to the Bronze Age, which is known to have been a critical age for the use of this plant with a transition from wild to domesticated Vitis in central Mediterranean. Can the inaperturate Vitis pollen be a marker of wild Vitis vinifera in prehistoric times? Palynology suggests a possible new investigation strategy on the ancient history of the wild and cultivated grapevine. The pollen dimorphism also implies a different production and dispersal of pollen of the wild and the domesticated subspecies. Grapevine plants are palynologically different from the other Mediterranean “cultural trees”. In fact, Olea, Juglans and Castanea, which are included in the OJC index, have the same pollen morphology and the same pollen dispersal, in wild and domesticated plants. In contrast, the signal of Vitis pollen in past records may be different depending on the hermaphroditic or dioecious subspecies.

2021 - Supplemental material of the paper "Modern analogues for understanding pollen-vegetation dynamics in a Mediterranean mosaic landscape (Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean)" [Banca dati]
Servera-Vives, G.; Mus Amezquita, M.; Snitker, G.; Florenzano, A.; Torri, P.; Estrany, J.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

This supplementary material includes a dataset including information of environmental variables and sample information and an RMarkdown with the analytical codes used in the paper. This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie [grant agreement 895735; Olea-project); Movilidad y conectividad de las comunidades prehistóricas en el Mediterraneo occidental durante la prehistoria reciente: El caso de las Islas Baleares [PID2019-108692GB-I00], financed by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Spanish Government). GSV also received funding from Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación [IJCI-2016-30581], Vicenç Mut program [GOIB & ESF: PD-018-2017] and José Castillejo [CAS16/00040] fellowships. GS research was also supported in part by an appointment to the United States Forest Service (USFS) Research Participation Program administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). ORISE is managed by ORAU under DOE contract number DE-SC0014664. All opinions expressed in this paper are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the policies and views of USDA, DOE, or ORAU/ORISE.

2021 - The dimorphism of Vitis pollen: a different palynological imprint of wild and domesticated V. vinifera L. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Clo', Eleonora; Mariotti Lippi, Marta; Sgarbi, Elisabetta; Bignami, Cristina
abstract

The dimorphism of Vitis pollen is a well-known feature in agrarian studies and a practically ignored characteristic in the archaeobotanical/palaeoenvironmental field of research. Trizonocolporate and inaperturate pollen grains are common in the wild subspecies of Vitis but can occur in some ancient cultivars of the subspecies vinifera.

2021 - Transported landscape and social resilience in the Balearic Islands since Prehistory. The study-case of Santa Ponça (Mallorca, Western Mediterranean). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Servera-Vives, G.; Snitker, G.; Gómez-Pujol, L.; Picornell-Gelabert, L.; Fornós, J. J.; Florenzano, A.; Calvo Trias, M.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

2020 - 2. Methodologies [Capitolo/Saggio]
Arnoldus, Antonia; Bowes, Kim; Collins-Elliott, Stephen; Grey, Cam; Ghisleni, Mariaelena; Mackinnon, Michael; Mathieu, James; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sfacteria, Marco; Vaccaro, Emanuele
abstract

2020 - Agriculture and Land use [Capitolo/Saggio]
Arnoldus, Antonia; Bowes, Kim; Mackinnon, Michael; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - Cambiamenti climatici, gestione sostenibile delle risorse, salute delle società e dell’ambiente: il caso studio della Terramara S. Rosa di Poviglio [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Clo', E.; Zerboni, A.; Cremaschi, M.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

È sempre più evidente come la salute della nostra specie sia strettamente legata alla salute degli ecosistemi a livello globale (“One Health”). Solamente rispettando questo rapporto sinergico, sarà possibile gestire le risorse naturali in modo responsabile, limitando gli effetti del cambiamento climatico, la perdita di biodiversità e di servizi ecosistemici e il diffondersi di nuove pandemie favorite dalla crescente globalizzazione. Si è appena concluso il progetto SUCCESSO-TERRA (PRIN-20158KBLNB; coord. Mauro Cremaschi - Andrea Zerboni, Università degli Studi di Milano; https://www.successoterra.net), basato sulla sistematica collaborazione tra diverse competenze in ambito palinologico e geoarcheologico, con lo scopo di indagare il legame imprescindibile tra le popolazioni terramaricole, presenti in Pianura Padana durante l’Età del Bronzo, e l’ambiente in cui esse erano inserite. Lo studio della civiltà delle Terramare (1550 - 1170 a.C.) si collega a temi estremamente attuali quali le variazioni ambientali, l’impatto antropico e lo sviluppo sostenibile. Infatti, questa società avanzata dal punto di vista tecnologico e culturale trasformò profondamente il paesaggio e, dopo anni di intenso sviluppo, subì un declino improvviso probabilmente causato dallo sfruttamento eccessivo delle risorse accentuato da una concomitante crisi idrica e climatica. Partendo dall'analisi pollinica già effettuata su campioni raccolti all’interno della Terramara S. Rosa di Poviglio (RE) che mostrano la presenza di attività umane, si è deciso di implementare gli studi di ricostruzione paleoambientale analizzando tre carotaggi posti a Nord del sito per ottenere un riferimento sui cambiamenti a scala regionale nel corso dell’Olocene, identificando le risposte adattative delle società umane. Le carote sedimentologiche studiate sono state campionate a distanza progressivamente maggiore dal sito archeologico, sia per indagare eventuali variazioni di impatto antropico sia per analizzare l'uso del suolo durante e dopo l'Età del Bronzo. È in corso l’analisi palinologica di circa 300 campioni, utile ad ottenere dettagli sulle aree dedicate alle coltivazioni e al pascolo e sulla presenza di piante sinantropiche nel territorio, la copertura arborea e lo sfruttamento delle risorse boschive, gli ambienti umidi e la relazione con la risorsa idrica. Lo studio del passato può aiutare a comprendere i cambiamenti in atto a livello ambientale. L’analisi pollinica è un ottimo strumento per ricostruire le trasformazioni indotte da cause climatiche e/o antropiche, con la potenzialità di orientare scelte politiche future, basate sulla conoscenza di dinamiche a lungo termine, riguardanti il benessere delle popolazioni.

2020 - Case Nuove - Botanical materials [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - Colle Massari - Botanical materials [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - Diet, Dining, and Subsistence [Capitolo/Saggio]
Bowes, Kim; Mackinnon, Michael; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Vaccaro, Emanuele
abstract

2020 - Geoarchaeological evidence of multiple climatic and anthropic triggers driving the breakdown of the Terramare civilization (Bronze Age, Northern Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zerboni, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.; Clo', E.; Zanchetta, G.; Regattieri, E.; Isola, I.; Brandolini, F.; Cremaschi, M.
abstract

The Terramare civilization included hundreds of banked andmoated villages, located in the alluvial plain of the Po River of northern Italy, and developed between the Middle and the Recent Bronze Ages (XVI-XII cent. BC). This civilization lasted for over 500 years, collapsing at around 1150 years BC, in a period marked by a great societal disruptionin the Mediterranean area. The timing and modalities of the collapse of the Terramare Bronze Age culture are widely debated, and a combined geoarchaeological and palaeoclimatic investigation – the SUCCESSO-TERRA Project –is shading new light on this enigma. The Terramare economy was based upon cereal farming, herding, and metallurgy; settlements were also sustained by a well-developed system for the management of water and abundant wood resources. They also established a wide network of commercial exchange between continental Europe and the Mediterranean region.The SUCCESSOTERRA Project investigated two main Bronze Age sites in Northern Italy:(i) the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio, and (ii) the San Michele di Valestra site, which is a coeval settlement outside the Terramare territory, but in the adjoining Apennine range. Human occupation at San Michele di Valestra persisted after the Terramare crisis and the site was settled with continuity throughout the whole Bronze Ages, up to the Iron Age. The combined geoarchaeological, palaeoclimatic, and archaeobotanical investigation on different archaeological sites and on independent archives for climatic proxies (offsite cores and speleothems) highlights the existence of both climatic and anthropic critical factors triggering a dramatic shift of the landuse of the Terramare civilization. The overexploitation of natural resources became excessive in the late period of the Terramare trajectory, when also a climatic change occurred. A fresh speleothem record for the same region suggests the occurrence of a short-lived period of climatic instability followed by a marked peak of aridity. The unfavourable concomitance between human overgrazing and climatic-triggered environmental pressure, amplified the on-going societal crisis, likely leading to the breakdown of the Terramare civilization in the turn of a generation.

2020 - INVESTIGATING MEDIEVAL LANDSCAPES: THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE ARCHAEOBOTANICAL APPROACH TO THE NEU-Med PROJECT (TUSCANY, CENTRAL ITALY) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Furia, Elisa; Buonincontri, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bianchi, Giovanna; Hodges, Richard
abstract

Palynological analyses were carried out in the Tyrrhenian coastal area of the Northern Maremma to analyse the changes that occurred in natural and anthropic environments between the 7th and 12th century AD. Investigations pertained to two off-site cores in the alluvial plains of the Pecora and Cornia rivers (where two lagoons were reclaimed in the Modern Age) and to the archaeological site of Vetricella (sampling the filling of one of defensive ditches). The research is useful to better understand the processes of economic growth that took place during that time period in south-western Tuscany [1]. Moreover, reconstructing the landscape around the archaeological site of Vetricella can provide information on the use of the natural resources and soil. Given the strong multidisciplinary approach of the nEU-Med project, the data provided by the palynological and microcharcoal analyses can be integrated with those from other analyses and specialists to obtain a more detailed picture of the territory. A total of 46 samples (18 from the core Pecora 3; 14 from Cornia 7; 14 from the north trench of the ditch in Vetricella) were treated and analysed. The samples present well-preserved pollen grains in Pecora 3 and Cornia 7, while the Vetricella samples show prevalently low preserved grains. The pollen diagram suggests some main features of the landscape. A more open landscape was spread next to Vetricella, in the Pecora river basin, while the Cornia 7 was characterised by a slightly higher tree/shrub cover. Forest cover was featured by oak woodland with mesophilous trees (Quercus, Ostrya/Carpinus and Carpinus), and wet woods with hygrophilous trees (Salix and Alnus). The wet environments are marked also by herb plants like Typha/Sparganium. In regard to human activities, the spectra include the presence of cereals, anthropogenic indicators (API) and indicators of grazing (LPPI). Cereal pollen was a marker of both the cultivation of crop fields or the transport of cereals to the archaeological site. Microcharcoal analyses attest the presence of (regional and local) fires, especially in the bottom part of the sequence, during a phase with the decrease of Quercus and growth of Erica (a postfire pioneer shrub) in the pollen spectra.

2020 - Il sito preromano e romano del Doss Penede (Nago-Torbole, TN): la campagna di scavo 2019 [Articolo su rivista]
Vaccaro, E.; Angelucci, D. E.; Bassi, C.; Buonopane, A.; Florenzano, A.; Marani, F.; Matteazzi, M.; Mercuri, A. M.; Rattighieri, E.; Sfacteria, M.; Zambaldi, M.
abstract

Begun in 2019, the excavation project at the pre-Roman and Roman hilltop-site at the Doss Penede (Nago, TN) in the High Lake Garda is the result of a fruitful collaboration among the Department of Humanities of the University of Trento, the Superintendency for Cultural Heritage of the Autonomous Province of Trento and the Township of Nago-Torbole. The site has been known since the early 1990s when its outstanding buildings attracted local interest. However, no stratigraphic investigation has been promoted until 2019, when the site was chosen as the first case-study of a wider project aimed at analysing patterns of change occurred at settle-ments, economy and the cultural landscape between the second Iron Age and the late Roman period in the area of the High Garda Lake and the Sarca valley. The first excavation season, whose results are presented and discussed in this paper, uncovered a well-planned hilltop site characterised by a system of parallel large terrace-walls linked by monumental staircases and butted by buildings of various functions. Occupied uninterruptedly between the second Iron Age and the 3rd-4th centuries AD, the site likely experienced a process of monumentalisation in the early Roman period. The Doss Penede is a quintessential example of the resil-ience of pre-roman hilltop sites at the time of Romanisation of Cisalpine Gaul.

2020 - Land-use and cultivation in the etaghas of the Tadrart Acacus (south-west Libya): The dawn of Saharan agriculture? [Articolo su rivista]
Di Lernia, S.; Massamba N'Siala, I.; Mercuri, A. M.; Zerboni, A.
abstract

The hyperarid climate of the central Sahara precludes permanent agriculture, although occasional temporary ponds, or etaghas, as a result of rain-fed flooding of wadi beds in the Tadrart Acacus Mountains of the Libyan Sahara allow the pastoral Kel Tadrart Tuareg to cultivate cereals. Geoarchaeological and archaeological data, along with radiocarbon dating and evidence from rock art, however, suggest a much greater antiquity for the exploitation of these etaghas. The authors propose that the present-day cultivation of etaghas mirrors attempts at flood-recession or rain-fed cultivation by late prehistoric Pastoral Neolithic groups, who first exploited residual water resources to supplement their pastoral subsistence practices.

2020 - Long Term Perspective of Environmental Changes (the more you learn, the easier saving the Earth will become) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, A. M.; Becchi, F.; Borgonovi, N.; Cagnin, E.; Castellari, F.; Miranda, F.; Paiano, M.; Paralovo, E.; Richeldi, M.; Sala, A.; Van Tongeren, E.; Zanetti, F.; Florenzano, A.
abstract

Biology is among the best trans-disciplinary sciences with a strategic role for developing a sustainable strategy of life. The students of the Master degree in Applied and Experimental Biology of Modena University have cooperated to prepare this paper after the course of Applied Botany and Palynology of 2019. In this synthesis, three chapters report on the main ideas and outcomes they have collected from the power-point slide shows they presented in class on the topic of understanding “Long-Term Environmental Changes”. The focus of the three chapters is on the key issues related to sustainability from a biological/ecological standpoint: the analysis of biodiversity, vulnerability assessment and domesticated nature. As biologists of the future, the Master students show us three complementary points of view to consider this crucial topic, from observational methods to predictions for the future.

2020 - L’ambiente delle terramare: territorio e vita di una popolazione dell’età del bronzo ricostruiti tramite la palinologia [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Zappa, J.; Clo', E.; Florenzano, A.; Torri, P.; Furia, E.; Montecchi, M. C.; Mercuri, A. M.; Zerboni, A.; Cremaschi, M.
abstract

Lo studio palinologico e geoarcheologico di due strutture per la captazione dell’acqua (pozzi) rinvenute durante gli scavi nella Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio (Fig. 1) ha permesso di ottenere dettagli sull’ambiente, l’uso del suolo e lo sfruttamento del territorio di una civiltà che occupò la Pianura Padana approssimativamente tra 3600 e 3200 anni fa. Quest’indagine rientra nell’ambito del progetto interdisciplinare SUCCESSO-TERRA (PRIN- 20158KBLNB; coord. Mauro Cremaschi - Andrea Zerboni, Università degli Studi di Milano) volto ad indagare i cambiamenti ambientali e culturali avvenuti nell’area Padana nell’Età del Bronzo. I pozzi campionati (UUSS 2106 e 6170) sono situati rispettivamente nella recinzione dell’abitato e al margine settentrionale del fossato che separa i due villaggi costituenti la Terramare. Sono stati prelevati e analizzati 25 campioni pollinici di cui 15 dal pozzo US 2106 (datato dal BM3 al BR1) e 10 dalla struttura US 6170 (datato BR2/BR1). I risultati ottenuti dall’analisi pollinica (Fig. 2) hanno fornito informazioni sulle condizioni di vita e l’uso di risorse vegetali durante le fasi di vita della Terramare e la fase ad essa immediatamente successiva. In accordo con il quadro generale delle ricerche palinologiche sulle Terramare e in particolare sulla base di quanto noto presso Santa Rosa, è emersa una diminuzione brusca del bosco, in particolare boschi igrofili, nella fase finale del Bronzo Recente. Il calo di polline di piante igrofile accompagna questa fase indicando un incremento locale di aridità. Questo evento è registrato in diversi archivi biostratigrafici, idrologici e sedimentari dell’arco alpino e permette, quindi, di supporre che un calo nella disponibilità di acqua nei suoli deve aver avuto ripercussioni sugli ecosistemi e sulle condizioni di vita degli abitanti della Pianura Padana. Il calo di polline di piante arboree denota, inoltre, un impatto delle attività antropiche nell’area, dovuto all’aumento demografico della popolazione e al conseguente aumento della richiesta di materie prime per la costruzione e di spazi da dedicare all’agricoltura. Le analisi polliniche mostrano anche una variazione nella tipologia di cereali coltivati in queste fasi, con il passaggio da specie a maggiore esigenza idrica (ad esempio, il frumento) a specie meno esigenti (ad esempio, orzo e miglio), confermando l’avvento di una fase più arida. Questa fase di aridità, unita a una minore fertilità del terreno dovuta al sovra-sfruttamento, deve aver favorito l’espandersi di aree dedicate a pascolo piuttosto che a coltivazioni. Il caso delle Terramare risulta pertanto un riferimento per la nostra condizione attuale in cui lo sfruttamento non sostenibile sta modificando gli ecosistemi in cui viviamo, con ripercussioni sul nostro stile di vita, sulla nostra salute e sulle nostre abitudini.

2020 - Marzuolo - Botanical materials [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - New AMS 14C dates track the arrival and spread of broomcorn millet cultivation and agricultural change in prehistoric Europe [Articolo su rivista]
Filipovic, D.; Meadows, J.; Corso, M. D.; Kirleis, W.; Alsleben, A.; Akeret, O.; Bittmann, F.; Bosi, G.; Ciuta, B.; Dreslerova, D.; Effenberger, H.; Gyulai, F.; Heiss, A. G.; Hellmund, M.; Jahns, S.; Jakobitsch, T.; Kapcia, M.; Klooss, S.; Kohler-Schneider, M.; Kroll, H.; Makarowicz, P.; Marinova, E.; Markle, T.; Medovic, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Mueller-Bieniek, A.; Nisbet, R.; Pashkevich, G.; Perego, R.; Pokorny, P.; Pospieszny, L.; Przybyla, M.; Reed, K.; Rennwanz, J.; Stika, H. -P.; Stobbe, A.; Tolar, T.; Wasylikowa, K.; Wiethold, J.; Zerl, T.
abstract

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 bc. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 bc, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium bc, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century bc, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries bc. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and thus surplus food/fodder, it likely was a transformative innovation in European prehistoric agriculture previously based mainly on (winter) cropping of wheat and barley. We provide a new, high-resolution chronological framework for this key agricultural development that likely contributed to far-reaching changes in lifestyle in late 2nd millennium bc Europe.

2020 - PALYNOLOGICAL APPROACH TO RECONSTRUCT LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AND HUMAN IMPACT AT MORGANTINA (SICILY) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; Walthall, Alex
abstract

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’s 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.

2020 - Palinologia del sito di San Vincenzo-Stromboli (Eolie): una prospettiva di lungo termine sulle trasformazioni ambientali di un’isola mediterranea [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Clo', E.; Rattighieri, E.; Levi, S. T.
abstract

Lo studio interdisciplinare palinologico e archeologico del sito di San Vincenzo-Stromboli (Isole Eolie, Sicilia; Fig. 1) ha fornito importanti evidenze delle trasformazioni ambientali dell’isola in prospettiva diacronica, testimoniando inoltre la lunga relazione tra l’ambiente naturale e i suoi abitanti. Stromboli è un vulcano attivo che è stato abitato – non continuativamente – negli ultimi 6 millenni. L’indagine palinologica condotta su 60 campioni del principale insediamento dell’isola, situato su un vasto pianoro alle pendici nordorientali del vulcano, ha permesso la ricostruzione paleoambientale in un peculiare contesto dove non si sono conservati altri reperti vegetali. I dati per una dettagliata ricostruzione diacronica del paesaggio vegetale dell’isola sono stati ottenuti da 23 campioni (38% di quelli analizzati), datati dalle fasi pre-insediative fino all’età moderna. La copertura arborea risulta poco estesa per tutto l’arco temporale studiato: querceto misto (Quercus decidue, Ostrya, Corylus, Fraxinus) e arbusti mediterranei (Olea, Juniperus tipo) sono poco rappresentati negli spettri, mentre prevalgono ambienti aperti dominati da Poaceae e Asteraceae. Ambienti umidi sono testimoniati, seppure con fluttuazioni, da alberi igrofili (in prevalenza Salix), limno-telmatofite (soprattutto Cyperaceae, Phragmites, Typha/Sparganium emersum tipo) e idrofite (Lemna e Nymphaea alba tipo). Marcati sono gli indicatori di ambienti antropici. Mentre aree pascolate sembrano essere state presenti nell’isola sin dalla prima occupazione umana (tardo Neolitico), le prime attestazioni di pratiche agricole – inclusa la cerealicoltura – risalgono all’età del bronzo (XVIII-XV secolo a.C.). Pratiche cerealicole e viticoltura sono documentate nel periodo tardo-medievale (XII-XIV secolo d.C.), quando si registra anche la comparsa dell’associazione Erico arboreae – Quercetum ilicis che caratterizza l’ambiente vegetale attuale di Stromboli. Tale associazione si sviluppa su suoli di natura silicea o fortemente lisciviati in bioclimi da mesoa supramediterranei, e la sua comparsa nell’isola può essere legata a un cambiamento ambientale conseguente all’aumentata attività vulcanica. Gli spettri più recenti mostrano un lieve incremento nella copertura arborea, probabilmente da attribuire alla riduzione della presenza antropica nell’isola. Le variazioni nella copertura vegetale locale documentate dalle analisi polliniche di San Vincenzo-Stromboli sono concordi con i cambiamenti ambientali registrati nelle principali biostratigrafie di riferimento per il Mediterraneo centrale (e.g., Lago di Pergusa in Sicilia). La conoscenza delle trasformazioni ambientali dell’isola è fondamentale per elaborare una strategia per la tutela della biodiversità basata sull’interconnessione di habitat naturali ad alta valenza ambientale con gli elementi antropici che ne caratterizzano il paesaggio tipicamente mediterraneo.

2020 - Palynology from Molino San Vincenzo site in Tuscany [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Rattighieri, E.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

2020 - Palynology of San Vincenzo-Stromboli: Interdisciplinary perspective for the diachronic palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of an island of Sicily [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, A. M.; Cannavò, V.; Clò, E.; Di Renzoni, A.; Florenzano, A.; Rattighieri, E.; Yoon, D.; Levi, S. T.
abstract

This paper presents the results obtained from palynological research carried out at the archaeological site of San Vincenzo-Stromboli (Aeolian Islands, Sicily) during seven fieldwork seasons (2009–2015). The site has had discontinuous occupation since the Neolithic; the main remains are dated to the Bronze Age, late Roman and late Medieval phases. Pollen analyses were carried out on 60 samples taken from different archaeological contexts, and about 1/3 had enough pollen to calculate pollen spectra. The aim of the research was to gain new data on the economy and productive activity of the island, and to reconstruct the landscape focusing primarily on the Bronze Age, and then on the other occupational phases. An interdisciplinary approach integrating different disciplines has facilitated new interpretations about landscape and human activities. Pollen suggests that oak woodland and Mediterranean evergreen vegetation have been part of the natural plant cover of the area since the first occupation. Early evidence of agrarian practices, including cereal cultivation, dates back to the Bronze Age while the current vegetation seems to have originated during the Medieval period.

2020 - Podere Terrato - Botanical materials [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - Poggio dell'Amore - Botanical materials [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - San Martino - Botanical materials [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - The Eurasian Modern Pollen Database (EMPD), version 2 [Articolo su rivista]
Davis, B. A. S.; Chevalier, M.; Sommer, P.; Carter, V. A.; Finsinger, W.; Mauri, A.; Phelps, L. N.; Zanon, M.; Abegglen, R.; Akesson, C. M.; Alba-Sanchez, F.; Scott Anderson, R.; Antipina, T. G.; Atanassova, J. R.; Beer, R.; Belyanina, N. I.; Blyakharchuk, T. A.; Borisova, O. K.; Bozilova, E.; Bukreeva, G.; Jane Bunting, M.; Clo, E.; Colombaroli, D.; Combourieu-Nebout, N.; Desprat, S.; Di Rita, F.; Djamali, M.; Edwards, K. J.; Fall, P. L.; Feurdean, A.; Fletcher, W.; Florenzano, A.; Furlanetto, G.; Gaceur, E.; Galimov, A. T.; Galka, M.; Garcia-Moreiras, I.; Giesecke, T.; Grindean, R.; Guido, M. A.; Gvozdeva, I. G.; Herzschuh, U.; Hjelle, K. L.; Ivanov, S.; Jahns, S.; Jankovska, V.; Jimenez-Moreno, G.; Karpinska-Kolaczek, M.; Kitaba, I.; Kolaczek, P.; Lapteva, E. G.; Latalowa, M.; Lebreton, V.; Leroy, S.; Leydet, M.; Lopatina, D. A.; Lopez-Saez, J. A.; Lotter, A. F.; Magri, D.; Marinova, E.; Matthias, I.; Mavridou, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Mesa-Fernandez, J. M.; Mikishin, Y. A.; Milecka, K.; Montanari, C.; Morales-Molino, C.; Mrotzek, A.; Sobrino, C. M.; Naidina, O. D.; Nakagawa, T.; Nielsen, A. B.; Novenko, E. Y.; Panajiotidis, S.; Panova, N. K.; Papadopoulou, M.; Pardoe, H. S.; Pedziszewska, A.; Petrenko, T. I.; Ramos-Roman, M. J.; Ravazzi, C.; Rosch, M.; Ryabogina, N.; Ruiz, S. S.; Sakari Salonen, J.; Sapelko, T. V.; Schofield, J. E.; Seppa, H.; Shumilovskikh, L.; Stivrins, N.; Stojakowits, P.; Svitavska, H. S.; Swieta-Musznicka, J.; Tantau, I.; Tinner, W.; Tobolski, K.; Tonkov, S.; Tsakiridou, M.; Valsecchi, V.; Zanina, O. G.; Zimny, M.
abstract

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 map-based viewer at https://empd2.github.io and downloaded in a variety of file formats at https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.909130 (Chevalier et al., 2019).

2020 - The Visibility of Mobility: Coprolites, Dung and Neolithic Herders in Central Saharan Rock Shelters [Articolo su rivista]
Rotunno, R.; Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.; Zerboni, A.; di Lernia, S.
abstract

The archaeological landscape of the Tadrart Acacus massif (SW Libya, central Sahara) is made of sites testimony of complex systems of cultural-specific settlement and economic strategies stretching over millennia of occupation. Here, caves and rock shelters represent the main physiographic features exploited by prehistoric herders. Climate fluctuations, settlement patterns and economic strategies regulate the depositional and post-depositional processes documented in the excavated sites. In this regard, the site of Takarkori, thanks to its well-preserved archaeological record, which was extensively excavated, represents a highly valuable archive of past societal activities. We show how a multifaceted analysis of deposits and sediments of anthropogenic and biogenic origin, like dung and coprolites accumulations, may broaden the reconstruction of the cultural dynamics and variability of the Saharan Late Pastoral Neolithic (5700-4650 cal BP). Analysis of spatial distribution coupled with micromorphological investigation increased the reconstruction of the shelter's organisation and use, including its deposit’ formation processes. Pollen analysis highlighted aspects of seasonality among Late Pastoral herders attending the site, also contributing to deepen our knowledge on palaeoenvironment of Middle Holocene Sahara.

2020 - Tombarelle - Botanical materials [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

2020 - Vita e paesaggio vegetale e culturale della Toscana medievale secondo il progetto nEU-Med [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Furia, Elisa; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Paolo Buonincontri, Mauro; Di Pasquale, Gaetano; Bianchi, Giovanna
abstract

La ricerca palinologica e archeobotanica permette di ricostruire il paesaggio vegetale, l’uso del suolo per finalità agricole, forestali o etnobotaniche nell’area di interesse, basandosi sull’integrazione di analisi condotte su resti vegetali nei siti archeologici e in aree esterne ad essi. Lo scopo del progetto nEU-Med è la ricostruzione del processo di crescita economica avvenuto a partire dal IX secolo in Italia attraverso lo studio del territorio compreso tra le Colline Metallifere e il golfo di Follonica (Maremma settentrionale, Toscana, fig. 1). Vista la grande interdisciplinarità del progetto nEU-Med i dati palinologici e microantracologici qui presentati offrono solo una prospettiva degli studi effettuati, che si completano con analisi carpologiche e archeo-antracologiche condotte nel sito archeologico di Vetricella e un record antracologico sedimentario prelevato da un paleocanale del fiume Pecora (Fig. 1). Altre analisi includono ad esempio studi delle fonti scritte e antropologici per cercare di ricostruire le condizioni di salute e di vita degli abitanti del sito. La sequenza palinologica e microantracologica si basa su due carote di sedimenti, prelevate nel tratto terminale delle valli dei fiumi Pecora e Cornia, e una sezione aperta nel fossato nord del sito archeologico di Vetricella. Il polline si presenta ben conservato nelle due carote fluviali, mentre è parzialmente accartocciato e rotto nella sequenza di Vetricella, come spesso accade nei siti archeologici a causa del calpestio dovuto ad animali o alle azioni umane. I microcarboni, presenti in tutti i campioni, anche con asse maggiore >125 μm, mostrano incendi locali. Gli spettri pollinici includono polline sia da ambienti non strettamente antropizzati (acquatici e forestali, specialmente querceti) sia da ambienti modificati dall’uomo e dalle sue attività (agricoltura e pastorizia). La ricostruzione paleoambientale descrive un ambiente perlopiù aperto, con delle fluttuazioni nella copertura boschiva soprattutto nei campioni della valle del Cornia. Il polline di arboree più rappresentato è Quercus deciduous, seguito da Erica, Alnus, Ostrya/Carpinus orientalis e Pinus. Lo spettro pollinico è, però, dominato da Poaceae spontanee, Cyperaceae e Cichorieae (indicatori di pastorizia). Sono presenti anche piante sinantropiche come Aster type e Centaurea nigra che si ritrovano soprattutto in prossimità del sito di Vetricella. Il polline di cereali è rappresentato da Hordeum gruppo e Avena/Triticum gruppo, con percentuali che suggeriscono la presenza di campi coltivati (Cornia) oppure raccolta e accumulo di cereali (Vetricella). Il dettaglio della ricostruzione così ottenuta permette di conoscere le condizioni ambientali che hanno consentito o condizionato l’occupazione del territorio durante fasi storiche dal medioevo al recente nella regione.

2020 - Wine consumption in Bronze Age Italy: combining organic residue analysis [Articolo su rivista]
Pecci, A.; Borgna, E.; Mileto, S.; Dalla Longa, E.; Bosi, G.; Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Corazza, S.; Marchesini, M.; Vidale, M.
abstract

The early consumption of wine or other grape derivatives (such as vinegar or must) is suggested from organic residues analysis conducted on Bronze Age pottery recovered from two sites in north-eastern Italy, Pilastri di Bondeno (Ferrara) and Canale Anfora (Aquileia, Udine). Pilastri is part of the Terramare culture of the Po plain, from which the archaeobotanical context has suggested that Vitis vinifera L. was known and used during the Middle Bronze Age. At Canale Anfora Vitis, macro-remains were found in earlier levels of the local stratigraphy. Organic residue analysis conducted by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry allowed the identification of tartaric acid in twenty samples out of thirty-one recovered from different ceramic vessels (e.g., drinking cups, coarse ware pots, presumed storage vessels) found at the two archaeological sites and dated to the 15th-14th centuries BC. Based on integrated studies, we suggest that grape juice derivatives (including wine or vinegar) were likely consumed at the sites. This is the earliest direct evidence of grape derivatives consumption in this area. Combined with the botanical evidence, these findings contribute to our understanding of the emergence of wine consumption in the western Mediterranean.

2019 - A survey of the Late Roman period (3rd-6th century AD): pollen, NPPs and seeds/fruits for reconstructing environmental and cultural changes after the floods in Northern Italy [Articolo su rivista]
Bosi, G.; Labate, D.; Rinaldi, R.; Montecchi, M. C.; Mazzanti, M.; Torri, P.; Riso, F. M.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

In this paper, we focus on the most critical but low-studied Late Roman phase (3rd-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.

2019 - Analisi archeobotaniche per il sito di Piazza della Vittoria a Reggio Emilia [Capitolo/Saggio]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rinaldi, Rossella; Benatti, Alessandra; Riso, FEDERICA MARIA
abstract

Durante lo scavo di Piazza della Vittoria nel centro di Reggio Emilia sono stati prelevati numerosi campioni per analisi archeobotanche: semi/frutti, carboni e polline

2019 - Coprolites from Rock Shelters: Hunter-Gatherers “Herding” Barbary Sheep in the Early Holocene Sahara [Articolo su rivista]
Rotunno, Rocco; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Zerboni, Andrea; Di Lernia, Savino
abstract

Archaeological deposits in rock shelters have enormous informative potential, particularly in arid environments where organic materials are well preserved. In these areas, sub-fossilized coprolites and dung remains have been identified as valuable proxies for inferences about past environments, subsistence economies and cultural trajectories. Here we present a multidisciplinary analysis of bovid (ovicaprine) coprolites collected from the Early Holocene hunter-gatherer occupation at Takarkori rock shelter (SW Libya, central Sahara). Our results show that Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) were managed as early as ~9500 years cal BP, mostly with the rearing of juveniles. Palynological analysis of individual pellets suggests a seasonal confinement of the animals and the selection of fodder. GIS analysis of coprolite distribution also indicates sophisticated strategies of Barbary sheep “herding” and spatial differentiation of specialized areas within the rock shelter, including the construction and use of a stone-based enclosure for corralling animals. These highly structured and organized forms of control over wild animals are interpreted as a potential co-evolutionary trigger for the subsequent rapid adoption and integration of the incoming pastoral Neolithic economy.

2019 - Environmental changes and human impact during the Middle to Recent Bronze Age in N Italy (SUCCESSO-TERRA Project) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Zerboni, Andrea; Bosi, Giovanna; Brandolini, Filippo; Clo', Eleonora; Mariani, Guido S.; Mazzanti, Marta; Rinaldi, Rossella; Torri, Paola; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

This contribution reports on the ongoing interdisciplinary research program SUCCESSO-TERRA (Human societies, climate-environment changes and resource exploitation/sustainability in the Po Plain in the midHolocene: the Terramare culture; PRIN-20158KBLNB, 2017–2020; https://www.successoterra.net) aiming at reconstructing the landscape and landuse transformations that occurred during the development of the Terramare culture (16th-12th century BC) in the Po Plain of Northern Italy. The project joints experts on Geoarchaeology, Palynology and Archaeobotany to study high-resolution archaeological sediments with an interdisciplinary ecological perspective (Cremaschi et al. 2018). The study of sediments and pollen assemblage from both natural archives and selected Bronze Age sites (Terramara of Santa Rosa di Poviglio and Vasca di Noceto, and occupation layers of S. Michele di Valestra) shine a new light on the mutual interconnection between climate change, landuse, and human resilience. The palynological research focused on Santa Rosa di Poviglio and allowed details of some of the complex processesintheagriculturaleconomytobeﬁlledin,suchaswerepracticedonthebasisofwoodmanagement and crop ﬁelds (Cremaschi et al. 2016). Pollen diagrams showed oscillations of the curves of deciduous oaks and other woody plants (Carpinus betulus, Corylus, Fraxinus and Carpinus orientalis/Ostrya carpinifolia). The role of trees and shrubs supplying fruits (Prunus and other woody Rosaceae, Cornus mas, and especially Corylus and Vitis) resulted of special interest. The ﬁelds included diﬀerent types of cereals (Avena/Triticum and Hordeum groups, Secale cereale and Panicum). Most of the open landscapes around the villages were used for pastures as suggested mainly by Cichorieae and other pasture pollen indicators. The Anthropogenic Pollen Indicators-API group (Mercuri et al. 2013) are signiﬁcant in the spectra together with other synanthropic plants, and indicate a continuative human pressure in the area. The last phases of the pollen diagrams show a decrease of woodland together with a reduction in cereal ﬁelds suggesting that soil and wood overexploitation might have been among the causes of the Terramare’s crisis and their societal collapse (Mercuri et al. 2006; Cremaschi et al. 2016). The interdisciplinary study will disclose the natural (environmental aridiﬁcation) and anthropic (overexploitation of natural resources) reasons of the collapse of the Terramare culture, by investigating the environmental changes in the region and their relationships with the diﬀerent land-use adopted by the Terramare people.

2019 - Erratum to: Colour in context. Pigments and other coloured residues from the Early-Middle Holocene site of Takarkori (SW Libya) (Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, (2016), 8, 2, (381-402), 10.1007/s12520-015-0229-4) [Articolo su rivista]
di Lernia, S.; Bruni, S.; Cislaghi, I.; Cremaschi, M.; Gallinaro, M.; Guglielmi, V.; Mercuri, A. M.; Poggi, G.; Zerboni, A.
abstract

The original version of this article, unfortunately, contained error. In the list authors, the name should be changed to "Vittoria Guglielmi" instead of the "Vittoria Gugliemi". Given in this article are the correct name of authors.

2019 - Ex Oriente seges: the arrival and establishment of broomcorn millet in Europe [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Filipović, Dragana; Meadows, John; Dal Corso, Marta; Effenberger, Henrike; Alsleben, Almuth; Akeret, Örni; Bittmann, Felix; Bosi, Giovanna; Cappers, René; Ciută, Beatrice; Dreslerová, Dagmar; Gyulai, Ferenc; Heiss, Andreas; Jahns, Susanne; Kapcia, Magda; Kohler-Schneider, Marianne; Kroll, Helmut; Marinova, Elena; Märkle, Tanja; Medović, Aleksandar; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mueller-Bieniek, Aldona; Nisbet, Renato; Pashkevich, Galina; Perego, Renata; Pokorný, Petr; Przybyła, Marcin; Reed, Kelly; Stika, Hans-Peter; Tolar, Tjaša; Wasylikowa, Kristina; Wiethold, Julian; Zerl, Tanja; Kirleis, Wiebke
abstract

Cultivation of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was a widespread practice in later European prehistory. When and how this ‘crop from the East’ was introduced to the continent and spread across it has not been determined. So far, based on the relative chronology of millet finds and a small set of radiocarbon-dated caryopses, it has been suggested that millet did not arrive in Europe during the Neolithic and that this happened in the Mid-Late Bronze Age. It has not been clear why and how millet was integrated into the pre-existing crop spectrum and what effect this had on the crop husbandry routine. The economic and socio-cultural contexts of the adoption of millet have not been closely examined. The 'Millet Dating Programme' recently completed at Kiel University produced 100+ radiocarbon dates on charred grains of broomcorn millet recovered from Neolithic and Bronze Age layers of sites located in different parts of Europe. Collectively, the absolute dates suggest that millet reached most of SE, central and NW Europe in the period 15-13th century BC. Using these high-precision data, we can now build a link between the start of millet cultivation and the coeval changes in subsistence economy potentially resulting from the adoption of the new crop. We present the results of this research project and discuss possible mechanisms by which millet was distributed, as well as the potential agro-ecological causes-andeffects of the establishment of millet cultivation in Europe.

2019 - From influence to impact: The multifunctional land use in Mediterranean prehistory emerging from palynology of archaeological sites (8.0-2.8 ka BP) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Burjachs, Francesc; Giardini, Marco; Kouli, Katerina; Masi, Alessia; Picornell-Gelabert, Llorenç; Revelles, Jordi; Sadori, Laura; Gabriel, Servera-Vives; Torri, Paola; Fyfe, Ralph
abstract

Archaeobotany is used to discover details on local land uses in prehistoric settlements developed during the middle and beginning of late Holocene. Six archaeological sites from four countries (Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey) have pollen and charcoal records showing clear signs of the agrarian systems that had developed in the Mediterranean basin during different cultural phases, from pre-Neolithic to Recent Bronze Age. A selected list of pollen taxa and sums, including cultivated trees, other woody species, crops and annual or perennial synanthropic plants are analysed for land use reconstructions. In general, cultivation has a lower image in palynology than forestry, and past land uses became visible when oakwoods were affected by human activities. On-site palynology allows us to recognise the first influence of humans even before it can be recognised in off-site sequences, and off-site sequences can allow us to determine the area of influence of a site. Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeological sites show similar land use dynamics implying oak exploitation, causing local deforestation, and cultivation of cereal fields in the area or around the site. Although a substantial difference makes the Neolithic influence quite distant from the Bronze Age impact, mixed systems of land exploitation emerged everywhere. Multiple land use activities exist (multifunctional landscapes) at the same time within the area of influence of a site. Since the Neolithic, people have adopted a diffuse pattern of land use involving a combination of diverse activities, using trees–crops–domesticated animals. The most recurrent combination included wood exploitation, field cultivation and animal breeding. The lesson from the past is that the multifunctional land use, combining sylvo-pastoral and crop farming mixed systems, has been widely adopted for millennia, being more sustainable than the monoculture and a promising way to develop our economy.

2019 - Gli scavi alla Terramara di Pragatto (BO): dai primi dati al progetto di ricerca [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Miari, Monica; Boccuccia, Paolo; Barbieri, Monia; Bosi, Giovanna; Carra, Marialetizia; Cremaschi, Mauro; Curci, Antonio; DE ANGELIS, Antonella; Gabusi, Rossana; Lemorini, Cristina; Maini, Elena; STEFANO MARIANI, Guido; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Pavia, Fabrizio; Scacchetti, Federico; Stellacci, SARA M.
abstract

EXCAVATIONS AT THE TERRAMARA OF PRAGATTO (BOLOGNA, ITALY): FROM THE FIRST DATA TO THE RESEARCH PROJECT. The work aims to present the first results of the excavation conducted at the Terramara of Pragatto and illustrate the related research project. The area under investigation encompassed a wide strip of about 7,000 square meters corresponding to the southern portion of the settlement. The explorations, conducted by the Archeosistemi AR/S Cooperative, began in May 2016 and are currently being finalized. Excavation reached the settlement’s limits toward both east and west. In the western area, the archaeological stratigraphy resulted progressively decreasing and the presence of a natural slope suggested the existence, already in the Bronze Age, of a watercourse coinciding with the present-day Rio Carpineta. A more complex and articulated system of perimetric delimitation was instead defined in the eastern side, which included a moat, the edges of the embankment’s colluvium, and traces of a palisade and wooden gabions towards the inhabited area. Both structures, the palisade and the gabions, present a gap in correspondence with what could be interpreted as one of the accesses to the village and, although preserved only at the basal level, they appear strictly comparable with those discovered by Pigorini at Castione Marchesi. For what concerns the stratigraphy of the settlement, the materials collected on the surface after that agricultural works have removed the upper levels of the archaeological deposit, date the last occupation to the recent phases of the Bronze Age. The underneath deposit is fully preserved starting from levels dating to the Middle Bronze Age 3 – early Late Bronze Age and it has two distinct phases of well-characterized and regularly spaced heaped dumps. The basal level revealed the existence of a first settlement phase which, in the explored area, seems having included no dwellings, while long palisades delimitating empty areas, as well as holes and stumps, have instead been found. In parallel with the beginning of the excavations, a team was set up to address the research questions related to the geoarchaeological, palaeobotanical, palynological, and zooarchaeological data, as well as to explore potential analyses of metals, objects in animal hard tissues, and macro-lithic tools. The constitution of this team aimed not only at conducting laboratory analyses but also at supporting archaeologists during field investigations. Therefore, in addition to defining proactive protocols for the correct sampling and treatment of artifacts and samples, targeted interventions have been carried out during excavations in response of specific needs emerged during the progress of exploration.

2019 - Holocene archaeobotany in Africa: not only 'food and fluel' [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2019 - Holocene archaeobotany in Africa: not only ‘food and fuel’ [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This contribution deals with some recent archaeobotanical studies carried out in African contexts. Basic methodological approaches are different depending on the type of record (microscopical or macroscopical plant remains), and the interdisciplinary interpretative framework. The largest set of remains is studied, the main details on environmental and cultural reconstructions from one context can be acknowledged. Examples of case studies from integrated archaeological and botanical researches are reported. They represent a reconstruction of environments influencing subsistence strategies in the Sai Island (North Sudan), the evidence that cultural uses of plants for offerings in the Gobero necropolis was based on the regional environments (Niger) and the intermingled climate, hydrological and cultural variables which influenced human economy and movements in the Tadrart Acacus (Libya). All the sites are in Sahara, next to rivers or lakes and crossed climate oscillations of the early, middle and late Holocene.

2019 - Landscape, plant remains and ecological data in prehistoric Sicily: a debate in human environmental sciences [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Speciale, Claudia; Giannitrapani, Enrico; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Di Maida, Gianpiero; Florenzano, Assunta; Combourieu-Nebout, Nathalie
abstract

Sicily represents a crucial area in the Mediterranean basin for its geographic position, ecological diversity, cultural heritage, and historical richness. The comprehension of human communities’ dynamics within their environmental context and their mutual connections is with no doubt one key approach for the development of archaeological studies in Sicily, through a real interdisciplinary and multiproxy research where anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic causes could be distinguished and analyzed. Previous studies attempted to investigate the connection between environmental changes and social and cultural dynamics in prehistoric time in Sicily and the possible influence on other Mediterranean cultures (Izdebski et al. 2015; Martini et al. 2009; Mercuri et al. 2011; Pacciarelli et al. 2015; Sadori et al. 2016; Zanchetta et al. 2013). The overall aim of this paper, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach, is to review the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic results from lake sediments and the evidence from prehistoric contexts collecting archaeological (notably paleodemographic) and archaeobotanical (i.e. pollen and plant macro-remains) data in Sicily island. The paper will cover the chronological range from the late Pleistocene until the early historical times (~14000 – 2500 BP). National and international researches have been carried out in the last decades on the island to collect data both from lacustrine pollen sequences and archaeological sites. All these studies allow to put together for the first time the paleoecological information and compare them with cultural development of prehistoric human groups to verify how climatic oscillations can have affected prehistoric communities in settlement patterns, socio-economic changes, land use or other human activities.

2019 - Late Holocene plant exploitation for charcoal production and grazing in northern Apennines inferred from charcoals analysis [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Benatti, Alessandra; Marie, Bal; Philippe, Allée; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Monte Cimone and Corno alle Scale are two protected mountains included in the Natura 2000 Network. The top of these mountains is characterized by Vaccinium and Nardus meadows and the timberline, formed by coppice beech forest, reaches 1600-1700 m a.s.l. Historical sources show the importance of these mountains for pastoral activities, which have been practiced until the 1950s, and then decreased drastically. Many pastoral structures, found (but not dated) in the current grassland of Monte Cimone, are witness of the ancient pastoral activity. Charcoal analysis provided information on the past wood vegetation changes in response to climate change and human impact, with details at the scale of the slope. Two altitudinal transects were carried out for the pedoanthracological study: nine pits were excavated and sampled from 1650 to 2078 m a.s.l at Monte Cimone, and eight pits from 1600 to 1860 m a.s.l. at Corno alle Scale. Moreover, an anthracological study was carried out on eight charcoal platforms. A total of 14 taxa were identified (e.g. Ericaceae and Fagus sylvatica). Almost all radiocarbon dates refer to the Late Holocene. Charcoal analysis data suggest that the inhabitants of the two mountain areas have exploited the natural physical conformation of the territory to use and manage the natural resources through the sylvopastoral activities, thus using the wood on the steep slope for charcoal production and the plateau for grazing activity.

2019 - Le potenzialità dell'analisi palinologica per comprendere il contesto ambientale [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

La Palinologia Applicata, la scienza che usa il polline come strumento di misura di variabili ambientali, trova applicazione anche nello studio di manufatti quali la stele daunia del Museo di Cattolica. Attraverso un campionamento accurato del sedimento intrappolato nelle incisioni alla superficie è stato possibile ottenere reperti pollinici che descrivono gli ambienti ove l’oggetto stesso ha transitato o soggiornato in momenti diversi della sua storia. La potenzialità dell’analisi palinologica è stata esplorata attraverso un nucleo di campioni che, pur se limitati, hanno permesso di ottenere interessanti informazioni ambientali a supporto della ricerca multidisciplinare.

2019 - Mediterranean winter rainfall in phase with African monsoons during the past 1.36 million years [Articolo su rivista]
Wagner, B.; Vogel, H.; Francke, A.; Friedrich, T.; Donders, T.; Lacey, J. H.; Leng, M. J.; Regattieri, E.; Sadori, L.; Wilke, T.; Zanchetta, G.; Albrecht, C.; Bertini, A.; Combourieu-Nebout, N.; Cvetkoska, A.; Giaccio, B.; Grazhdani, A.; Hauffe, T.; Holtvoeth, J.; Joannin, S.; Jovanovska, E.; Just, J.; Kouli, K.; Kousis, I.; Koutsodendris, A.; Krastel, S.; Lagos, M.; Leicher, N.; Levkov, Z.; Lindhorst, K.; Masi, A.; Melles, M.; Mercuri, A. M.; Nomade, S.; Nowaczyk, N.; Panagiotopoulos, K.; Peyron, O.; Reed, J. M.; Sagnotti, L.; Sinopoli, G.; Stelbrink, B.; Sulpizio, R.; Timmermann, A.; Tofilovska, S.; Torri, P.; Wagner-Cremer, F.; Wonik, T.; Zhang, X.
abstract

Mediterranean climates are characterized by strong seasonal contrasts between dry summers and wet winters. Changes in winter rainfall are critical for regional socioeconomic development, but are difficult to simulate accurately1 and reconstruct on Quaternary timescales. This is partly because regional hydroclimate records that cover multiple glacial–interglacial cycles2,3 with different orbital geometries, global ice volume and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations are scarce. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms of change and their persistence remain unexplored. Here we show that, over the past 1.36 million years, wet winters in the northcentral Mediterranean tend to occur with high contrasts in local, seasonal insolation and a vigorous African summer monsoon. Our proxy time series from Lake Ohrid on the Balkan Peninsula, together with a 784,000-year transient climate model hindcast, suggest that increased sea surface temperatures amplify local cyclone development and refuel North Atlantic low-pressure systems that enter the Mediterranean during phases of low continental ice volume and high concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases. A comparison with modern reanalysis data shows that current drivers of the amount of rainfall in the Mediterranean share some similarities to those that drive the reconstructed increases in precipitation. Our data cover multiple insolation maxima and are therefore an important benchmark for testing climate model performance.

2019 - Middle- to late-Holocene fire history and the impact on Mediterranean pine and oak forests according to the core RF93-30, central Adriatic Sea [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Rita, Terenziani; Furia, Elisa; Dallai, Daniele; Torri, Paola
abstract

The high-resolution Adriatic RF93-30 core shows changes in its microcharcoal record, which correlate to terrestrial fires from the last 7000 years. Pollen and microcharcoals were transported by wind and fluvial transport from the sedimentary basin, including the Po River and other rivers flowing into the sea off the Italian east coast. Charcoal particles and pollen were counted in the same samples, and the maximum breadth and length of charcoal particles were measured. Microcharcoals with large dimensions were taken as fire indicators occurring along the near coast, as they probably arrived from short distances, the nearest being in Apulia, in southern Italy. The age–depth model was developed within the multidisciplinary PALICLAS project. Several potential fire activity increases (PFAIs) were visible as peaks in the diagram. The oldest PFAIs occurred at the middle Holocene (approximately dated to c. 6730, 5430, 4150 cal BP), others occurred at the late Holocene (c. 3760, 2660, 2240, 2030, 1930, 1510 cal BP) and during the last millennium (c. 900–865, 530, 120–96 cal BP). The two oldest peaks in the diagram, occurring in the 7th–6th millennia, showed the highest contribution of charcoal corresponding to the highest values of arboreal pollen (AP) in the sedimentary record. Although the CHAR peaks did not represent a single fire event, the diagram suggests a good correspondence between paleofire activity and terrestrial vegetation biomass during this early phase. Pollen containing black particles was observed, which suggested some grains were transported in suspension with winds from burned woods. The main unambiguous anthropogenic fire causation would have occurred during the last four millennia. From 4.2 ka, it became hard to disentangle climate and Bronze Age actions. Technology and human activity probably improved the pace of fire events, especially involving oak woods, with evidence of an increase of CHAR during the last millennium.

2019 - Palynological approach to reconstruct pastoral activities: case studies from Basilicata, South Italy [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Clo', Eleonora; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

A palynological approach to the study of Mediterranean landscapes is ideally suited for detecting the land-use history and environmental changes that gave rise to the present-day Mediterranean landscape. In particular, the combined evidence of pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs, such as fungal spores and algal elements) from archaeological sites is useful for tracing the impact of past human activities on the environment, and also to discriminate past land uses and pastoral practices. In Italy, an outstanding number of studies that include pollen or other plant remains from archaeological contexts (BRAIN database: brainplants.successoterra.net; [1]) have testified to the widespread occurrence of pastoral activities on the peninsula over the last few millennia. This contribution reports on palynological evidence for the impact of centuries of grazing on the vegetation of Basilicata, a region of southern Italy where animal breeding and pastoralism have a long tradition. The integrated analyses of microscopic records from eight archaeological sites (dated from the 6th century BC to the 15th century AD) indicate wide and continuous pastoral activities practiced in the region [2]. The combined evidence from pollen pasture indicators and NPP markers of grazing (mainly coprophilous fungal spores) point out that pastures were the main type of land-use in the territory surrounding each of the eight study sites. As evidenced by the pollen records, this region has long been a grazed area, with more intense pastoral activities documented from the end of the Hellenistic age to the Medieval and Renaissance periods. This research confirms the economic importance of pastoralism in the past communities and its prominent role in shaping the Italian landscape.

2019 - Plant landscape reconstruction above the current timberline at the Monte Cimone and Corno alle Scale mountain areas (Northern Apennines, Italy) during the Late Holocene: The evidence from soil charcoal [Articolo su rivista]
Benatti, A.; Bal, M.; Allee, P.; Bosi, G.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

This paper presents the first pedoanthracological study carried out on two mountains of the Northern Apennines, Monte Cimone, and Corno alle Scale, where the results provided new palaeoenvironmental data. The pedoantracological sampling followed an elevation gradient from the current timberline to the highest possible elevation, also adapted to the geomorphological characteristics of the study areas. Based on radiocarbon datings (16 at Monte Cimone and 9 at Corno alle Scale), the soil charcoal fragments provided data about the vegetation dynamics and plant landscape reconstruction, primarily indicating the Late Holocene. The landscape over the last 3000 years appears very similar to the current one with very small altitudinal variations of the timberline and treeline. The present study shows a lack of radiocarbon dates for the Middle Holocene and two hypotheses are discussed to explain this finding. Data suggest that past fires were locally linked to periods of climate optimum and possibly with the management of natural resources (especially animal grazing) by human societies. Some questions concerning the absence of Abies alba, today only present as plantation and normally associated with Fagus sylvatica at these latitudes, are discussed.

2019 - Plants, water and humans: pollen analysis from Holocene archaeological sites on Sai Island, northern Sudan [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Fornaciari, Rita; Garcea, Elena A. A.
abstract

The paper reports on a synthesis of pollen analyses and main archaeobotanical studies carried out on Early, Middle and Late Holocene sites from Sai Island in the Nile River (ancient Upper Nubia, present northern Sudan). Multidisciplinary archaeological studies focused on the transitions from hunting-fishinggathering to pastoralism and later to agro-pastoralism in this area. New palynological data were obtained from two sites located on the eastern side of the island: an Early Holocene occupational level of a ‘Khartoum Variant’ foraging site (8-B-10C, Level 2; c. 7600–7200 BC), and a Middle/Late Holocene site dating to the Pre-Kerma/Kerma period (8-B-10A; the later phase is dated c. 1800–1600 BC). These data integrate the results obtained from two other sites located on the western side of the island (sites 8-B-76 and 8-B-81). Despite the poor preservation of pollen, the integration of data from the studied sites provides information on the environmental changes and potential for plant exploitation in the eastern Sahelian-Saharan region. A substantial environmental diversity between the west and east sides of Sai Island emerges, revealing that in the late Early Holocene and first part of the Middle Holocene the land near the river was characterised by a mosaic of habitats, with dramatic floods on the eastern side and seasonal dried-up areas on the western side. This region supplied water even during the dry climatic phases and provided humans with mosaic habitats within short distances, giving access to plants (useful for food and other purposes) which lived in swamps and marshes, wooded savannahs, grasslands or desert savannahs.

2019 - Pollen and macroremains from the site “Vasca di Noceto”: an artificial basin for votive practices during the Bronze Age in Northern Italy [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Clo', Eleonora; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; Rinaldi, Rossella; Proserpio, Barbara; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Bosi, Giovanna; Zerboni, Andrea; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

This research is part of the national-funded interdisciplinary SUCCESSO-TERRA Project (Human societies, climate-environment changes and resource exploitation/sustainability in the Po Plain in the mid-Holocene: the Terramare culture; PRIN-20158KBLNB) and discusses biological information of the archaeological site “Vasca di Noceto”, an artificial wooden basin dating to the Bronze Age and discovered in 2004 in the central Po Plain, near Parma. Geoarchaeological, geochronological and dendrochronological data suggest that the basin was used for ritual practices for about one hundred years (ca. 1420–1320 BC) from the inhabitants of the nearby Terramara village, which was completely removed in the nineteenth century because of quarry activities. The waterlogged anoxic clay-bearing infilling of the basin preserved the wooden architectonic structure and many biological findings submerged until their recovery. The abundance of botanical records (pollen, seeds and fruit remains) in an extraordinary state of preservation permits to investigate the use of plants in ritual contexts and to reconstruct the local plant cover influenced by the interaction with human activities near the site. Cereals and fruits were possibly used as votive offerings during ritual activities together with flowers and inflorescences, probably deposited into the water according to the observation of the preservation state of pollen from several entomophilous species.

2019 - Preliminary palynological results from oﬀ-site cores at theTerramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio, N Italy (SUCCESSO-TERRA Project) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Clo', Eleonora; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mariani, Guido S.; Zerboni, Andrea; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

The archaeological site ”Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio” (1550–1170 BC) has been investigated for 35 years, under the direction of M. Cremaschi and M.A. Bernab`o Brea. It is the key site of the nationalfunded SUCCESSO-TERRA Project (Human societies, climate-environment changes and resource exploitation/sustainability in the Po Plain in the mid-Holocene: the Terramare culture; PRIN-20158KBLNB; https://www.successoterra.net; Cremaschi et al. 2018). This interdisciplinary project focuses on the relationship between humans, climate, and environment during the trajectory of the Terramara culture. This society underwent a phase of intense development and demographic increase before it collapsed, after 3000 years, due to negative climate factors and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. Three oﬀ-site cores were collected at diﬀerent distances north of the archaeological site ”Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio” in the summer 2018 with the main purpose to verify the presence of a Po River palaeoriverbed near the site, and to collect data on Holocene environmental transformations. A total of 292 pollen samples are under study. First results regard the more recent samples from the three cores, detailing land use andlandcoveraftertheBronzeAge. Pollendatasuggestthedecreaseofagriculturallanduseinthearea,with spread of wet meadows (Cyperaceae and aquatics) and environments rich of hygrophilous woods (with Salix and Alnus). Palynological data add information to stratigraphical descriptions, radiocarbon dating, petrographic and organic matter analyses, in addition to the archaeological analyses. The strong interdisciplinary perspective facilitatestheinvestigationoftheclimaticandanthropiccontributionstoenvironmentalchangesintheregion, and their relationships with the diﬀerent adaptive behavior of the Terramare people. The new palynological data obtained from oﬀ-site palaeoenvironmental analyses can integrate the on-site analyses already carried out showing evidence of local human activities (Cremaschi et al. 2016). The correlation between oﬀ-site and on-site studies is necessary to understand the lasting environmental changesat a regional scale (Mercuri et al. 2012).

2019 - Proposals for rural landscape and archaeological site flora management: the contribution of archaeobotany through the BRAIN network research [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Marta Mariotti Lippi, ; Gianniantonio, Domina; Florenzano, Assunta; Carlo, Montanari; Mariangela, Guido; Valentina, Pescini; Bruna Ide Menozzi, ; Alessandro, Panetta; Roberta, Cevasco; Diego, Moreno; Emilia, Allevato; Davide, Attolini; Gianluigi, Bacchetta; Benatti, Alessandra; Bosi, Giovanna; Clo', Eleonora; Lorenzo, Costantini; Alessia, D’Auria; Gaetano Di Pasquale, ; DI SANSEBASTIANO, GIAN PIETRO; Marchesini, Marco; Silvia, Marvelli; Alessia, Masi; Mazzanti, Marta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rinaldi, Rossella; Sadori, Laura; Marco, Sarigu; Claudia, Speciale; Mariano, Ucchesu; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

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).

2019 - Regional Vegetation Histories: An Overview of the Pollen Evidence from the Central Mediterranean [Capitolo/Saggio]
Kouli, Katerina; Masi, Alessia; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Sadori, Laura
abstract

Vegetation patterns during the 1st millennium AD in the central Mediterranean, exhibit a great variability, due to the richness of these habitats and the continuous shaping of the environment by human societies. Variations in land use, witnessed in the pollen record, reflect the role that local vegetation and environmental conditions played in the choices made by local societies. The interdisciplinary study of off-site cores remains the key evidence for palaeoenvironmental transformations mirroring the ‘semi-natural’ vegetation, and revealing temporal fluctuations and the amount of human impact on a regional scale.

2019 - The 4.2 ka BP Event in the Mediterranean region: an overview [Articolo su rivista]
Bini, Monica; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Persoiu, Aurel; Cartier, Rosine; Català, Albert; Cacho, Isabel; Dean, Jonathan R.; Di Rita, Federico; Drysdale, Russell N.; Finnè, Martin; Isola, Ilaria; Jalali, Bassem; Lirer, Fabrizio; Magri, Donatella; Masi, Alessia; Marks, Leszek; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Peyron, Odile; Sadori, Laura; Sicre, Marie-Alexandrine; Welc, Fabian; Zielhofer, Christoph; Brisset, Elodie
abstract

The Mediterranean region and the Levant have returned some of the clearest evidence of a climatically dry period occurring around 4200 years ago. However, some regional evidence is controversial and contradictory, and issues remain regarding timing, progression, and regional articulation of this event. In this paper, we review the evidence from selected proxies (sea-surface temperature, precipitation, and temperature reconstructed from pollen, 18O on speleothems, and 18O on lacustrine carbonate) over the Mediterranean Basin to infer possible regional climate patterns during the interval between 4.3 and 3.8 ka. The values and limitations of these proxies are discussed, and their potential for furnishing information on seasonality is also explored. Despite the chronological uncertainties, which are the main limitations for disentangling details of the climatic conditions, the data suggest that winter over the Mediterranean involved drier conditions, in addition to already dry summers. However, some exceptions to this prevail – where wetter conditions seem to have persisted – suggesting regional heterogeneity in climate patterns. Temperature data, even if sparse, also suggest a cooling anomaly, even if this is not uniform. The most common paradigm to interpret the precipitation regime in the Mediterranean – a North Atlantic Oscillation-like pattern – is not completely satisfactory to interpret the selected data.

2019 - The Botanical Record of Archaeobotany Italian Network - BRAIN: a cooperative network, database and website [Articolo su rivista]
Mariotti Lippi, M.; Florenzano, A.; Rinaldi, R.; Allevato, E.; Arobba, D.; Bacchetta, G.; Bal, M. C.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Benatti, A.; Beneš, J.; Bosi, G.; Buonincontri, M.; Caramiello, R.; Castelletti, L.; Castiglioni, E.; Celant, A.; Clò, E.; Costantini, L.; Di Pasquale, G.; Di Rita, F.; Fiorentino, G.; Furlanetto, G.; Giardini, M.; Grillo, O.; Guido, M.; Herchenbach, M.; Magri, D.; Marchesini, M.; Maritan, M.; Marvelli, S.; Masi, A.; Miola, A.; Montanari, C.; Montecchi, M. C.; Motella, S.; Nisbet, R.; Orrù, M.; Peñachocarro, L.; Pepe, C.; Perego, R.; Rattighieri, E.; Ravazzi, C.; Rottoli, M.; Rowan, E.; Sabato, D.; Sadori, L.; Sarigu, M.; Torri, P.; Ucchesu &, M.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

The BRAIN (Botanical Records of Archaeobotany Italian Network) database and network was developed by the cooperation of archaeobotanists working on Italian archaeological sites. Examples of recent research including pollen or other plant remains in analytical and synthetic papers are reported as an exemplar reference list. This paper retraces the main steps of the creation of BRAIN, from the scientific need for the first research cooperation to the website which has a free online access since 2015.

2019 - The Late Antique plant landscape in Sicily: Pollen from the agro-pastoral villa del Casale - Philosophiana system [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, A. M.; Montecchi, M. C.; Florenzano, A.; Rattighieri, E.; Torri, P.; Dallai, D.; Vaccaro, E.
abstract

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 ‘agro-town’ 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.

2019 - The Long-Term Perspective of Human Impact on Landscape for Environmental Change (LoTEC) and Sustainability: From Botany to the Interdisciplinary Approach [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.
abstract

The Long-Term Perspective of Human Impact on Landscape for Environmental Change—LoTEC is a special matter for environmental and ecological studies; it is an essential tool to sustainable development and better-informed landscape management decisions.

2019 - The Long-Term Perspective of Human Impact on Landscape for Environmental Change and Sustainability [Curatela]
Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.
abstract

The research studies included in this Special Issue highlight the fundamental contribution of the knowledge of environmental history to conscious and efficient environment conservation and management. The long-term perspective of the dynamics that govern the human–climate ecosystem is becoming one of the main focuses of interest in biological and earth system sciences. Multidisciplinary bio-geo-archaeo investigations into the underlying processes of human impact on the landscape are crucial to envisage possible future scenarios of biosphere responses to global warming and biodiversity losses. This Special Issue seeks to engage an interdisciplinary dialog on the dynamic interactions between nature and society, focusing on long-term environmental data as an essential tool for better-informed landscape management decisions to achieve an equilibrium between conservation and sustainable resource exploitation.

2019 - The SUCCESSO-TERRA Project: a lesson of sustainability from the Terramare culture, Middle Bronze Age of the Po Plain (North Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Benatti, Alessandra; Bosi, Giovanna; Brandolini, Filippo; Clo', Eleonora; Furia, Elisa; Mariani, Guido S.; Mazzanti, Marta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Torri, Paola; Zerboni, Andrea; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

The SUCCESSO-TERRA Project (Human societies, climate-environment changes and resource exploitation/sustainability in the Po Plain in the mid-Holocene: the Terramare culture; PRIN-20158KBLNB) is a research program aiming at reconstructing landscape and land-use transformations that occurred during the Terramare period in the southern-central Po Plain of Northern Italy. The project joints experts on Geoarchaeology, Palynology and Archaeobotany to study highresolution archaeological sediments with an interdisciplinary ecological perspective. The Terramare settlements were banked and moated villages of the Middle and Recent Bronze Ages (1550–1170 cal yr BC). According to the plant record (both micro- and macro-remains), agricultural economy was based on cultivation and exploitation of forests. Pollen analysis suggests wood management, including coppicing, and fruit collection on the wild, the existence of crop fields with different types of cereals and the intercropping with legumes. The most of the open landscapes around the villages were used for pastures as suggested by pasture indicators in pollen spectra. Our interdisciplinary study will disclose the natural (environmental aridification) and anthropic (overexploitation of natural resources) reasons of the collapse of the Terramare culture, by investigating the environmental changes in the region and their relationships with the different land-use adopted by the Terramare people.

2019 - The origin and spread of olive cultivation in the Mediterranean Basin: The fossil pollen evidence [Articolo su rivista]
Langgut, Dafna; Cheddadi, Rachid; Sebastián Carrión, Josѐ; Cavanagh, Mark; Colombaroli, Daniele; John Eastwood, Warren; Greenberg, Raphael; Litt, Thomas; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Miebach, Andrea; Roberts, Neil; Woldring, Henk; Woodbridge, Jessie
abstract

Olive (Olea europaea L.) was one of the most important fruit trees in the ancient Mediterranean region and a founder species of horticulture in the Mediterranean Basin. Different views have been expressed regarding the geographical origins and timing of olive cultivation. Since genetic studies and macro-botanical remains point in different directions, we turn to another proxy – the palynological evidence. This study uses pollen records to shed new light on the history of olive cultivation and large-scale olive management. We employ a fossil pollen dataset composed of high-resolution pollen records obtained across the Mediterranean Basin covering most of the Holocene. Human activity is indicated when Olea pollen percentages rise fairly suddenly, are not accompanied by an increase of other Mediterranean sclerophyllous trees, and when the rise occurs in combination with consistent archaeological and archaeobotanical evidence. Based on these criteria, our results show that the southern Levant served as the locus of primary olive cultivation as early as ~6500 years BP (yBP), and that a later, early/mid 6th millennium BP cultivation process occurred in the Aegean (Crete) – whether as an independent large-scale management event or as a result of knowledge and/or seedling transfer from the southern Levant. Thus, the early management of olive trees corresponds to the establishment of the Mediterranean village economy and the completion of the ‘secondary products revolution’, rather than urbanization or state formation. From these two areas of origin, the southern Levant and the Aegean olive cultivation spread across the Mediterranean, with the beginning of olive horticulture in the northern Levant dated to ~4800 yBP. In Anatolia, large-scale olive horticulture was palynologically recorded by ~3200 yBP, in mainland Italy at ~3400 yBP, and in the Iberian Peninsula at mid/late 3rd millennium BP.

2019 - Tyrrhenian central Italy: Holocene population and landscape ecology [Articolo su rivista]
Stoddart, Simon; Woodbridge, Jessie; Palmisano, Alessio; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Andrew Mensing, Scott; Colombaroli, Daniele; Sadori, Laura; Magri, Donatella; Di Rita, Federico; Giardini, Marco; Mariotti, Marta; Montanari, Carlo; Bellini, Cristina; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Bevan, Andrew; Shennan, Stephen; Fyfe, Ralph; Roberts, Neil
abstract

This paper compares changes in vegetation structure and composition (using synthetic fossil pollen data) with proxy data for population levels (including settlements and radiocarbon dates) over the course of the last 10 millennia in Tyrrhenian central Italy. These data show generalised patterns of clearance of woodland in response both to early agriculturalists and urbanism, as well as the specific adoption of tree crops and variations in stock grazing. The results provide a comprehensive understanding of the development of the anthropogenised landscape of one of the most important early centres of European civilisation, showing regional trends as well as local variations.

2018 - "Mediterranean forest": towards a better definition for vegetation history [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mariotti Lippi, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Foggi, Bruno
abstract

Palaeobotany and Archaeobotany deal with the reconstruction of flora and vegetation changes over long term time, and this is especially developed by pollen analysis (e.g. De Beaulieau et al. 2005; Jalut et al. 2009; Roberts et al. 2011; Sadori et al. 2014; Magri et al. 2015). Starting from detailed study of limited cases, wide-ranging issues overcome local events to improve knowledge on the cause-and-effect patterns which determined broad palaeoenvironmental events. Indeed, local studies are not only the basis for general reconstructions, but their synthesis can confirm, shape or even modify the current reference schemes of vegetation history. Reaching a coherent reconstruction from diverse reference sources basically requires reassembling different information within the same scheme, a very laborious job that hides many difficulties. One of the biggest difficulties is the inhomogeneity of terminology especially that concerning the references to the vegetation types. The studies of plant remains provide lists of plants that better deal with flora than with vegetation, but plant communities are relevant to landscape reconstruction and their names are commonly quoted in papers. However, several problems arise when these terms are used in a generic way or have different meaning according to the different botanists and palaeoecologists. Several of the most relevant cases where found related to the Mediterranean concept: climate, forest, flora and so on. This contribution, based on personal experiences, wants to focus on this problem, without making any claims to solve it. ... Dealing with multidisciplinary studies, the use of terms concerning the plant communities is of key importance in palynology applied to environmental reconstructions. This research wants to be a contribution to the use of a precise, common terminology in order to facilitate the legibility of the data and their use in the reconstruction of the vegetation history at large scale.

2018 - Archaeobotany and ancient biomolecules from the Early and Middle Holocene wild cereals in central Sahara [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Fornaciari, Rita; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Arru, Laura; di Lernia, Savino
abstract

An archaeobotanical and biomolecular research has been carried out on wild cereals found at Takarkori, a rockshelter located in the Tadrart Acacus massif (central Sahara, SW Libya), UNESCO area since 1985 (e.g., di Lernia and Zampetti 2008). The site has been excavated by the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission (Sapienza University of Rome) from 2003 to 2006. Chronology ranges from c. 10,200 to c. 4600 cal BP. Besides the archaeological evidence, the particular depositional setting reveals a remarkable state of preservation of the organic material (Biagetti and di Lernia 2013). In this context, dried macroremains of wild cereals have been investigated by the classical archaeobotanical approach complemented with ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis, in order to investigate the plant resources which were available for huntergatherer first and then pastoral groups who occupied the site. ... The analyses confirm that Early and Middle Holocene biomolecules of Saharan wild cereals have survived until today. The set of data obtained from this research allowed a better understanding of both the palaeo-environmental context, made by climate and human actions, and the past human behaviour in exploiting wild cereals. These wild cereals were adapted to the changing environments and their presence changed during the different cultural and environmental phases at Takarkori. The archaeobotanical study, including systematic analyses of the plant accumulations, distribution and contexts, allowed to observe the gathering and cultivation of wild cereals in central Sahara (Mercuri et al. 2018).

2018 - Archaeological and archaeobotanical analysis of the funerary ritual in urban and peri-urban necropolis of a Roman colony of Northern Italy [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Riso, FEDERICA MARIA; Rinaldi, R.; Benatti, Alessandra; Mercuri, A. M.; Vanin, Stefano; Labate, D.; Bosi, G.
abstract

An interdisciplinary method involving different disciplines of archeology was carried out on the necropolis of Mutina, in order to have a complete view of the funerary rituals. For a multidisciplinary approach in order to study the funerary rituals, epigraphic, litterary, iconographic, archaeological and archaeobotanical evidences have been taken into consideration. A total of 142 graves and 4 structures have been analysed, coming from 8 necropolis (1st – 4th century AD). Over 2131 liters of soil was sieved and then archaeobotanical (seeds/fruit, charcoals) and archaeological findings were collected. These remains of meals left on the graves and of the objects involved in the ceremonies, are evidences resulting from the attendance of the funeral space. In addition to traditional methods, new technologies (CT-scan and SAXS - in collaboration with Huddersfield University) helped to study offerings presence.

2018 - CEA 2018: the 14th Conference of Environmental Archaeology in Modena and this Special Issue of IANSA [Articolo su rivista]
Beneš, Jaromír; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The 14th Conference of Environmental Archaeology, held in Modena on February 2018, proposed a bridge between palaeoecology and ecology and emphasized the role of archaeobotany in environmental archaeology and the modern science of conservation.

2018 - Charcoal Kilns in the Northern Apennines (Italy): Forest Exploitation by Past Societies in Mountain Areas [Articolo su rivista]
Benatti, Alessandra; Bal, Marie; Allée, Philippe; Bosi, Giovanna; Dallai, Daniele; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Anthracological analyses were carried out on charcoal platforms located in the Monte Cimone and Corno alle Scale mountain areas in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines (Northern Italy), at high altitude. Analyses of charcoal fragments contained in these man-made structures have allowed the reconstruction of human-forest relationships over the last centuries, in particular the exploitation of forests for charcoal production. Comparison of our anthracological results with ethnobotanical and historical-social information has made possible an improvement in our knowledge of this activity that was fundamental for the past mountain economy.

2018 - Cultural landscape and local economy in central Sicily: Philosophiana between the Roman and Middle Byzantine periods [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Vaccaro, Emanuele; Mackinnon, Michael; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Begun in 2009, the Philosophiana Project focuses on the urban-style settlement and mansio of Sofiana and on its environs in central Sicily, at only six aerial kilometers from the Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina, one of the richest and most famous late Roman villa of the western Mediterranean (Vaccaro and La Torre 2015). The project, currently directed by the Universities of Messina and Trento, uses the case study of Sofiana to investigate settlement and economy of the interior of Sicily, which in Late Antiquity became of strategic importance for the grain supply of Rome. The crucial role of inland Sicily as the main wheat supplier of Rome continued in the early medieval period, when the Church owned large land estates in this region. Through the application of an interdisciplinary approach the project tackles the reconstruction of settlement and economic patterns in the long period between the early imperial and the Middle Byzantine period (1st century BC-9th century AD) and aims to investigate the impact of local economic strategies on the cultural landscape (Bowes et al. 2011; Vaccaro 2013, 2017). ... The integration of a wide-range of archaeological and bioarchaeological approaches to the study of Philosophiana and its hinterland is allowing us to move away from a traditional site-centered analysis towards a more in-depth understanding of the interrelations between local communities and the cultural landscape.

2018 - Etaghas: an unprecedented evidence for agricultural landuse in the hyperarid central Sahara [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
di Lernia, Savino; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Zerboni, Andrea
abstract

Rainfall in the hyperarid Central Sahara is unpredictable; but occasionally it may originate ephemeral ponds, which can stand for several weeks (e.g. Fantoli 1937, Davies and Gasse 1988; di Lernia et al. 2012). In the Tadrart Acacus massif (SW Libya), for instance, recent ethnographic interviews have disclosed the complexity of the social perception of rainfall and scarcity of water availability, highlighting the existence of unexpected subsistence strategies related to the systematic exploitation of limited water resources and deeply rooted in the local historical and possibly archaeological background (di Lernia et al., 2012). Among the many abilities accomplished by the local Tuareg people to preserve surface water and maximise benefits coming from occasional rainfalls, we discovered the possibility to cultivate small patches of the desert after the main rainfalls. This form of traditional cultivation, up to now only occasionally reported for a few Tuareg groups in Mali and Algeria (Nicolaisen and Nicolaisen 1997), is represented by the exploitation of these temporary ponds, locally called etaghas (Bourbon del Monte Santa Maria 1912). ... The etaghas are well-defined areas whose physiographic features make recession cultivation possible and allow people living in the Tadrart Acacus massif to obtain directly, today as in the past, occasional yields (di Lernia et al. 2012). Radiocarbon dating and the occurrence of a complex archaeological landscape surrounding the etaghas suggest that this subsistence practice dates back at least to early historical times. Finally, in a cultural landscape dominated by the oasis-desert vs. agriculture/pastoralism dichotomy, this kind of landuse offers new perspective in the interpretation of the Pastoral-Neolithic exploitation of the central Sahara.

2018 - First palynological data from the “Vasca Inferiore di Noceto”, an artificial mire of the Bronze age in the Po Plain [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Clo', Eleonora; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

In the framework of the national-funded project SUCCESSO-TERRA (PRIN-20158KBLNB), an interdisciplinary geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical (pollen and macroremains) investigation has been carried out, aiming at reconstructing 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 a unique cultural phenomenon: banked and moated villages that were located in the Po River alluvial plain, dated to Middle and Recent Bronze ages (1550-1170 years BC; Cremaschi et al. 2016). An artificial basin of the Middle Bronze Age, built and delimited entirely with oak wood, was found in the spring of 2004 in Noceto, in the province of Parma. Due to the unusual and, at the same time, extraordinary character of this site, the intervention promoted by the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell’Emilia Romagna was timely. The excavation campaigns that followed, thanks to the cooperation with the Università di Milano and Comune di Noceto, brought to light bio-archaeological materials in a good state of conservation because they were always submerged in the water in a deposit of saturated clay until they were found (Cremaschi et al. 2009). In the 2015 following excavations, it was discovered that this structure (Fig. 1) was built after the collapse of an older and wider basin. The latter is called “Vasca Inferiore” for its position. The use of both structures covered a period of about one century. ... This palynological research allows to investigate the relationships between human action and a special artificial wet environment during the Bronze Age by providing biological data to an archaeological context. The results give useful information for a better understanding of current human impact on small mires as they show how much it limits the development of biotic communities and the formation of true ecological successions. The study may be a contribution to conservation studies and sustainable management plans of human environments in the Po Plain.

2018 - Herding Barbary Sheep in Early Holocene Sahara [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Rotunno, Rocco; Fornaciari, Rita; Boscaini, Michela; Mercuri, Anna Maria; di Lernia, Savino
abstract

The Early Holocene in North Africa and in the Sahara, is characterized by climatic fluctuations which affected human behavior and cultural trajectories regarding occupation, food procurement and resource management (e.g., Cremaschi and di Lernia 1999; Kuper and Kröpelin 2006). The excavation of the Takarkori rockshelter in the Tadrart Acacus Mountains (Southwest Libya, Central Sahara) offers a unique context with a long and well-preserved Holocene archaeological deposit. In fact, the chrono-cultural sequence of human occupation spans from the huntergatherer-fishers (HGF) of the Late Acacus (LA) period up to the Late Pastoral Neolithic (LPN), lasting from approximately 10,200 to 4600 cal. BP in radiocarbon chronology (Biagetti and di Lernia 2013). Late Acacus HGF occupation is characterized by various archaeological remains which indicate different environments, availability of resources and rather complex subsistence strategies, involving selective and intensive plant exploitation (Cremaschi et al. 2014; Dunne et al. 2016; Olmi et al. 2011). Moreover, there are hints of corralling wild animals (Biagetti and di Lernia 2007) and a large amount of well-preserved animal droppings, coprolites, both as part of thick and laminated layers, and as isolated pellets in more loose sediments, were recovered in the stratigraphic sequence. Given the highly informative nature of this kind of evidence for palaeoenvironmental and cultural reconstructions (e.g. di Lernia 2001; Linseele et al. 2010; Mercuri 1999), coprolites from Early Holocene levels have been examined along various lines of investigation with the aim of shading new lights on animal management strategies among Early Holocene Saharan foragers. ... The study highlights how animal dung is a valuable archaeological proxy, providing information about animal husbandry, exploitation and reconstruction of the past environment, activity area, site structure, economic and cultural transformations in past societies (di Lernia 2000; Mercuri 2008). The evidence collected confirms the sophisticated forms of managing wild animals, likely Barbary sheep, among Early Holocene HGF of the LA phase. Not only feeding the animals with selected fodder as seen at Uan Afuda (Mercuri 1999), but also building and organizing specific facilities accordingly their dwellings.

2018 - Historical ecology and sustainable forest management: revealing key periods in the landscape transformation of the Italian peninsula [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mensing, Scott; Tunno, Irene; Mercuri, Anna Maria; RUSSO ERMOLLI, Elda; Sadori, Laura; Schoolman, Edward; Piovesan, Gianluca
abstract

In recent years, palaeoecological analyses are increasingly widespread in various environments and are sometimes developed with particularly detailed temporal resolution providing historical ecology a new multidisciplinary focus (Hjelle et al. 2012; Izdebski et al. 2016). The possibility to compare the dynamics of local and regional landscapes at the decadal scale with climatic reconstructions, historical documents and archaeological data is confirming the long and pervasive land transformation of the Anthropocene (e.g. Marignani et al. 2017; Piovesan et al. in press), and providing alternative scenarios of some classical views derived strictly from interpretation of historical documents (Schoolman et al. in press). The aim of this contribution is to discuss what unites and what differentiates the historical landscape evolution along peninsular Italy on the basis of the available multidisciplinary records. ... Across all records we examined in Italy, there is a dominant pattern of widespread loss of forest ecosystems and an increase in forest degradation/pioneer communities in modern landscapes as compared with ancient landscapes. While this result is not surprising, the pattern of continuous change with a dominant trend of degradation of forest ecosystems and natural capital raises important questions about the need for future plans of forest management and ecosystem restoration for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services and renewable products. The paleoecological data can provide critical baseline data for potential restoration efforts. The highest priority for ecosystem restoration is in the lowland wet environments.

2018 - LA PALAFITTA DI TOMBOLA DI CEREA (VR). LO SCAVO 1999. [Articolo su rivista]
Luciano, Salzani; Claudio, Balista; Priscilla, Butta; Nicoletta, Martinelli; Torri, Paola; Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Marco, Bertolini; THUN HOHENSTEIN, Ursula
abstract

The pile dwelling was discovered in 1955 in the valley of the river Menago, just a few hundred meters south of the settlement of Tombola di Cerea (VR). A first excavation was carried out that very year by Francesco Zorzi, director of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Verona; the digging has been resumed in 1999 by the Soprintendenza Archeologica of Veneto. The results of these excavations have ascertained that the prehistoric dwelling site was built in a marshy environment. Only some vertical poles and some horizontal beams were preserved, which leads to the hypothesis that there existed a wooden platform on which the sheds were standing. The structural elements of the palafitte find correspondents in others settlements in moist environment from the Middle Bronze Age. The paleogeographic reconstruction of the immediate hinterland confirm the location of the site at the center of the Menago River Paleovalley, an incision a few hundred meters wide and more than ten meters deep, at the base of a thick layer of peat. Previous studies, related to the origin of the deep incision generated by the homonymous spring-line river, mainly refer to geodynamic factors linked to buried tectonic lines, as main motives for the incisions caused by the diversion of Adige breach-channels captured towards the basin of Great Veronese Valleys, which occurred in the late Lateglacial-Holocene age. The analysis of new lithostratigraphies detected on exposures inside the paleovalley, has led to find the presence of a thick and almost continuous filling of organic-peaty sediments, which mark the accretions and the sedimentations verified starting from the basal levels of the pile-dwelling site, depositions that have lasted until fairly recent dates. A series of detailed comparisons made with the terms of the peat-debris-filling sequences of the basin that developed outside the embankments of the near and coeval Fondo Paviani site, led to verify a similar evolution in the growths that mark the upper reaches of these two important alluvio-organic successions. Ultimately, is claimed that the same incidence, of anthropogenic and climatic factors, is involved as the main contributors to the development of the upper fills of the Menago Paleovalley, in correspondence with the pile-dwelling station of the Tombola di Cerea and the embanked site of Fondo Paviani. A great number of ceramic fragments (ca 620 kg) and a smaller amount of bronze, terracotta and bone-horn artefacts had been found. This paper focus on chrono-typological analysis of the archaeological finds, in particular on ceramic of the medium-fine tipe. The goal is the overall classification artefacts, accompanied by a comparison made from materials found in geographically nearbysites. Dendrochronology and radiocarbon allow to date the wooden structures to the second half of the 15th Century cal BC, or in the first decades of the 14th Century cal BC at the latest; the vertical posts come from oak tree felled down once about every ten years. Archaeobotanical study includes pollen analysis carried out on 18 subsamples taken from a core collected in the pile-dwelling settlement and carpological and xilo-anthacological analysis, from 2 samples taken from layers (stratigraphic units) corresponding to the bottom of the core. The results allows to draw the environmental framework of the settlement. The pollen diagram shows that the landscape was rich of wet environments: ponds, wet grassland and hygrophilous wood. The human activity was suggested by a number of anthropogenic indicators: cereal fields, ruderals and weeds. Seeds/fruits and pollen data testify to the presence in the area of edible fruits from plants such as blackthorn, hazelnut, currant, walnut and grapevine. The finds of Baldellia ranuncoloides – a threatened plants today - underline that the archaeobotanical research provide naturalistic information that allow us to better understand

2018 - Multiscalar perspectives on Holocene climatic and environmental changes in the Sahara and Nile Corridor, with special consideration of archaeological sites on Sai Island, Sudan [Capitolo/Saggio]
Hildebrand, E.; Garcea, E. A. A.; Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

This multiscalar study explores Holocene environmental changes across the Sahara, within the eastern Sahara, and along the Nile in northern Sudan. The Early Holocene saw increased moisture across most parts of northern Africa after c. 10,000 BC, with peak humid conditions 7800–7000 BC. A short but significant dry interval after c. 7000 BC was followed by wetter conditions around 6000 BC, and then a gradual aridification from 5000 BC. The latter dry phase has continued until present times. The exceptional environments near the Nile are known to have seen impressive variations as climate oscillations and flora left traces in the palaeobotanical record. Multidisciplinary archaeological studies in this area—including analysis of plant macroremains—have focused on the transitions from hunting-fishing-gathering (Khartoum Variant) to pastoralism (Abkan) and later to agro-pastoralism (Pre-Kerma). The palynological data from four Sai Island sites (8-B-10C, 8-B-76, 8-B-81, and 8-B-10A) and the nearby mainland site of Amara West (2-R-66) provide new perspectives on local environmental shifts during this time of profound economic and social change. Despite poor pollen preservation, the high number of samples enables comparisons that show both diachronic changes and synchronic variation. Since the earliest phases, pollen spectra reflect mixed flora from various habitats and some seasonal variability. During the Early Holocene and the initial part of the Middle Holocene, dramatic floods on Sai’s east side and seasonal desiccation on Sai’s west side together created an ecological mosaic that exposed people to several different habitat types within a short distance. These included swamps and marshes, wooded savannas, grasslands and desert savanna, providing access to plants used for food, medicine, and other purposes. Documenting localized patterns of vegetation variation and change can lay important groundwork for explaining changes in subsistence and social organization.

2018 - Mutina splendidissima: archaeobotanical data reveal the history of a town [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rinaldi, Rossella; Florenzano, Assunta; Marchesini, Marco; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Modena, situated on the via Emilia, was founded in 183 BC. Described as firmissima et splendidissima by Cicero, the Roman Mutina was one of the most important urban centre of northern Italy. In 2017, on the anniversary of 2200 years from its founding, many events tried to highlight the strong imprint left by the Roman world in the history of the city to the present day. The Laboratory of Palynology and Palaeobotany has cooperated for a long time with the Superintendence of Emilia Romagna and with the Archaeological Ethnological Museum of Modena; on this celebratory occasion the Laboratory contributed to different activities planned with a synthesis of the data obtained from the numerous archaeobotanical analyses performed over the last 20 years on urban and peri-urban sites of the city. ... Archaeobotanical researches carried out on the sites of Modena provided many information useful to reconstruct the environment, farming practices, diet and ritual uses associated to plants in Roman period. Thanks to these data, in addition to products targeted to the scientific community (papers on international journals and conference speeches), it was possible to communicate the results obtained from a rigorous and exhaustive scientific research to a wider and varied audience.

2018 - Palynology from Mediterranean archaeological sites for cultural landscape reconstruction [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.; Torri, P.; Montecchi, M. C.; Rattighieri, E.; Mazzanti, M.
abstract

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).

2018 - Panicum spikelets from the Early Holocene Takarkori rockshelter (SW Libya): Archaeo-molecular and -botanical investigations [Articolo su rivista]
Fornaciari, Rita; Fornaciari, Silvia; Francia, Enrico; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Arru, Laura
abstract

This paper deals with the extraction, amplification and sequencing of ancient DNA (aDNA) from spikelets of wild cereals dated at ca. 9000 cal yr BP, representing the most ancient plants with preserved genetic material from the Sahara desert. The sub-fossil records were collected from the archaeological excavation carried out at Takarkori, an archaeological site located in south-western Libya. Morphological and genetic analyses were made on 100 well preserved dried spikelets. Ten DNA extraction protocols were performed to evaluate nucleic acid recovery in terms of DNA yield, purity and amplification success of the chloroplast barcode region matK. The extraction protocol that returned the most suitable DNA to be amplified is the Kistler and Shapiro (2011: J Archaeol Sci 38: 3549-3554) modified protocol. In our study, the results from matK amplification suggested that four specimens are the most appropriate number of spikelets for these analyses. DNA was then used for PCR amplifications of four chloroplast barcode genes: rbcL, matK, trnH-psbA and trnL. A phylogenetic analysis shows the strict relation between the archaeological specimens and modern Panicoideae, supporting the morphological identification. The results indicate that spikelets have a close relation to Panicum laetum Kunth, a wild cereal still collected in tropical Africa.

2018 - Plant behaviour from human imprints and the cultivation of wild cereals in Holocene Sahara [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Fornaciari, Rita; Gallinaro, Marina; Vanin, Stefano; di Lernia, Savino
abstract

The human selection of food plants cannot always have been aimed exclusively at isolating the traits typical of domesticated species today. Each phase of global change must have obliged plants and humans to cope with and develop innovative adaptive strategies. Hundreds of thousands of wild cereal seeds from the Holocene ‘green Sahara’ tell a story of cultural trajectories and environmental instability revealing that a complex suite of weediness traits were preferred by both hunter-gatherers and pastoralists. The archaeobotanical record of the Takarkori rockshelter in southwest Libya covering four millennia of human occupation in the central Sahara gives us a unique insight into long-term plant manipulation and cultivation without domestica- tion. The success of a number of millets was rooted in their invasive-opportunistic behaviour, rewarded during their coexistence with people in Africa. These wild plants were selected for features that were precious in the past but pernicious for agriculture today. Reconnecting past practices with modern farming strategies can help us to seek out the best resources for the future.

2018 - Plants and People in the African Past: Themes and Objectives of Archaeobotany [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Catherine D’Andrea, A.; Fornaciari, Rita; Höhn, Alexa
abstract

Editorial del volume

2018 - Plants and people in the African past: Progress in African archaeobotany [Monografia/Trattato scientifico]
Mercuri, A. M.; D'Andrea, A. C.; Fornaciari, R.; Hohn, A.
abstract

Read this book to better understand the complexity and diversity of the countries of Africa. The contributions of this book investigate the adaptations and innovations that people on the African continent have developed in order to cope with their needs for food, housing and fuel in the different environments, like the Mediterranean, the desert and the tropical forest, and the changes of these environments through time. To elucidate these past interrelationships between the human agent and the environment, palaeo/archaeobotanical approaches are essential. Plants are an important part of the human diet, provide construction material for shelters and energy as fuel, and, moreover, the physiognomy of landscapes is to a large extent shaped by plants, while at same time humans have and have had an important role in shaping African environments. This book comprises the current state of the art of archaeobotanical research on the continent; archaeobotanists, botanists, anthropologists, ethnoarchaeologists, palaeoecologists, geographers and linguists bring together and discuss the evidence concerning matters such as: Plant use in foraging and agrarian societies, plant domestication, agricultural systems/history, foodways and culinary practices, human-environmental interactions, anthropic impacts and the spread of early agricultural communities. This book is the outstanding outcome of the recent meeting IWAA8 of archaeobotanists working on the African continent in Modena in 2015. The results stress the importance of integrative methods, cooperation between disciplines, and of constant exchange of data and knowledge. The meetings of the International Workgroup for African Archaeobotany were founded in 1994 with the first meeting in Mogilany, Poland. Since then workshops of African Archaeobotany have been held regularly every three years, in Leicester (1997), Frankfurt/Main (2000), Groningen (2003), London (2006), Cairo (2009), Vienna (2012) and Modena (2015).

2018 - Pollen evidence and the reconstruction of plant landscape of the Pantanello area from the 7th to the 1st century BC [Capitolo/Saggio]
Florenzano, A.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

Archaeopalynology helps to reconstruct cultural landscapes and human impact of the past.In archaeological contexts, the discipline plays an important role in the investigation of ancient human behavior acting on the environment, and cultural aspects of plant exploitation. Although archaeopalynology faces some challenges (e.g., scarcity of suitable deposits, low pollen quantities and bad pollen preservation),comparisons of pollen data from many sites in the Mediterranean area contribute to the understanding of the past development of habitats and vegetation, including the region of Basilicata in southern Italy. In the particular case of the Pantanello Sanctuary, the excavated contexts were submerged underwater, and the anaerobic conditions allowed a remarkable state of preservation of organic material in the deposits. Thanks to these favorable conditions, Pantanello represents a considerable opportunity for drawing thorough palaeo-environmental and economical reconstructions of the territory during its different occupation phases. At Pantanello, the archaeobotanical investigations were carried out with the main purpose of improving knowledge of the past flora of the area and focusing on plants growing in and around the site. The palaeoenvironmental data obtained from this study contribute to the plant landscape reconstruction of the territory of Metaponto during the Greek and Roman occupation.

2018 - Pollen, NPPs, seeds/fruits, charcoals for reconstructing environmental and cultural changes between 3rd BC and 6th AD in Mutina (Modena) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Riso, F.; Bosi, G.; Torri, P.; Mercuri, A. M.; Rinaldi, R.; Montecchi, M. C.; Benatti, A.; Florenzano, A.; Mazzanti, M.
abstract

Archaeobotanical researches (pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, seeds/fruits and charcoals) carried out on the sites of Modena provided many information useful to reconstruct the environment, farming practices, diet and ritual uses associated to plants in Roman period. The research is a key example of integrated archaeobotanical analyses based on archeological sites studied for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.

2018 - The Botanical Record of Archaeobotany Italian Network - BRAIN: a cooperative network, database and website [Articolo su rivista]
Mariotti Lippi, M.; Florenzano, A.; Rinaldi, R.; Allevato, E.; Arobba, D.; Bacchetta, G.; Bal, M. C.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Benatti, A.; Beneš, J.; Bosi, G.; Buonincontri, M.; Caramiello, R.; Castelletti, L.; Castiglioni, E.; Celant, A.; Clò, E.; Costantini, L.; Di Pasquale, G.; Di Rita, F.; Fiorentino, G.; Furlanetto, G.; Giardini, M.; Grillo, O.; Guido, M.; Herchenbach, M.; Magri, D.; Marchesini, M.; Maritan, M.; Marvelli, S.; Masi, A.; Miola, A.; Montanari, C.; Montecchi, M. C.; Motella, S.; Nisbet, R.; Orrù, M.; Peña- Chocarro, L.; Pepe, C.; Perego, R.; Rattighieri, E.; Ravazzi, C.; Rottoli, M.; Rowan, E.; Sabato, D.; Sadori, L.; Sarigu, M.; Torri, P.; Ucchesu, M.; Mercuri, A. M.
abstract

2018 - The Role of Morphometry to Delineate Changes in the Spikelet Shape of Wild Cereals: The Case Study of Takarkori (Holocene, Central Sahara, SW Libya) [Capitolo/Saggio]
Fornaciari, Rita; Arru, Laura; Terenziani, Rita; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

morphometrical study of hundreds of spikelets recovered from archaeological deposits of Takarkori (SW Libya) provides data on the presence and size variations of wild cereals gathered by hunter-gatherers in the central Sahara during the Early and Middle Holocene (c. 10,200–c. 4600 cal yr BP). Spikelets of Panicum laetum, Echinochloa colona and Sorghum bicolor subsp. verticilliflorum, found in 18 seed/fruit concentrations, are measured using image analysis techniques. These data demonstrate that the archaeobotanical specimens have a similar typology, maturity stage and are of a uniform size, suggesting that they were selected by the human groups living in the area. Indeed, the spikelets of two samples recovered from sediments excavated elsewhere on the site compared to those from the seed concentrations, show a smaller size and greater variation in maturation status. Results are compared to metrical data obtained from modern species.

2018 - The SUCCESSO-TERRA Project: a Lesson of Sustainability from the Terramare Culture, Middle Bronze Age of the Po Plain (Northern Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Benatti, Alessandra; Bosi, Giovanna; Brandolini, Filippo; Clo', Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Furia, Elisa; Mariani, Guido S.; Mazzanti, Marta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Torri, Paola; Zerboni, Andrea
abstract

This backstory article deals with the SUCCESSO-TERRA Project (2017–2020), an interdisciplinary research program aiming at reconstructing the land-use transformations that occurred during the development of the Terramare culture in the southern-central Po Plain of Northern Italy. Topics include climate-environment changes, human impact and exploitation of natural resources that are interconnected topics in human ecology and environmental sciences. These topics can only be understood in a long-term perspective integrating archaeology, geology, botany and other sciences. The text includes the theoretical basis, the research strategy and the main methodological approaches given by geoarchaeology and palynology, the two research sides constituting the partnership of the project.

2018 - The environmental perspective from the Late Antique contexts of Villa del Casale and Philosophiana (central Sicily, S Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Dallai, Daniele; Vaccaro, Emanuele; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Villa del Casale and Philosophiana are archaeological sites very close from each other and located in Sicily, southern Italy. They are among the best evidence of rural contexts of the Roman period in the island (Vaccaro 2013). These sites have been recently studied with focus to the end of 3rd until the 7th century AD, a time frame that was critical for the transition of different cultures. Archaeological researches, in fact, attest that human activity has strongly interested central Sicily since the beginning of the Roman Imperial Age, and has reached its acme in the Byzantine period. Based on interdisciplinary projects, the on-site palynological analyses allowed to obtain the reconstruction of the agrarian and cultural landscape of this area in the centre of the Mediterranean basin during Late Antiquity. This poster presents the data which were recently published by Mercuri et al. (2017 online). ... Pollen and archaeological information confirm that this central Sicily area had the role of major producer of cereal foodstuffs. Our data support the idea of continuity of the agrarian landscape during the Late Antiquity. In fact, spreading of anthropogenic environments, where tree crops and cereals were cultivated, probably in alternation with pasturelands, marked the land use of this area. In addition and more specifically, ornamental and shade plants were concentrated in the luxury villa, while fruit trees and agrarian activities were more evident in Philosophiana. We assume that the centuries from the 3rd to 7th century AD represent a key phase to understand changes in the past vegetation to the modern landscape of this island (Mercuri et al. 2017 online).

2018 - The palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Bronze Age settlements of the Po Plain (SUCCESSO-TERRA Project) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri Anna, Maria.; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Clo', Eleonora; Bosi, Giovanna; Rinaldi, Rossella; Zerboni, Andrea; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

The contribution shows the palynological research carried out on the three archaeological sites - Noceto, Santa Rosa di Poviglio and Valestra - at the centre of the project SUCCESSO-TERRA. In this research, the environmental and land-use changes have been investigated to understand their relationships over the last millennia.

2018 - The palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio from the Bronze Age to the XVI century AD (SUCCESSO-TERRA project) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Furia, Elisa; Torri, Paola; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

Santa Rosa di Poviglio is an archaeological site that has been investigated since more than 30 years under the direction of M. Cremaschi, and recently is at the centre 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. In this project, the environmental and land-use changes have been investigated to understand their relationships over the last millennia. The approach is especially based on on-site palynological analyses (Mercuri 2014) integrated with the study of plant macroremains (seeds/fruits, charcoals). First analyses were focused on obtaining detailed comprehension of the adaptive strategies of the Terramare people during the Late Holocene. Santa Rosa di Poviglio was a terramara during the Middle/Recent Bronze ages (1550–1170 BC; Cremaschi et al. 2016). The interdisciplinary geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical research wants now to reconstruct environmental changes that occurred from the onset of the terramara to the following phases, until the XVI century AD, taking this site as emblematic of the land transformations of the southern-central part of the Po Plain. ... The palynological research showed a transformation in flora composition and plant communities, suggesting a dynamic agricultural economy. The latter was possibly practiced on the basis of wood management and crop fields. At the top of the VP/VG sequence of Santa Rosa di Poviglio, in correspondence with the drying of the moat system, a dramatic decrease of woods may had a twofold causation: increased aridity (natural factor) and intensive land-use (anthropic factor) might have played a fairly synchronous action on vegetation. After the Bronze age phase, the agro-system rapidly decreased or changed typology. In fact, pasturelands spread with much land devoted to grazing. Also the cultivation of hemp is recorded, and a quite expansion of woods during the most recent phases documented by pollen (Grant: PRIN2015 8KBLNB).

2018 - The past plant ecosystems of Northern Apennines inferred from soil charcoal analysis [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Benatti, Alessandra; Bal, Marie; Allée, Philippe; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Monte Cimone and Corno alle Scale are two of the highest mountains of the Northern Apennines and they are located in the Emilia-Romagna region. They are important biodiversity sites thanks to their geographical location between the phytogeographic Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean regions. The current timberline, formed by coppice beech forest, is located at about 1700 m a.s.l. at Monte Cimone and at about 1600 m a.s.l. at Corno alle Scale, at a lower elevation than other areas of the Apennines. Soil charcoal analysis can identify the past timberline shifts in response to climate change and human impact (Bal 2006; Talon et al. 1998). Above the timberline, Vaccinium heathlands and Narduus grasslands characterize vegetation (Fig. 1). Main palaeoenvironnemental researches carried out in the Northern Apennines are palynological analyses (Vescovi et al. 2010; Watson 1996) showing that important openings of forest cover had occurred during the Late Holocene. These mountains have been exploited by sheep pastoral activity which was largely practiced until the mid-20th century when decreased drastically (Borri 2014). In our study areas the pastoral activity has only weak archaeological evidence (Cardarelli and Malnati 2006). However, we identified some pastoral structures in the current grassland landscape of Monte Cimone. The research here presented reports on pedoanthracology applied to the study of vegetation dynamics at the scale of the slope and the relationships between pastoral societies and the mountain environment. ... The soil of Monte Cimone and Corno alle Scale provide charcoals fragments dated almost exclusively to the Late Holocene. Our pedoanthracological study shows that, during this period, the plant landscape of Monte Cimone was similar to the present one while it was quite different at Corno alle Scale. Mountains were continuatively used by pastoral societies.

2018 - The plant landscape of Roman Tuscany and the peasant agricultural strategies in the Cinigiano area (central Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Florenzano, Assunta; Vaccaro, Emanuele; Bowes, Kimberly
abstract

In Cinigiano (Grosseto, southern Tuscany, Italy), the archaeobotanical study of small rural sites have been investigated to understand the relationships between Roman peasant farmers and the environment of central Italy. The research was carried out within an interdisciplinary project, the Roman Peasant Project, that addressed the lives of Roman rural smallholders (Bowes et al. 2011, 2017). Microscopical and macroscopical plant remains were collected from 8 sites and interpreted in the context of their archaeological and chronological frameworks (Rattighieri et al. 2013; Bowes et al. 2015). The archaeobotanical material describes a period of intensive land use in the late Republican/early Imperial period, with possible use of convertible agriculture strategies. ... Altogether, the archaeobotanical data from the small agro-processing and farm sites show that the Roman-period occupation was mostly marked by a well-developed and complex agrarian landscape. These archaeobotanical data describe a sophisticated micro-management of the land including intensive agricultural systems with cultivation and breeding activities. Pollen evidence points towards a great importance of the animal husbandry as large part of land was allocated to a grazed pasture (Bowes et al. 2015).

2018 - The potential of paleoecology for functional forest restoration planning: lessons from Late Holocene Italian pollen records [Articolo su rivista]
Piovesan, G.; Mercuri, A. M.; Mensing, S. A.
abstract

We describe forest landscape transformations during the last two millennia in the Italian peninsula by analyzing local (Rieti basin–Lago Lungo) and regional (RF93-30 Adriatic Sea) sediment cores. We identify a dynamic forest ecosystem through paleoecologic reconstruction and consider potential interventions for effective restoration of the most ancient, least disturbed forest ecosystem. The most degraded ecosystems in consequence of human activities were hygrophilous (wet) and mesic forests. In the Rieti Basin, degraded forest ecosystems on mountain slopes are undergoing some degree of forest succession and have less need of restoration. However, management plans for biodiversity, ecosystem services and resources conservation are needed to achieve more sustainable development. In Rieti, the paleoecological investigation revealed a dramatic decrease of deciduous wet and mesic tree taxa through time due to human landscape transformation. The starting point for restoration of a Mediterranean forest ecosystem that preserves natural biodiversity and associated ecosystem services requires recreating some portion of the floodplain wetland ecological niche. Once floodplain forest ecological niche has been recreated, the original ecosystem composed of Alnus, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia spp., Carpinus betulus and Acer spp., all species which today are rare, should be planted on the basis of microsite characteristics and tree autoecology.

2018 - The site of San Michele di Valestra: new evidence of Apennines exploitation during the Bronze Age (XV–XII century BC, N Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Baratti, Giorgio; Borgi, Federico; Brandolini, Filippo; Costanzo, Stefano; Degli Esposti, Michele; Isola, Ilaria; Maini, Elena; Stefano Mariani, Guido; Mutti, Angela; Provenzano, Noelle; Regattieri, Eleonora; Torri, Paola; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Zerboni, Andrea
abstract

The expansion and especially the collapse of the Terramare culture in the Po Plain (Northern Italy) between the Middle and the Recent Bronze Age (XVI–XII century BC) has been a subject of interest to archaeologists for a long time (Barfield 1994; Bernabò Brea et al. 1997; Cardarelli 2009). Their extensive network of trades and traffics had by no doubt a strong influence on the nearby mountain settlements in the northern Apennine, to which they were probably tightly related in lasting commercial relationships. Nevertheless, the nature and extent of Bronze Age human exploitation of the northern Apennine is poorly known, as well as the consequences of the disappearance of the neighbouring Terramare culture on these settlements. The principal reason for this knowledge gap is the scarcity of archaeological excavations in the area, with the few promising sites related to this period left largely ignored during the last decades. San Michele di Valestra, located in the territory of Carpineti (RE), is one of the few Bronze Age settlements investigated in the last decades, but the old studies (Bellodi et al. 1979; Tirabassi 1979) did not highlight the full archaeological potential of the site. In 2017 the archaeological sequence has been re-investigated in the framework of the SUCCESSO-TERRA Project (PRIN20158KBLNB). ... The site of San Michele di Valestra is probably the longest and best-preserved sequence for the Bronze Age in the Apennines, and offers the opportunity to understand the subsistence strategies in this environment. Evidence shows how the climate event accompanying the Terramare crisis had little influence on Apennine settlements: despite the spatial proximity (only about 20 km), in the site of San Michele di Valestra no hiatus or interruption in the archaeological sequence can be found relative to that event, in opposition to the substantial impact it had on the populations of the Po Plain. It can be speculated that adaptations to the peculiarities of the mountain environment were a key factor in the higher resilience of these settlements, and that a responsible strategy in the exploitation of the natural resources probably allowed their survival. The palaeobotanical analysis of the sequence and the palaeoclimatic studies on speleothems will explain the main climatic changes affecting the area and possibly shed light on the kind of response adopted by human groups to a changing environment.

2018 - The “Mediterranean Forest”: A Perspective for Vegetation History Reconstruction [Articolo su rivista]
Mariotti Lippi, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Foggi, Bruno
abstract

Starting from the multifaceted meaning of “Mediterranean”, this thematic review wishes to reconnect the palaeobotanical with the phytogeographical approach in the reconstruction of the Mediterranean Forest of the past. The use of the term “Mediterranean” is somewhat ambiguous in its common use, and has not an unequivocal meaning in different research fields. In botany, geographical-floristic studies produce maps based on the distribution of the plant species; floristic-ecological studies, produce maps that deal with the distribution of the plant communities and their relationships with different habitats. This review reports on the different use of the term “Mediterranean” in geographical or floristic studies, and on the way climate and plant distributions are used to define the Mediterranean area. The Mediterranean Forest through the palynological records is then shortly reported on. Pollen analysis may be employed to reconstruct the Mediterranean Forest of the past but a number of problems make this a difficult task: low pollen preservation, lack of diagnostic features at low taxonomical level, and low pollen production of species which form the Mediterranean Forests. Variable images of this vegetation are visible in different landscapes, but the Mediterranean Forest often remains a sort of “ghost forest” in pollen spectra from the Mediterranean Region.

2018 - The “Vasca Inferiore di Noceto”: palynological data for the reconstruction of the Po Plain landscape in the Bronze Age [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Clo', Eleonora; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; Rinaldi, Rossella; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

The aim of this work is to describe the paleoenvironment and cultural landscape near the archaeological site of “Vasca Inferiore di Noceto” (an artificial basin) in about one century during the Bronze Age (1420-1320 BC). The study of the ecological-floristic characters revealed by pollen analysis (pollen, spore of Monilophytes s.l. and Briophytes s.l. and nonpollen palynomorphs–NPPs) allowed to distinguish the past biodiversity and ecological successions that are typical of natural or human-induced wet environments. This research provides new biological information to an archaeological context, discovered in 2004, through a detailed analysis of plant cover near the site. The low forest cover and signs of human activity (with evidence from Corylus, cereals and synanthropic plants) are at the base of pollen spectra. Data permit to investigate the complex relationships between this basin and human activity, and the human impact on landscape.

2018 - When palynology meets classical archaeology: the Roman and medieval landscapes at the Villa del Casale di Piazza Armerina, UNESCO site in Sicily [Articolo su rivista]
Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Palynological researches have been carried out in the framework of cooperative projects with local and national institutions at the Villa Romana del Casale of Piazza Armerina, a small town in central Sicily. The site was studied within a multidisciplinary geo-bio-archaeological set of studies aiming at understanding the economy and environment at a local scale. Analyses allowed us to reconstruct the natural vs cultural landscape dynamics from Roman to medieval periods. On the basis of 85 samples, pollen diagrams show that the site has been built in a low forest cover area, with signs of both natural/semi-natural cover and complex anthropogenic activities. These activities include cereal fields and pastures. There is evidence of ornamental (e.g. Platanus, Buxus) and fruit trees (above all Olea, and also, e.g. Corylus, Prunus and Juglans). The research also includes a detailed study about the finding of Vitis pollen grains in the Roman site. In the subsequent phases, pollen shows again an open, fairly treeless, landscape with Mediterranean and hilly vegetation. Anthropogenic signs are evident in the form of groves and orchards. Our data bring evidence and details about the intense land exploitation that had contributed to transform the environment of central Sicily during the Middle and Late Holocene. Data demonstrate that archaeopalynology may be fruitfully regarded as a tool to understand the current landscape structure.

2017 - BRAIN – cooperative network and website [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, A. M.; Allevato, E.; Arobba, D.; Bacchetta, G.; Bal, M. C.; Bandini Mazzanti, M.; Benes, J.; Bosi, G.; Buonincontri, M.; Caramilello, R.; Castelletti, L.; Castiglioni, E.; Celant, A.; Costantini, L.; Di Pasquale, G.; Fiorentino, G.; Florenzano, A.; Furlanetto, G.; Giardini, M.; Grillo, O.; Guido, M.; Herchenbach, M.; Marchesini, M.; Mariotti Lippi, M.; Maritan, M.; Marvelli, S.; Masi, A.; Miola, A.; Montanari, C.; Montecchi, M. C.; Motella, S.; Nisbet, R.; Orrù, M.; Pena-Chocarro, L.; Pepe, C.; Perego, R.; Rattighieri, E.; Ravazzi, C.; Rinaldi, R.; Rottoli, M.; Sabato, D.; Sadori, L.; Sarigu, M.; Torri, P.; Ucchesu, M.
abstract

In 2015, a paper on the archaeobotany as a key tool ‘for the understanding of the biocultural diversity of the Italian landscape’ gave rise to a new initiative, the realization of the first cooperative network of archaeobotanists and palynologists working on archaeological sites located in Italy. The Botanical Record of Archaeobotany Italian Network has been introduced at MedPalyno2015 in Rome. Now the BRAIN database is ready as a website at https://brainplants.unimore.it The website (programmed by Matteo di Lena, and Federico Camerini) consists of 6 pages, two of which are dedicated to the database including "Sites" and "References". Site position and density are immediately visible in a map while three graphs show updated statistics on the number of sites per Region, or per Cultural period, or per type of Record studied (e.g., pollen, seeds or charcoals). References may be sorted in alphabetical order, or by specific (first) letter or name of authors. The first set of archaeological or human-related sites studied in Italy is available as an interactive sheet, and > than 1160 visits have been recorded in the first year of activity. The number of included sites is increasing, and the website is an user-friendly instrument, easy to navigate and to be implemented. The BRAIN network lies in this database which is a useful instrument for both the research of one single group or for joint researches that will be planned to produce synthesis. The website is also a good way to publicize the impressive work that has been carried out, and will continue, in the field of archaeobotany in the Italian on-sites (archaeological) or nearsites (human-related environmental sites).

2017 - Domestic firing activities and fuel consumption in a Saharan oasis: Micromorphological and archaeobotanical evidence from the Garamantian site of Fewet (Central Sahara, SW Libya) [Articolo su rivista]
Zerboni, Andrea; Mori, Lucia; Bosi, Giovanna; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Bernasconi, Andrea; Gatto, Maria Carmela; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

We describe a combined geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical approach applied to the study of firing activities that have been carried out at Fewet, a Garamantian compound in the Central Sahara (Libya), between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century AD. The archaeological stratigraphy of the site has been sealed by several mud-brick wall collapses, preserving an interesting sequence of living floors, whose micromorphological study is unique for the Central Sahara. This investigation together with the mineralogical analysis of sediments, confirms the field attribution of archaeological features as domestic fireplaces, and identified the living floors as areas devoted to animal penning, probably subjected to periodical firing. The investigation also highlights an exceptional concentration of gypsum pedofeatures, presumably determined by the wood type selected for fuel. The archaeobotanical study identified a good quantity of charcoal and other plant remains in the same layers. Most of the charcoal has been identified as Central Tamarix, which is the most common tree living in the oasis today. This suggests that tamarisk wood was the most exploited tree for fuel, and its combustion led to the dispersion of gypsum from the plant tissue, later recrystallized in the shape of microcrystalline nodules, lenses, and euhedral crystals.

2017 - L’ambiente vegetale a Mutina dal periodo repubblicano al tardo romano [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, M.; Bosi, G.; Torri, P.; Mercuri, A. M.; Marchesini, M.; Montecchi, M. C.; Rinaldi, R.
abstract

Recentemente sono state fatte brevi sintesi sulla ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale in periodo romano nel Nord Italia ; ma il dettaglio che forniscono i numerosi siti di Mutina indagati a livello archeobotanico rappresenta in Italia una sorta di unicum nel panorama di questi studi.

2017 - Morphology and discrimination features of pollen from Italian olive cultivars (Olea europaea L.) [Articolo su rivista]
Messora, Rita; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Muzzalupo, Innocenzo; Arru, Laura
abstract

Pollen morphology of 14 cultivars of Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. europaea was analysed in order to discriminate main pollen types. The cultivars were selected from the most spread and early flowering crops grown in Italy. Morphometric parameters were observed on acetolysed pollen by means of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Polar axis (P), equatorial diameter (E), P/E ratio, maximum distance between colpi in mesocolpium, distance between the apices of two colpi, exine thickness, maximum length of lumina in mesocolpium and in apocolpium, and exine reticulum thickness in mesocolpium have been measured. According to P and E, the 14 olive cultivars of this study can be divided into the three groups of small (P: 21.75 µm, E: 22.55 µm; ‘Manna’ and ‘Tonda di Cagliari’), large (P: 25.1 µm, E: 26.1 µm; ‘Pescarese’ and ‘Rotondella di Sanza’) and medium size (P: 23.49 µm, E: 24.54 µm, ‘Carolea’, ‘Grossa di Cassano’, ‘Giarraffa’, ‘Nocellara messinese’, ‘Nocellara del Belice’, ‘Santagatese’, ‘Intosso’, ‘Maiatica di Ferrandina’, ‘Nostrale di Fiano Romano’, ‘Santa Caterina’). Maximum length of lumina and exine thickness are useful parameters for further distinction of olive pollen groups, since these parameters are able to provide a specific pollen profile for each cultivar.

2017 - Natural and human impact in Mediterranean landscapes: An intriguing puzzle or only a question of time? [Articolo su rivista]
Marignani, M; Chiarucci, A.; Sadori, L.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Time is a key factor to understand the effects of disturbance on natural communities or ecosystems. In Mediterranean landscapes, where nature and humans have been strongly intermingling since mid-Holocene, the relationships between plant ecology and palaeoecology and their role for the interpretation of natural and anthropogenic changes still needs to be clearly understood. Ecology and palaeoecology are both investigating such problems, but each of them cannot disentangle the specific role played by nature and by humans in shaping the present plant communities and landscapes. A new age of cooperation among researchers in ecology and palaeoecology is needed, and the integration of these closely related but separated research fields is necessary to explain the resulting dynamic puzzle. Plant ecologists should avoid the oversimplification of the actual causes as the exclusive drivers of plant communities and landscapes and force the exploitation of the available data to generate and test new hypotheses for past, present and future environmental reconstructions and management. Even when planning for the future biodiversity conservation, we need to properly use the existing information about millennia of human effects on the natural biotas, to properly set landscape management and conservation priorities.

2017 - Paesant agricultural strategies in Souithern Tuscany: convertible agriculture and the importance of pasture [Capitolo/Saggio]
Kimberly, Bowes; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Antonia, Arnoldus-Huyzendveld; Mariaelena, Ghisleni; Cam, Grey; Michael, Mackinnon; Vaccaro, Emanuele
abstract

This chapter deals with the study of 6 archaeological sites in Tuscany (Grosseto-Cinigiano) dated between the II century BC and the VI century AD. The principal objective of the research is to identify the main features of the rural economy, and its connections with a characteristic local and regional environment. Thepalynological analysis was integrated with the study of microcharcoal and non pollen palynomorphs (NPP), which both are informative, especially at a local scale, of palaeoecological aspects. In addition, carpological analysis was carried out on samples from the main archaeological contexts. Data point to the complex agricultural activity that was practiced in this territory, based on the rotation of cereal fields alternated with grassland / pastures and some plot of land with fruit plants.

2017 - Palynology of the Terramare, the Middle Bronze age of the Po Plain (SUCCESSO-TERRA project) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, A. M.; Florenzano, A.; Torri, P.; Mazzanti, M.; Clò, E.; Furia, E.; Zerboni, A.; Cremaschi, M.
abstract

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), an interdisciplinary geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical (pollen and macroremains) investigation has been carried out, aiming at reconstructing 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 vestiges of banked and moated villages that developed in the central sector of Po River alluvial plain during the Middle and Late Holocene. The project expressively focuses on the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio and on the Vasca Grande di Noceto. The relationships between the Late Holocene regional environmental and land-use changes have been investigated to obtain a detailed comprehension of adaptive strategies of the Terramare people during the Middle/Recent Bronze ages (1550–1170 years BC; Cremaschi et al. 2016). Pollen samples were collected from trenches excavated within the main structures of the archaeological sites (the moat and ditch surrounding the Santa Rosa di Poviglio site, and the infilling of the Vasca Grande di Noceto site). Pollen extraction also includes sieving and heavy liquid floatation to concentrate pollen and non pollen palynomorphs. Pollen was common and well preserved. A set of anthropogenic pollen indicators, common in the spectra (and in the spectra from other Italian archaeological sites; Mercuri et al. 2013), was considered especially useful to reconstruct agricultural dynamics besides the distribution of wild vegetation (wood and wetland plant associations). The palynological research showed a transformation in flora composition and plant communities, suggesting a dynamic agricultural economy. The latter was possibly practiced on the basis of wood management and crop fields. At the top of the sequence of Santa Rosa di Poviglio, in correspondence with the drying of the moat system, a dramatic decrease of woods may had a twofold causation: increased aridity (natural factor) and intensive landuse (anthropic factor) might have played a fairly synchronous action on vegetation.

2017 - Peasant agricultural strategies in Southern Tuscany: Convertible agriculture and the importance of pasture [Capitolo/Saggio]
Bowes, K.; Mercuri, A. M.; Rattigheri, E.; Rinaldi, R.; Arnoldus-Huyzendveld, A.; Ghisleni, M.; Grey, C.; Mackinnon, M.; Vaccaro, E.
abstract

2017 - The agro-sylvo-pastoral system of 3600-3200 years ago (Terramare, Po Plain; SUCCESSO-TERRA project) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Bosi, Giovanna; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Clo', Eleonora; Fornaciari, Rita; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

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.

2017 - The environmental and evolutionary history of Lake Ohrid (FYROM/Albania): Interim results from the SCOPSCO deep drilling project [Articolo su rivista]
Wagner, Bernd; Wilke, Thomas; Francke, Alexander; Albrecht, Christian; Baumgarten, Henrike; Bertini, Adele; Combourieu Nebout, Nathalie; Cvetkoska, Aleksandra; D'Addabbo, Michele; Donders, Timme H.; Föller, Kirstin; Giaccio, Biagio; Grazhdani, Andon; Hauffe, Torsten; Holtvoeth, Jens; Joannin, Sebastien; Jovanovska, Elena; Just, Janna; Kouli, Katerina; Koutsodendris, Andreas; Krastel, Sebastian; Lacey, Jack H.; Leicher, Niklas; Leng, Melanie J.; Levkov, Zlatko; Lindhorst, Katja; Masi, Alessia; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Nomade, Sebastien; Nowaczyk, Norbert; Panagiotopoulos, Konstantinos; Peyron, Odile; Reed, Jane M.; Regattieri, Eleonora; Sadori, Laura; Sagnotti, Leonardo; Stelbrink, Bjöern; Sulpizio, Roberto; Tofilovska, Slavica; Torri, Paola; Vogel, Hendrik; Wagner, Thomas; Wagner Cremer, Friederike; Wolff, George A.; Wonik, Thomas; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Zhang, Xiaosen S.
abstract

This study reviews and synthesises existing information generated within the SCOPSCO (Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid) deep drilling project. The four main aims of the project are to infer (i) the age and origin of Lake Ohrid (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Republic of Albania), (ii) its regional seismotectonic history, (iii) volcanic activity and climate change in the central northern Mediterranean region, and (iv) the influence of major geological events on the evolution of its endemic species. The Ohrid basin formed by transtension during the Miocene, opened during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and the lake established de novo in the still relatively narrow valley between 1.9 and 1.3 Ma. The lake history is recorded in a 584 m long sediment sequence, which was recovered within the framework of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) from the central part (DEEP site) of the lake in spring 2013. To date, 54 tephra and cryptotephra horizons have been found in the upper 460 m of this sequence. Tephrochronology and tuning biogeochemical proxy data to orbital parameters revealed that the upper 247.8 m represent the last 637 kyr. The multi-proxy data set covering these 637 kyr indicates long-term variability. Some proxies show a change from generally cooler and wetter to drier and warmer glacial and interglacial periods around 300 ka. Short-term environmental change caused, for example, by tephra deposition or the climatic impact of millennial-scale Dansgaard-Oeschger and Heinrich events are superimposed on the long-term trends. Evolutionary studies on the extant fauna indicate that Lake Ohrid was not a refugial area for regional freshwater animals. This differs from the surrounding catchment, where the mountainous setting with relatively high water availability provided a refuge for temperate and montane trees during the relatively cold and dry glacial periods. Although Lake Ohrid experienced significant environmental change over the last 637 kyr, preliminary molecular data from extant microgastropod species do not indicate significant changes in diversification rate during this period. The reasons for this constant rate remain largely unknown, but a possible lack of environmentally induced extinction events in Lake Ohrid and/or the high resilience of the ecosystems may have played a role.

2017 - The representativeness of Olea pollen from olive groves and the Late Holocene landscape reconstruction in central Mediterranean [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, A; Mercuri, Am; Rinaldi, R; Rattighieri, E; Fornaciari, R; Messora, R; Arru, L
abstract

Modern pollen spectra are an invaluable reference tool for paleoenvironmental and cultural landscape reconstructions, but the importance of knowing the pollen rain released from orchards remains underexplored. In particular, the role of cultivated trees is in past and current agrarian landscapes has not been fully investigated. Here, we present a pollen analysis of 70 surface soil samples taken from 12 olive groves in Basilicata and Tuscany, two regions of Italy that exemplify this cultivation in the Mediterranean basin. This study was carried out to assess the representativeness of Olea pollen in modern cultivations. Although many variables can influence the amount of pollen observed in soils, it was clear that most of the pollen was deposited below the trees in the olive groves. A rapid decline in the olive pollen percentages (c. 85% on average) was found when comparing samples taken from IN vs. OUT of each grove. The mean percentages of Olea pollen obtained from the archaeological sites close to the studied orchards suggest that olive groves were established far from the Roman farmhouses of Tuscany. Further south, in the core of the Mediterranean basin, the cultivation of Olea trees was likely situated approximately 500–1000 m from the rural sites in Basilicata, and dated from the Hellenistic to the Medieval period.

2016 - ALL TOGETHER NOW: AN INTERNATIONAL PALYNOLOGICAL TEAM DOCUMENTS VEGETATION AND CLIMATE CHANGES DURING THE LAST 500 KYR AT LAKE OHRID (SE EUROPE) [Articolo su rivista]
Bertini, A.; Sadori, L.; Combourieu-Nebout, N.; Donders, T. H.; Kouli, K.; Koutsodendris, A.; Joannin, S.; Masi, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Panagiotopoulos, K.; Peyron, O.; Sinopoli, G.; Torri, P.; Zanchetta, G.; Francke, A.; Wagner, B.
abstract

Lake Ohrid (Balkan peninsula) is the oldest European extant lake and one of the deepest and largest. Such a unique, terres- trial natural archive is especially relevant for both paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstructions but also for genetic studies. In the frame of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP), a deep drilling campaign was carried out within the scope of the Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid (SCOPSCO) project in 2013. Here, we present the summary of paly- nological analyses carried out in the upper 200 m of the overall 569 m long DEEP site sediment succession from the central part of the lake. These studies, performed by an international palynological team, document the main floristic, vegetation and climate changes during the last ca 500 kyr, at a millennial-scale resolution (~1.6 kyr). The continuous sediment infill permitted to trace multiple non-forested/ forested phases as a response to Glacial/Interglacial cycles as well as to sub-Milankovitch climate changes. The pollen record, correspond- ing with marine isotope stages MIS 13 to MIS 1, points to a progressive change from cooler and wetter to warmer and drier interglacials. New palynological studies are underway to reconstruct vegetational and climatic conditions over older intervals as well as to obtain high resolution data for some key intervals such as MIS 5-6, MIS 11-12, MIS 35-42. The complete record of changes in flora composition and vegetation during both glacials and interglacials will furnish indispensable insights for understanding the role of refugia, ecosystem resil- ience and maintenance of terrestrial biodiversity in the Mediterranean area.

2016 - Archaeobotanical research and related ethnobotanical observations in the central and southern Sahara [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora
abstract

This paper presents two case studies demonstrating links between archaeobotany and ethnobotany, completed in the south-western and central Sahara desert from 2004 to 2008. The focus is on evidence of plant use from archaeobo- tanical records, mainly pollen. Ethnobotanical data are reported from the literature, interviews, and observations of the local cultural knowledge of Tuareg people. The archaeological sites represent a range of contexts, including the open air necropolis of Gobero in Niger and rock shelters and cave sites of the Tadrart Acacus mountains in Libya. Samples taken from burials at Gobero had very low pollen concentrations. However, four Pastoral burials preserved high percentages of pollen grains of caper and myrtle and a signifi ant presence of grasses. Particular funerary behaviours are suggested. In the Tadrart Acacus, the actions of hunter-gatherers and pastoralists are visible in the archaeobotanical record. Remains of food and medicinal plants, such as fruits of Balanites and pollen of Artemisia, were typically observed in layers corres- pondingtotheearlyandmid-Holocene.HugenumbersofPoaceaefl retsandcaryopsesanddiversefruits,seeds,leaves, and other plant parts accumulated in shelters. Altogether, at least 38 pollen types pertain to plants that were probably used for food and fodder.

2016 - Climate change versus land management in the Po Plain (Northern Italy) during the Bronze Age: New insights from the VP/VG sequence of the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio [Articolo su rivista]
Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Pizzi, Chiara; Marchesini, Marco; Zerboni, Andrea
abstract

The sedimentary infilling of the moat surrounding the Villaggio Piccolo of the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio was analysed in order to obtain palaeoenvironmental inferences from sediments and pollen assemblage. The high-resolution stratigraphic sequence preserves evidence of the environmental changes that occurred in the Po Plain, in Northern Italy, during the Late Holocene. Our interdisciplinary approach permitted to study climatic and anthropic contributions to the environmental changes in this region. The relationships between these changes and land-use changes were investigated focussing on adaptive strategies of the Terramare people during the Middle and Recent Bronze ages (1550e1170 yr BC). The Terramare are archaeological remains of banked and moated villages, located in the central alluvial plain of the Po river. The Terramara of Santa Rosa consists of two adjoining settlements (Villaggio Grande and Villaggio Piccolo); the moat that separates the two parts of the site is c. 23 m large and reaches a maximum depth of 4 m from the extant ground level. The stratigraphic sequence VP/VG exposed by archaeological excavation inside the moat was sampled for pedosedimentary, thin section, and pollen analyses. Chronology is based on archaeological evidence, stratigraphic correlations and radiocarbon dating. Pedosedimentary features and biological records (pollen of aquatics and algal remains) demonstrate that shallow water, probably subjected to seasonal water-level oscillations, has always been present in the moat. In the lower units of the sequence, the laminations indicate standing water, while occurrence of reworked pollen testified the supply of sediments to the plain from catchment zones located in the Apennine. Open vegetation was widespread; economy was based on wood management, fruit collection on the wild or from cultivated woody plants, crop fields with a fairly diversified set of cereals especially increasing in variety during dryness or phases of water crisis. Probably, grapevines were cultivated near the moat, where the wet habitat was favourable to the growing of wild plants. The extraordinary high-resolution of this sequence makes visible the management of woods (including coppicing) at the Middle Bronze and early Recent Bronze ages. The economy of Santa Rosa di Poviglio should have been probably less based on animal breeding than it was in the other Terramare villages already studied for pollen. This research also confirms the chronological correspondence between an environment stressed by dry conditions and the collapse of the Terramare civilization.

2016 - Colour in context. Pigments and other coloured residues from the Early-Middle Holocene site of Takarkori (SW Libya) [Articolo su rivista]
di Lernia, Savino; Bruni, Silvia; Cislaghi, Irina; Cremaschi, Mauro; Gallinaro, Marina; Gugliemi, Vittoria; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Poggi, Giansimone; Zerboni, Andrea
abstract

We present the multidisciplinary investigation of pigments and artefacts with traces of colour from the Early-Middle Holocene site of Takarkori, located in the Tadrart Acacus Mountains (central Sahara, SW Libya). Here, geological, archaeological, taphonomic and chemical studies (Raman, Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray powder diffraction Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) are used to examine a vast range of artefacts (raw materials, grinding stones, painted items, as well as lithic, bone, wooden and ceramic tools) equally distributed from Late Acacus contexts related to hunter-gatherers (ca. 8900–7400 uncal years bp) to pastoral groups (ca. 7400–4500 uncal years bp). The exploited minerals (goethite, hematite, kaolinite and jarosite, among others) are locally procured and processed using quartzarenite grinding stones of different shapes and sizes. Thermal treatment of the minerals is also suggested by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Raman studies. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses show the addition of a lipid binder to small lumps of pigments in order to obtain a sticky product. Their fatty acid distribution differs from the residues on grinding stones, pointing to a specific use of these lumps. The grinding stones have also been used to crush and pulverize the pigments and as base for colour preparation. A sample of colour from a fallen painted slab referable to late pastoral phases shows the presence of a binder, chemically identified as casein. Taken together, the evidence collected at Takarkori conveys to suggest an articulated chaîne opératoire, not only directed towards the preparation of pigments for the parietal rock art but also to other non-utilitarian functions, such as body care and ornamentation and decoration of artefacts.

2016 - Corrigendum to: Pollen-based paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic change at Lake Ohrid (south-eastern Europe) during the past 500 ka [Articolo su rivista]
Sadori, L.; Koutsodendris, A.; Panagiotopoulos, K.; Masi, A.; Bertini, A.; Combourieunebout, N.; Francke, A.; Kouli, K.; Kousis, I.; Joannin, S.; Mercuri, A. M.; Peyron, O.; Torri, P.; Wagner, B.; Zanchetta, G.; Sinopoli, G.; Donders, T. H.
abstract

2016 - Earliest direct evidence of plant processing in prehistoric Saharan pottery [Articolo su rivista]
Dunne, Julie; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Evershed, Richard P; Bruni, Silvia; di Lernia, Savino
abstract

The invention of thermally resistant ceramic cooking vessels around 15,000 years ago was a major advance in human diet and nutrition(1-3), opening up new food groups and preparation techniques. Previous investigations of lipid biomarkers contained in food residues have routinely demonstrated the importance of prehistoric cooking pots for the processing of animal products across the world(4). Remarkably, however, direct evidence for plant processing in prehistoric pottery has not been forthcoming, despite the potential to cook otherwise unpalatable or even toxic plants(2,5). In North Africa, archaeobotanical evidence of charred and desiccated plant organs denotes that Early Holocene hunter-gatherers routinely exploited a wide range of plant resources(6). Here, we reveal the earliest direct evidence for plant processing in pottery globally, from the sites of Takarkori and Uan Afuda in the Libyan Sahara, dated to 8200-6400 bc. Characteristic carbon number distributions and δ(13)C values for plant wax-derived n-alkanes and alkanoic acids indicate sustained and systematic processing of C3/C4 grasses and aquatic plants, gathered from the savannahs and lakes in the Early to Middle Holocene green Sahara.

2016 - La storia degli incendi in Italia centro-settentrionale negli ultimi 7000 anni attraverso l’analisi dei microcarboni: il caso studio della carota marina RF93-30 [Articolo su rivista]
Terenziani, Rita; Furia, Elisa; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The history of fires in central-northern Italy in the past 7000 years assessed by means of microcarbons. The analysis of microcharcoals is useful for environmental palaeoecological reconstruction since it provides information on the complex relationships between fire, vegetation, climate and human activities. In this study, the first analyses of microcharcoals deposited in marine sediments are discussed. In the marine core RF93-30, from central Adriatic, the presence of microcharcoals is taken as evidence of fires occurring from the Po Plain to the central and eastern regions of Italy. Our results show five major fire events (related to high concentrations of microcharcoals) occurring from the mid-Holocene to Modern Age. The two oldest events occurred at ca. 6723 years cal BP (4773 BCE) and at ca. 5427 years cal BP (3477 BCE). The fire at ca. 6723 years cal BP (4773 BCE) took place in the coast near the point where the marine core RF93-30 was collected. In fact, the microcharcoals in this sediment are large-sized and some of them are >125 µm, giving evidence of a local fire. On the other hand, the fire at ca. 5427 years cal BP (3477 BCE) took place far from the coast because the fragments are small (20-50 µm). A third event was found at ca. 2240 years cal BP (290 BCE), and took place probably near the coast. Finally, fires are shown at ca. 117 years cal BP (1833 CE) and at ca. 96 cal BP (1854 CE), both occurring at a certain distance from the coast.

2016 - MULTIDISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATION ON EARLY-MID HOLOCENE WILD CEREALS FOUND AT TAKARKORI (CENTRAL SAHARA) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Fornaciari, Rita; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; di Lernia, S.
abstract

Plant macroremains from rock shelters of central Sahara give information about the environmental conditions during the Holocene, and the adaptive strategies of human groups living in the area. Takarkori was excavated by the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission in the Acacus and Messak (directed by S. di Lernia, Sapienza University of Rome) and its chronology ranges from ca. 10,200 to ca. 4,600 cal yr BP (Cremaschi et al. 2014).

2016 - Middle-to late-Holocene environmental changes in the Garigliano delta plain (Central Italy): which landscape witnessed the development of the Minturnae Roman colony? [Articolo su rivista]
Bellotti, Piero; Calderoni, Gilberto; Dall’Aglio, Pier Luigi; D’Amico, Carmine; Davoli, Lina; Di Bella, Letizia; D’Orefice, Maurizio; Esu, Daniela; Ferrari, Kevin; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Tarragoni, Claudia; Torri, Paola
abstract

Geomorphologic, stratigraphic, faunistic, palynological and 14C analyses were carried out in the area of the mouth of the Garigliano River characterized by two strand plains that are referred to the Eutyrrhenian and the Holocene, rimming two depressed zones separated by the Garigliano River channel. This study depicts the palaeoenvironmental evolution over the last 8200 years and the landscape context at the time of Minturnae Roman colony. Between 8200 and 7500 yr BP, a wet zone occurred in the northern zone, whereas in the southern part, a lagoon developed. During the final transgression stage and the beginning of the sea level still stand (7500–5500 yr BP), a freshwater marsh formed in the northern zone, and the width of the southern lagoon decreased. Between 5500 and 3000 yr BP, the coastal barrier changed into a delta cusp, a freshwater marsh also appeared in the southern part and the river wandered between the twin marshes. Because of local uplift, previously unknown in this area, part of the floor of the southern marsh emerged, and after 4000 yr BP, both marshes became coastal ponds with prevailing clastic sedimentation. A progressive increment in anthropic forcing on the land took place after 3000 yr BP. The Marica sanctuary was built (7th century BC), and the Roman colony of Minturnae was developed beginning the 3rd century BC. The shallow depth of the ponds prevented their use as harbours, and saltwork plants can be ruled out based on the faunal and palynological data. The ongoing infilling of both ponds was never completed, and their reclamation is still in progress.

2016 - Multidisciplinary analysis of Early – Mid Holocene wild cereal remains from central Sahara (SW Libya). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Fornaciari, Rita; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; di Lernia, S.
abstract

.Pollen and plant macroremains from rock shelters of central Sahara give information about environmental conditions during the Holocene, and adaptive strategies of human groups living in the area. Wild cereals were long-time exploited and are prevalent among plants selected and transported to these sites. Spikelets and grains of Panicoideae are the most abundant plant remains found at Takarkori, a rock shelter in the Tadrart Acacus Mts. (SW Libya). They have been studied by means of morphological and molecular (ancient DNA) analyses. The excavation by the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission in the Acacus and Messak (Sapienza University of Rome and Libyan Department of Archaeology) exposed a surface of 140 m2. The deposit includes stone structures, fireplaces, plant accumulations and a burial area. The site (dated 10,200-4,600 cal yr BP) was occupied throughout Early and Middle Holocene, a pivotal period for human development as include the transition from hunter-gatherer subsistence to food production. Peculiarity of the sequences is the surprising preservation of organic matter. Systematic morphobiometrical analysis was carried out on 1,450 spikelets of Panicum, Echinochloa and Sorghum selected on the basis of their different cultural contexts. The records showed uniform size in each genus. aDNA was extracted testing different protocols and then was studied by the DNA barcoding technique using four chloroplast markers. Bioinformatic analysis of the results allowed to inspect the phylogenetic relationships between the archaeobotanical records and the modern species of African wild cereals.

2016 - Multidisciplinary analysis of wild cereals from the Holocene archaeological site of Takarkori (central Sahara) [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Fornaciari, Rita; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Lernia, Savino di
abstract

Pollen and plant macroremains from central Sahara archaeological sites give information about the environmental conditions during the Holocene and the adaptive strategies of human groups living in the area . Wild cereals have been exploited for long time and are the prevalent taxa among those selected and transported to shelters and caves. The extraordinary state of preservation of the organic materials found at Takarkori allowed the morphological and molecular analyses of seeds/fruits belonging to the Poaceae family.

2016 - Palynological evidence of cultural and environmental connections in Sudanese Nubia during the Early and Middle Holocene [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Altunoz Hatipoglu, Meltem; Garcea, Elena A. A.
abstract

Pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs have been studied from three archaeological sites (8-B-10C, 8-B-76, and 8-B-81) on Sai Island, in the River Nile, and one (2-R-66) from the Amara West district, in northern Upper Nubia of the present Sudan. The research aimed at obtaining information on the environmental conditions and changes occurring in the area during the Early and Middle Holocene. Archaeologically, this is a crucial period as it saw one of the most relevant economic transitions from huntingefishing egathering to animal herding. The archaeopalynological analyses are useful to reconstruct the environment and plant landscapes that supported human plant selection in this part of North Africa, between about 8700 and 4300 cal BC. However, pollen was not present everywhere because the sediments were very poor in organic content, or damaged by the repeated hydrationedehydration cycles determined by the Nile river floodings. The data obtained, the most consistent from any archaeological site in this area, are coherent with the regional and interregional palaeoenvironmental data. The interdisciplinary studies that allowed the correct interpretation of the pollen records presented in this paper included the archaeological features, and the faunal (mainly gastropod) and algal remains from the same sites. The state of preservation of most pollen, showing thinned exine, and the remarkable records of the terrestrial alga Fritschiella outline the seasonality of the area that has been evident in the past as in the present. Pollen samples included prevailing amounts of grasses and sedges that, with some hygro-hydrophilous taxa, largely represent the riverine and wetland vegetation of the Nile Valley. They suggest that the land use was not intensive and was not able to substantially modify the natural cover and cyclic renewal of the soils and the vegetation. The interdisciplinary evidence from the Sai Island, showing that site 8-B-76 has been continuatively occupied during the 8.2 ka BP dry phase, proves the key role played by the great river on attracting humans and supplying resources even, and especially, during the arid oscillations of the Holocene.

2016 - Plant Responses to Climate Change: The Case Study of Betulaceae and Poaceae Pollen Seasons (Northern Italy, Vignola, Emilia-Romagna) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Fornaciari, Rita; Florenzano, Assunta
abstract

Aerobiological data have especially demonstrated that there is correlation between climate warming and the pollination season of plants. This paper focuses on airborne pollen monitoring of Betulaceae and Poaceae, two of the main plant groups with anemophilous pollen and allergenic proprieties in Northern Italy. The aim is to investigate plant responses to temperature variations by considering long-term pollen series. The 15-year aerobiological analysis is reported from the monitoring station of Vignola (located near Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region) that had operated in the years 1990-2004 with a Hirst spore trap. The Yearly Pollen Index calculated for these two botanical families has shown contrasting trends in pollen production and release. These trends were well identifiable but fairly variable, depending on both meteorological variables and anthropogenic causes. Based on recent reference literature, we considered that some oscillations in pollen concentration could have been a main effect of temperature variability reflecting global warming. The duration of pollen seasons of Betulaceae and Poaceae, depending on the different species included in each family, has not unequivocally been determined. Phenological responses were particularly evident in Alnus and especially in Corylus as a general moving up of the end of pollination. The study shows that these trees can be affected by global warming more than other, more tolerant, plants. The research can be a contribution to the understanding of phenological plant responses to climate change and suggests that alder and hazelnut trees have to be taken into high consideration as sensible markers of plant responses to climate change.

2016 - Pollen-based paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic change at Lake Ohrid (south-eastern Europe) during the past 500 ka [Articolo su rivista]
Sadori, Laura; Koutsodendris, Andreas; Panagiotopoulos, Konstantinos; Masi, Alessia; Bertini, Adele; Combourieu Nebout, Nathalie; Francke, Alexander; Kouli, Katerina; Joannin, Sébastien; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Peyron, Odile; Torri, Paola; Wagner, Bernd; Zanchetta, Giovanni; Sinopoli, Gaia; Donders, Timme H.
abstract

Lake Ohrid is located at the border between FYROM (Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia) and Albania and formed during the latest phases of Alpine orogenesis. It is the deepest, the largest and the oldest tectonic lake in Europe. To better understand the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental evolution of Lake Ohrid, deep drilling was carried out in 2013 within the framework of the Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions (SCOPSCO) project that was funded by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP). Preliminary results indicate that lacustrine sedimentation of Lake Ohrid started between 1.2 and 1.9 Ma ago. Here we present new pollen data (selected percentage and concentration taxa/groups) of the uppermost 200m of the 569m long DEEP core drilled in the depocentre of Lake Ohrid. The study is the fruit of a cooperative work carried out in several European palynological laboratories. The age model of this part of the core is based on 10 tephra layers and on tuning of biogeochemical proxy data to orbital parameters. According to the age model, the studied sequence covers the last 500 000 years at a millennial-scale resolution (1.6 ka) and records the major vegetation and climate changes that occurred during the last 12 (13 only pro parte) marine isotope stages (MIS). Our results indicate that there is a general good correspondence between forested/nonforested periods and glacial–interglacial cycles of the marine isotope stratigraphy. The record shows a progressive change from cooler and wetter to warmer and drier interglacial conditions. This shift in temperature and moisture availability is visible also in vegetation during glacial periods.

2016 - Realising consilience: how better communication between archaeologists, historians and natural scientists can transform the study of past climate change in the Mediterranean [Articolo su rivista]
Adam Izdebski, P. h. D.; Karin, Holmgren; Erika, Weiberg; Sharon, R. Stocker; Ulf, Büntgen; Florenzano, Assunta; Alexandra, Gogou; Suzanne, A. Leroy; Jürg, Luterbacher; Belen, Martrat; Alessia, Masi; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Paolo, Montagna; Laura, Sadori; Adam, Schneider; Marie, Alexandrine Sicre; Maria, Triantaphyllou; Elena, Xoplaki
abstract

This paper reviews the methodological and practical issues relevant to the ways in which natural scientists, historians and archaeologists may collaborate in the study of past climatic changes in the Mediterranean basin. We begin by discussing the methodologies of these three disciplines in the context of the consilience debate, that is, attempts to unify different research methodologies that address similar problems. We demonstrate that there are a number of similarities in the fundamental methodology between history, archaeology, and the natural sciences that deal with the past ("palaeoenvironmental sciences"), due to their common interest in studying societal and environmental phenomena that no longer exist. The three research traditions, for instance, employ specific narrative structures as a means of communicating research results. We thus present and compare the narratives characteristic of each discipline; in order to engage in fruitful interdisciplinary exchange, we must first understand how each deals with the societal impacts of climatic change. In the second part of the paper, we focus our discussion on the four major practical issues that hinder communication between the three disciplines. These include terminological misunderstandings, problems relevant to project design, divergences in publication cultures, and differing views on the impact of research. Among other recommendations, we suggest that scholars from the three disciplines should aim to create a joint publication culture, which should also appeal to a wider public, both inside and outside of academia.

2016 - Riscaldamento Globale e Indice Pollinico Annuale di Poaceae: dati pluriannuali dal campionatore aerobiologico di Vignola [Articolo su rivista]
Clo', Eleonora; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Global warming and Annual Pollen Index of Poaceae. Pollen monitoring and climate change are main issues in current applications of Aerobiology. The topic of this research is to link Poaceae airborne pollen variations with climate change and, especially, with global warming. Data from pollen calendars (1990-2004) of the Vignola MO2 monitoring station and information about temperature changes in Italy were both taken into account. In many cases, airborne pollen increase is considered a good bioindicator of global warming. The results of this research confirm this evidence. In fact, there is a direct connection between the increase of Poaceae Annual Pollen Index and the mean temperature increase in the study area: the plants of the family Poaceae responded to temperature increase with pollination increase.

2015 - Applied palynology as a trans-disciplinary science: the contribution of aerobiology data to forensic and palaeoenvironmental issues [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The paper provides examples of integrated researches putting aerobiology at the centre of methodological approaches of applied palynology. Data from airborne pollen monitoring have demonstrated to be useful to obtain inferences about different environmental issues. For example, seasonality is fruitfully investigated with the help of pollen calendars. The close connection that may exist between aerobiology and forensic palynology is demonstrated by a study on airborne pollen with cytoplasm trapped by corpses; pollen calendars may be a reference tool for establishing the season of death in case of murders or other crimes. Palaeoclimate research can obtain fruitful information from studies on long- distance transport and the comparison of past spectra with the representativeness of pollen in modern spectra. Modern pollen monitoring suggests that the long- distance transport may be a routine (as Alnus viridis in the southern Po Valley) or an episodic event; the very local geomorphological and phytogeographical peculiarities of a given area must be known to interpret pollen spectra. The pollen produced by trees that have had a fundamental importance in our cultural development (Prunus, Olea and Castanea) is among the most interesting archaeobotanical topic to understand the relationship between humans and environmental resources. Sometimes, data cannot be compared because yearly sums and percentages of one taxon on the total pollen counts are not commonly reported in the aerobiological literature. Finally, the decline in Taxus pollen in a warming climate is reported among the case studies that illustrate the relevance of the aerobiological research to interpret past climate records and to study long- term climate changes.

2015 - Archaeobotanical evidence of fig (Ficus carica L.) in Europe on the axis of South-North gradient. Preliminary information about Papaver Centre research project [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bbeneš, J.; Karg, S.; Kodýdková, K; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Pokorná, A.; Preusz, M.; Rösch, M.; Fischer, E.; And, Collaborators
abstract

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-Wü), 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. Bernardová, M. Buonincontri, R. Caramiello, M.L. Carra, E. Castiglioni, A. Celant, L. Costantini, G. Fiorentino, A. Florenzano, V. Komárková, M. Marchesini, M. Mariotti Lippi, M. Maritan, S. Marvelli, A. Masi, A. Miola, M. Mori Secci, R. Nisbet, L. Peña-Chocarro, C. Pepe, R. Rinaldi, M. Rottoli, D. Sabato, L. Sadori L., M. Ucchesu

2015 - Are Cichorieae an indicator of open habitats and pastoralism in current and past vegetation studies? [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, Assunta; Marignani, Michela; Rosati, Leonardo; Fascetti, Simonetta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Cichorieae, one of the six tribes of the sub-family Cichorioideae (Asteraceae), produces a well-recognisable fenestrate pollen type. In the Mediterranean area, the significance of high percentages of Cichorieae pollen from archaeological layers is still questioned. We assessed the presence of Cichorieae as indicators of open habitats and pasturelands in current plant communities by comparing data on vegetation composition with pollen spectra from two Hellenistic sites of Basilicata (southern Italy): Difesa San Biagio in the low valley of the river Bradano and Torre di Satriano in the Lucanian Apennines. We also analysed the pollen morphology bringing to the discrimination of size classes within the fenestrate type of Cichorieae. Pollen spectra from the considered archaeological sites have low forest cover (7% on average); Asteraceae and Poaceae are prevalent; Cichorieae account to ca. 23%; coprophilous fungal spores are varied and present high concentrations. In surface soil samples collected near the sites, Cichorieae pollen is about 12%. In current vegetation types, an increasing abundance of Cichorieae was observed from salt marshes, forests and shrublands to open habitats and grasslands. This is coherent with the actual land cover around the study sites and the findings of the archaeological sample that point to an open landscape dominated by pastures and cultivated fields. Our integrated approach confirmed that today Cichorieae are common in secondary pastures and in some types of primary open habitats of southern Italy: hence, high percentages of this pollen can be considered a good indicator of these habitats even in past environment reconstructions.

2015 - Digging up the roots of the Italian flora, 1. Fossil record of Lycopus (Lamiaceae, Mentheae) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Martinetto, E.; Ardenghi, N. M. G.; Arobba, D.; Bertini, A.; Bosi, Giovanna; Caramiello, R.; Castiglioni, E.; Florenzano, Assunta; Maritan, M.; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Miola, A.; Perego, R.; Ravazzi, C.; Rinaldi, Rossella; Rottoli, M.
abstract

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 “lack of a strong fossil record”, 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’s 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.

2015 - Environment, human impact and the role of trees on the Po plain during the Middle and Recent Bronze Age: Pollen evidence from the local influence of the terramare of Baggiovara and Casinalbo [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Pellacani, Gianluca; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Cardarelli, Andrea
abstract

A new interpretation of the crisis of the terramare as being caused by wood loss and water shortages is suggested from on-site pollen analyses. A multi-point sampling strategy in one site, and a multi-site sampling strategy in one area allowed us to obtain a reliable plant landscape reconstruction even though cultural variables strongly influenced the pollen spectra. Pollen data from two archaeological sites, the Terramara di Baggiovara and the Necropoli di Casinalbo, which are about 1.6 km from each other, close to the Terramara di Montale, offer the chance to understand in depth the land-use at the time of the terramare culture, during the Middle–Recent Bronze Age in Northern Italy. Overall, the sites were inhabited from c. 1650 to c. 1150 BC. They show affinities and dissimilarities as regards natural and cultural backgrounds across the large territory occupied by the terramare. Baggiovara and Casinalbo pollen diagrams show exceptionally similar mean data, demonstrating how the on-sites with classically human-influenced stratigraphies may be useful for palaeoenvironmental studies. According to pollen data, settlements were built in areas characterised by scarce human presence, and woodland became thinner, or virtually disappeared, following the establishment of the villages. Woody plants provided timber, and then might have been protected to collect fruits. Much of the open landscape around the villages was used as pasturelands, and part was cultivated to grow cereals. One of the most striking pieces of data arising from this study is the role that woods must have had in the Middle Bronze Age in this area. On the Po plain, forest cover was thin even before the beginning of the terramare, and this attracted people to settle there. However, trees and shrubs also satisfied basic needs, being indispensable for building houses, collecting fruits and providing wood for the fire. The wood loss may have been a factor of crisis that determined the decline of some villages before or during the water deficit that caused the disappearance of this culture.

2015 - European open Landscapes: the comparason of the human land use strategies of three Mediterranean Mountains: The Mont Lozére (France), the Sierra de Gredos (Spain) ant the Monte Cimone (Italy) since the Neolithic period. International AGRESPE network [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bal, M.; Allée, P.; Benatti, Alessandra; Garcia Alvarez, S.; Rubiales, J. M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Garcia Amorena, I.; Bosi, Giovanna
abstract

The presentation aims to compare the origin of the open landscapes of pastoral mountain systems located in the Mediterranean Basin (France: Mont Lozère, Spain: Sierra de Gredos, Italy: Tosco-Emiliano Apennines) since the Neolithic period. Even if the three mountains selected show several differences linked to the climate, vegetation types, altitude, they are characterized by the change from an intense agro-pastoral and industrial exploitation to a gradual abandonment which leads to an open landscape part of the heritage identity. Until 2011, date of the construction of the network AGRESPE ( Gestion de Ressources Environnementales passéeS et Patrimonialisation paysagèrE, dir. Bal et Allée) these three mountain systems were studied with a strong difference in the scientific interest. For example, the Mont Lozère was considered very early as an anthroposylvosystem. Therefore, the palaeoecological and archaeological studies were developed with the same importance. Unlike the Sierra de Gredos (Spain) and the Monte Cimone (Italy) for which there is a lot of pastoral structures but the archaeological study was inexistent. The objective of the Agrespe network is to apply the same geographical approach and the same scientific methodology in all of these European mountains. Pedoanthracology is a potent method allows study of the composition of past plant woody communities and to highlight the history of the ligneous landscape at a high spatial scale (the scale of the slope). In order to increase the knowledge of these open landscapes and to obtain new data at a high spatial scale, the pedoanthracology was applied according to an altitudinal transect and compared with preliminary data (pollen, subfossil wood, historical sources, pastoral archaeology) concerning each area. Even if these mountains shared some similarities in the use of the environmental resources, the construction and the management of the open spaces reveal some dissimilarities. At the Mont Lozère, the soil charcoal data extracted from the Nardus stricta grassland located at above 1400 m altitude, permit to identify this open area like a mountain belt recovered by an ancient open beech forest that has been used and transformed by societies since the Neolithic period. At the Sierra de Gredos (Spain), the pedoanthracological data reveal an ancient Pinus timberline located at around 1700 m a.s.l., and above 1700 m a.s.l. a natural open space dominated by Fabaceae since the last 9000 year BP. At the northern Apennines, the preliminary pedoanthracological results demonstrate that the ancient timberline was probably located at higher altitude (around 1800 m asl.) than the actual (1550 m asl.). The increase of the knowledge of these landscapes help us to propose future management of these open spaces in collaboration with parks and heritage associations at the scale of each country and at the scale of Europe.

2015 - Fish and plants! Archaeobotanical analyses in a roman tub [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Rinaldi, Rossella; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Fanetti, Delia; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Archaeobotanical analyses provided interesting information about a Roman tank (1st cent. BC – 1st cent. AD) discovered in Modena (Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy). The tank must have been shielded by a hedge of Buxus sempervirens (720 seeds/13l, first Italian recovery, combined with good pollen %). The recovery of few archaeozoological finds let suppose that the tank was used for fish farming and this hypothesis is supported by some particular vegetal findings. The presence of Ceratophyllum sp.pl. (with 1382 achenes/13l, traces of pollen and leaf spinule), combined with Myriophyllum spicatum (29 achenes/13l), suggests a suitable habitat for fish farming; hornwort and watermilfoil, that must have formed a thick “carpet” on the bottom of the tank, are excellent to support fish eggs in fish farm. Furthermore, the recovery of many mericarps (110/13l) of Pastinaca sativa is peculiar; parsnip was used by Romans in cooking and as a medicinal and mellipherous plant as well (Apicio 3,21; Columella VI, 17.8, 33.1; IX, 4.5; Plinio XI 3.14; XII 7.1-2; XIX 62, 88-89). This plant presents an interesting peculiarity in this context: it is rich with normal butyric acid (of fermentation) in the form of octyl ester. Butyric acid is used for its strong smell as additive in fishing baits, even if it is not clear how this molecule turns out to be so attractive for fishes. Parsnip mericarps identified in the tank therefore could suggest baiting practices of fishes. Hydrophytes comprehensively show an environment consistent with the supposed use of the tank: Cerathophyllum sp.pl., Myriophyllum spicatum, Ranunculus subgen. Batrachium, Lemna minor/gibba, taxa quite tolerant to human disturbance, indicate stagnant waters rich in nourishing substances (condition confirmed also by algae of the genus Tribonema between NPPs) and limestone and characterised by some summer heating.

2015 - Humans and Water in Desert “Refugium” Areas: Palynological Evidence of Climate Oscillations and Cultural Developments in Early and Mid-Holocene Saharan Edges [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; Giraudi, C.; Garcea, E. A. A.
abstract

Saharan anthropic deposits from archaeological sites, located along wadis or close to lakes, and sedimentary sequences from permanent and dried basins demonstrate that water has always been an attractive environmental feature, especially during periods of drought. This paper reports on two very different examples of Holocene sites where “humans and water” coexisted during dry periods, as observed by stratigraphic, archaeological and palynological evidence. Independent research was carried out on the Jefara Plain (Libya, 32°N) and the Gobero area (Niger, 17°N), at the extreme northern and southern limits of the Sahara, respectively. The histories of the Jefara and Gobero areas, as revealed by the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, suggest that these areas were likely to have been visited and exploited for a long time, acting as anthropic refugia, and therefore they have been profoundly transformed. Human presence and actions have conditioned the local growing of plants and selected a more or less synanthropic flora. Today, modern conservation strategies should take into consideration that water reservoirs, which are crucial for the long-term conservation of biodiversity, have provided refugia in the past just as they presently do under global warming conditions.

2015 - Integrated analyses of ancient wild cereals from Takarkori rock shelter (SW Libya). In: Florenzano A., Fornaciari R. (Eds.), Proceedings of the IWAA8. Supplemento Atti Società dei Naturalisti e Matematici di Modena 146 (2015), pp. 201-203. ISSN 0365 - 7027. [Altro]
Fornaciari, Rita; Arru, Laura; Jungcurt, Tanja; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Lernia, Savino di
abstract

Both pollen and macroremains recovered from archaeological sites point to a long-time exploitation of wild cereals in SW Libya. Spikelets, florets and grains of Panicoideae are the most abundant plant remains found in the archaeological site of Takarkori (Tadrart Acacus Mts.), and were analysed by means of morphological and molecular (ancient DNA) approaches. By means of DNA barcoding, we aimed to elucidate detailed taxonomic identification, phylogenetic relationships of grasses with modern species and interactions between human groups and changing environments during the Holocene.

2015 - La produzione di ceramica a Philosophiana (Sicilia centrale) nella media età bizantina: Metodi di indagine ed implicazioni economiche [Articolo su rivista]
Vaccaro, Emanuele; La Torre, Gioacchino Francesco; Capelli, Claudio; Ghisleni, Mariaelena; Lazzeri, Giulia; Mackinnon, Michael; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Pecci, Alessandra; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Ricchi, Stefano; Rizzo, Elisa; Sfacteria, Marco
abstract

Since 2009, through an international collaboration with Cambridge, Cornell and Messina Universities, the Philosophiana Project has investigated the Roman to medieval topographical, architectural, functional, economic and environmental transformations at the site of Sofiana in central Sicily, only 6 km as the crow flies from the Roman "Villa del Casale" of Piazza Armerina. By means of a global approach integrating field survey, open-area excavation, photogrammetry, archaeometry and bioarchaeology, the project shed light on settlement and economic patterns in a crucial area of the Mediterranean world: central Sicily, that served as the bread-basket of Rome in Late Antiquity, and of the Roman Church in the early Middle Ages. In 2010, some 40 m from the eastern side of the site of Sofiana, a field survey identified an 83th to 9th-century A.D. large craft-working district specialising in ceramic production. The site was covered by an extensive geomagnetic survey in 2011 and was subsequently tested by excavation in 2013. Despite the limited area investigated through excavation, this process enabled us to collect significant datasets that help us understand the precise chronology of the workshop, the technology of ceramic production and the wide range of ceramic repertoires manufactured at the first mid-Byzantine ceramic atelier ever excavated on the island. Combining the archaeological data with ancient pollen, faunal remains, ceramic thin-sections and organic residue analysis applied to a sample of jugs and small locally produced amphorae identified at domestic contexts excavated at the site of Sofiana, we are presenting here a preliminary reconstruction of the economic complexity of our site and the early medieval production strategies (both agricultural and artisanal) that determined the various forms of use of the local cultural landscape. The new picture which has emerged from this research suggests that some concepts, such as economic regression and simplification of the material culture, are inappropriate to describe mid-Byzantine Sicily.

2015 - MULTIDISCIPLINARY ANALYSIS OF THE PLANT RECORDS FROM THE HOLOCENE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF TAKARKORI (SOUTH-WESTERN LIBYA) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Fornaciari, Rita; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

In central Saharan massifs stratigraphic sequences of great archaeological and biological relevance, which represent a precious archive for palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental investigations, are well preserved. Takarkori (S-W Libya) is considered representative of the Saharan rock shelters, being one of the few sites preserving the transition from hunter-gatherer subsistence to food production [1]. The rock shelter was excavated by the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission in the Acacus and Messak (central Sahara), under the direction of S. di Lernia. It exposes a surface of ca. 140 m2 in extent and 1,6 m in depth. Chronology ranges from ca. 10,200 to ca. 4,600 cal yr BP [2]. Pollen analysis from the sediments of the archaeological site gives essential information about the environmental conditions during the Early and Middle Holocene and the adaptive strategies of human groups living in the area [1]. Pollen analysis shows a prevalent presence of Poaceae whose discrimination at species level is critical to understand the role of grasses collected for food, or fodder, by the dwellings of the area. Therefore, the pollen analyses were integrated with other archaeobotanical studies including plant macroremains and molecular analyses. Morphological and molecular analysis of Panicum and Sorghum spp. spikelets were carried out; they are witness of wild cereals living near the site. The domestication status and interactions with humans may be investigated, for example, through barcoding ancient DNA (aDNA) [3]. We developed an optimised method for DNA extraction from ancient dried spikelets, and ad hoc primer sets were designed. The core-barcode identified by the Consortium for the Barcoding of Life (CBOL) Plant Working group, consisting of portions of the plastid regions rbcL, matK, trnH-psbA and trnL [4] was used as reference. Bioinformatic analysis of the results is in progress and will allow a better taxonomic identification of these African wild cereals remains.

2015 - Olea europaea L., a comparison between pollen morphology and genetic data of Italian cultivars [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Messora, Rita; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Arru, Laura
abstract

2015 - Palaeoecology and long-term human impact in plant biology [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Marignani, M.; Sadori, L.
abstract

Human impact is a collective concept that requires a holistic approach. Human needs eventually caused the development of cultural landscapes that are at the base of the current landscapes. The papers included in this special issue are evidence that cooperation between different disciplines helps to deepen the trend of environmental transformation from past to future. Palaeoecology studies ecosystems of the past and needs archaeology to deepen sociocultural intervention in environmental patterns. In a similar way, ecologists have to include the complexity of societies and economies into landscape ecology by adding principles of human ecology into sustainability science. A brief history of previous actions encouraging the integration of palynology, archaeobotany, archaeology, botany and ecology is reported. The application of integrated studies comes to a new point, the research on the Long-Term Human Impact.

2015 - Palaeoenvironment and land-use of Roman peasant farmhouses in southern Tuscany [Articolo su rivista]
Bowes, K.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Arnoldus Huyzendveld, A.; Ghisleni, M.; Grey, C.; Mackinnon, M.; Vaccaro, E.
abstract

Archaeo-environmental data were obtained from five small rural sites excavated as part of the Roman Peasant Project in southern Tuscany. Archaeo-botanical and archaeological data point to a moment of intensive land use in the late Republican/ Early Imperial date and to possible use of convertible agriculture strategies. The diversity of pasture-grazing plant species, the presence of coprophilous fungi, parasite eggs and the high values of pasture indicator pollen suggest that lands devoted to browsing animals covered an important part of the territory all around and in the vicinity of sites. The significant presence of cereals, with occasional presence of vines and olives, attests to the importance of grain agriculture in the same spaces. These data may be read as residues of convertible agricultural strategies in which pasture, including cultivated fodder, alternated with legumes and cereals. Read together, the data thus point to a major moment of intensified use and management of the land.

2015 - Pollen and macroremains from Holocene archaeological sites: A dataset for the understanding of the bio-cultural diversity of the Italian landscape [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Allevato, Emilia; Arobba, Daniele; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Caramiello, Rosanna; Castiglioni, Elisabetta; Carra, Maria Letizia; Celant, Alessandra; Costantini, Lorenzo; Di Pasquale, Gaetano; Fiorentino, Girolamo; Florenzano, Assunta; Guido, Mariangela; Marchesini, Marco; Mariotti Lippi, Marta; Marvelli, Silvia; Miola, Antonella; Montanari, Carlo; Nisbet, Renato; Peña Chocarro, Leonor; Perego, Renata; Ravazzi, Cesare; Rottoli, Mauro; Sadori, Laura; Ucchesu, Mariano; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

Over the last millennia, the land between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, characterized by extraordinary habitat diversity, has seen an outstanding cross-cultural development. For the first time, this paper reports on the census of the Holocene archaeological sites that have been studied as part of archaeobotany in Italy (continental Italy, the Italian peninsula and islands) over the last quarter in a century. Pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, seeds and fruits, woods/charcoals and other plant remains have all been analysed in multidisciplinary researches. A list of 630 sites has been provided by more than 15 archaeobotanical teams. The sites are located across the 20 regions of Italy, and in the Republic of San Marino (356 sites in northern Italy, 118 in central Italy, 156 in southern Italy and on the islands). They belong to several cultural phases: 321 sites are only pre-Roman, 264 are Roman/post-Roman, and 45 sites cover a broader range of time, present in both time spans. Site distribution is plotted in maps of site density according to geographical districts and the main chronological phases. The reference list helps to find analytical data referring to the descriptive papers that may be scattered throughout monographies and specific books on the matter.

2015 - The Pollen Reference Collection of LPP – UNIMORE [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Torri, Paola; Torri, F.; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The Pollen Reference Collection of the Laboratory of Palynology and Palaeobotany (LPP) of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia is titled to Daria Bertolani Marchetti who carried out to Modena the first slides in 1989. The Reference Collection is organized in the following sections: 1) Envelopes, with pollen from plant material collected in the field or from herbarium sheets, are 3098, and refer to about 1100 different species. 2) Microtubes, contain acetolysed pollen preserved in glycerol jelly, and are about 1440. 3) Slides are mounted with acetolysed and fresh pollen. Therefore, the pollen collection can be used for paleopalynology and actuopalynology. The slides, put into boxes slide rack, are classified according to the morphological criterion (NPC = Number - Position - Character of the apertures - Erdtman, 1969). Their number is about 2000. In the Reference Collection there are three sections: Reference Collection, containing the reference material, described above; Research Collection, relating to materials and sites studied in the laboratory (ca. 22,000 slides); Educational Collection, containing two types of reference slides: slides with the pollen of a single species and “mixed slides” with more species with the same aperture type, number and position, set up to facilitate the distinction of similar pollen. The Educational Collection includes selected slides with material from research work, e.g. archaeological sites, lake/fluvial sediments, forensic cases, honeys, plant systematics. The use of the collection has been recently improved by a database designated by F. Torri and P. Torri, to search the reference material by taxonomic criteria and/or morphological characteristics. Users can search the database according to a single criterion or a combination of morphological characteristics commonly used to visually identify pollen: aperture, exine ornamentation, size range. Images of the pollen will be associated to relevant species.

2015 - The evolution of Roman urban environments through the archaeobotanical remains in Modena – Northern Italy [Articolo su rivista]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Torri, Paola; Labate, Donato; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

The paper reports on the urban archaeobotany of Modena, a town that lies on the southern Po Plain of the Emilia Romagna region, Northern Italy. Founded in 183 BC, it was an important Roman colony known as Mutina. The integrated study of micro- and macro- remains, the interdisciplinary archaeological and botanical approach, and the comparison of on-site / off-site records allow the reconstruction of an urban environment of the past. Pollen and macroremains from four archaeological sites located in and around the ancient walls, along with pollen from an off-site trench, were studied with an integrated approach, aimed at reconstructing the main floristic, vegetational and palaeoecological features of the town and its surroundings between the 6th century BC and the 10th century AD. During the Roman age, the natural plant landscape was characterised by wetlands, thinly scattered mixed oak woods, cereal fields, gardens and other human environments; during the Late Roman and Early Medieval age, the woodlands increased. Some currently rare, or locally extinct, species lived in the area. The fragmentation of the landscape has been evident since the Roman times because pieces of the natural environments have survived near lands strongly modified by inhabitants.

2015 - The reconstruction of the natural and cultural landscape of the Cimone mountain (Northern Apennines, Italy) since the Neolithic from a pedoanthracological approach [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Benatti, Alessandra; Bal, M.; Allée, P.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna
abstract

Mont Cimone is the highest mountain of the Northern Apennines mountain system, feature that allowed him to be in the past until today an important place of cultural identity for indigenous populations. Mont Cimone is located in the "Parco regionale dell'Alto Appennino Modenese" and is an important spot of biodiversity that is protected in the Natura 2000 network. This territory has a rich and diversified floral heritage due to his geographical position between two great phytogeographic regions: Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean region. In the north-western slope of Mt. Cimone, the summital part between 1600m and 2100m a.s.l. is characterized by the presence of heathland dominated by Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium gaultherioides and above 1600 m asl. there is a coppice beech forest. At the scale of the northern Apennines, the palaeoecological records (pollen, wood, organic matter, sedimentary) obtained from peat bogs located in the Apennines Ligure (from 800 to 1500 m a.s.l.) (Branch, 2004; Cruise, 1990a, 1990b; Cruise et al., 2009) and Tosco-Emiliano, (from 700 to 1800 m a.s.l.) (Bertolani Marchetti et al., 1994; Bertoldi et al., 2007; Lowe et al., 1994a, 1994b; Watson, 1996) have reconstructed the history of the vegetal landscape linked to climatic changes since the Tardiglacial. In Italy, few studies concerning the relationship between societies and environment are developed in mountain systems. The archaeological data concern essentially the plain where the archaeological remains are very frequent. The first survey on the Mont Cimone, has revealed the numerous archaeological remains like charcoal platforms located within the beech coppice and pastoral huts situated at the upper part between 1700m a.s.l. and 2000 m a.s.l. This fieldwork demonstrates that the Cimone landscape is an anthroposylvosystem transformed by societies since a long time. The aim of this PhD research is to develop an interdisciplinary approach based on geography, archaeology, history and palaeoecology methods. Convince by the role of societies in the construction of the landscape of the Cimone without discarding the role of the climate change, pedoanthracological transect was applied for the first time on this mountain in order to obtain at a more precise spatial scale, the reconstruction of the ligneous palaeolandscape and the history of fire events since a long time. In this context nine soil profiles were sampled at the north-west slope of Mt. Cimone across an altitudinal transect from 1650 m a.s.l. to 2078 m a.s.l. 8 pits are located in the current grassland and one pit is situated at the limit of the actual limit of the beech forest at around 1650 m a.s.l. The presence of charcoals in all the pits suggest the importance of fire events in the history of the Cimone landscape's. The charcoal assemblages show a strong dominance of Ericaceae (1077 - 1153 cal AD) at higher altitudes (above 1700m a.s.l.) as occurs in the present. The occurrence of forest species charcoals as Fagus and Abies in the current grassland between 1650 m and 1800 m a.s.l., shows that in the past these trees were well above the present treeline. The radiocarbon dating will provide useful data for the interpretation of temporal vegetational dynamics at the scale of the slope. These new information will be useful for a multiproxy interpretation to refine the knowledge of the vegetation and fire history of this area.

2015 - Volcanic Lake Sediments as Sensitive Archives of Climate and Environmental Change [Capitolo/Saggio]
Marchetto, A.; Ariztegui, D.; Brauer, A.; Lami, A.; Mercuri, A. M.; Sadori, L.; Vigliotti, L.; Wulf, S.; Guilizzoni, P.
abstract

In efforts to understand the natural variability of the Earth climate system and the potential for future climate and environmental (e.g., biodiversity) changes, palaeodata play a key role by extending the baseline of environmental and climatic observations. Lake sediments, and particularly sediment archives of volcanic lakes, help to decipher natural climate variability at seasonal to millennial scales, and help identifying causal mechanisms. Their importance includes their potential to provide precise and accurate inter-archive correlations (e.g., based on tephrochronology) and to record cyclicity and high frequency climate signals. We present a few examples of commonly used techniques and proxy-records to investigate past climatic variability and its influence to the history of the lakes and of their biota. This paper is rather a presentation of potentials and limits of palaeolimnological and limnogeological research on crater lakes, than a pervasive review of palaeolimnological studies on crater lakes. We show the importance of seismic stratigraphy for the selection of coring sites, and discuss problems in core chronology. Then we give examples of physical and chemical proxies, including magnetism, micro-facies and oxygen and carbon stable isotopes from crater lake deposits mainly located in central and southern Europe. Finally, we present the use of air-transported (pollens) and lacustrine biological remains. The continuing need to develop new approaches and methods stimulated us to mention, as an example, the potential of the studies of subsurface biosphere, and the effects of microbiological metabolism on mineral diagenesis in sediments.

2014 - An integrated research on the Caprelle caves (Central Italy): genesis and palaeoenvironmental inferences from the Upper Pleistocene deposits [Articolo su rivista]
Sandro, Galdenzi; Mara, Loreti; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This paper reports on geomorphologic, geochronologic and hydrologic data, interrelated with pollen data from the sediments of the Caprelle caves, located in the Umbria-Marche Apennines. The paper is a contribution to the understanding of cave genesis. The caves open between 795 and 880 m of altitude in the steep slope at the northern margin of the Piani di Monte Lago, and their present entrance is due to the headward erosion of a minor subsequent valley. The two caves belong to the same hydrogeologic system, even if they are not directly interconnected. The Grotta Piccola di Caprelle (GPC) is a ~100 m long tube that feeds a permanent spring, while the Grotta di Caprelle (GC) is a mainly vertical cave (76 m deep), with some sub-horizontal passages at different levels in its lower part; excluding the permanent stream in the GPC, an intense flow of vadose water occurs only in the GC during the wet periods. The geomorphic setting suggests that the cave development begun before the deepening of the hydrographic surface. Excluding abundant clastic autogenic deposits, the cave fills are mainly calcite speleothems, fine-grained floor deposits with a minor sand content, and thin muddy wall coating. Morphological analysis shows that same processes with different intensity acted several times during the history of these caves. In particular, in GC the predominance of vertical water flows has produced an overlapping of forms and deposits, making difficult the stratigraphical analysis of continuous sequences. Calcite and sediment samples were dated with the U/Th method. They showed that the chemical deposition inside the caves had occurred since before 92.5 ka BP, when the carving and enlargement of the caves by water flow action had already allowed the formation of concretions. The genesis of the Caprelle caves has to be placed at a moment preceding this date, when cave morphology was already similar to the present-day structure. An iron-manganese sediment sample dated to 37.6 ka BP, and the overlying thin crust of calcite on the wall gave an age of 28.4 ka BP. Pollen analysis of the sediment contributed to the reconstruction of the environmental context and permit- ted some inferences on climate. Pollen spectra suggest, in fact, that the sediment containing pollen, together with gravels and sand, might have episodically deposited during short dry/cold, and probably wet/cool climatic phases, as expressed by steppe, grassland and a poor woodland cover.

2014 - Archaeological and volcanological investigation at Stromboli, Aeolian Islands, Italy [Articolo su rivista]
Levi, SARA TIZIANA; Ayala, G.; Bettelli, M.; Brunelli, Daniele; Cannavo', Valentina; Di Renzoni, A.; Ferranti, F.; Lugli, Stefano; Martinelli, M. C.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Photos Jones, E.; Renzulli, A.; Santi, P.; Speranza, F.
abstract

Preliminary results of the interdisciplinary archaeological excavation of the bronze Age (Capo Grazino) village at Stromboli san Vincenzo

2014 - Archeobotanica [Capitolo/Saggio]
M., Mariotti Lippi; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; M., Buonincontri; E., Castiglioni; G., Di Pasquale; M., Giardini; M., Marchesini; A., Miola; C., Montanari; M., Rottoli; L., Sadori; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Molto più giovane della paleobotanica, l’archeobotanica vide i suoi albori in Italia nel XVIII secolo. Dalla fine della seconda guerra mondiale, gli studi archeobotanici condotti in Italia si sono fatti sempre più numerosi, costituendo oggi una ricca fonte di informazione sulla storia dell’Uomo e del suo rapporto con il territorio. In questo lavoro sono presentate alcune tra le principali tematiche affrontate dagli archeobotanici italiani negli ultimi anni e citati i siti principali.

2014 - Genesis and evolution of the cultural landscape in central Mediterranean: the ‘where, when and how’ through the palynological approach [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Cultural landscapes are priority research themes addressed in many fields of knowledge. Botanists can explore the ecological, formal and cognitive level of cultural landscapes with different approaches. Palynologists study both palaeoenvironmental (off-site) and archaeological (on-site) records and are, therefore, in a privileged corner to observe the origin and history of present landscapes, what is their true nature and vocation, what must be preserved or transformed for the future. The study of an archaeological site shows short space–time events and the behaviour of a few people. In order, though, to attain a regional and cross-area cultural landscape reconstruction, many sites must be studied as part of a regional multi-point site and with an interdisciplinary approach. The likelihood to observe human-induced environments in pollen diagrams depends on the nature and productivity of human-related plant species. In the Mediterranean area, many Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic sites point to the long-term action on the environment. However, the pollen signal of pre-Holocene and early Holocene human impact is ambiguous or weak. The effects of culture became evident, and possibly irreversible, as a consequence of human permanence in a certain land. In the Bronze age, the establishment of human-induced environments was evident from the combination of decrease of forest cover and increase of cereal and synanthropic pollen types in pollen records.

2014 - Holocene changes in African vegetation: Tradeoff between climate and water availability [Articolo su rivista]
Hely, C.; Lezine, A. -M.; Ballouche, A.; Cour, P.; Duzer, D.; Guinet, Ph.; Jahns, S.; Maley, J.; Mercuri, A. M.; Pons, A.; Ritchie, J. C.; Salzmann, U.; Schulz, E.; Van Campo, M.; Waller, M. P.
abstract

Although past climate change is well documented in West Africa through instrumental records, modeling activities, and paleo-data, little is known about regional-scale ecosystem vulnerability and long-term impacts of climate on plant distribution and biodiversity. Here we use paleohydrological and paleobotanical data to discuss the relation between available surface water, monsoon rainfall and vegetation distribution in West Africa during the Holocene. The individual patterns of plant migration or community shifts in latitude are explained by differences among tolerance limits of species to rainfall amount and seasonality. Using the probability density function methodology, we show here that the widespread development of lakes, wetlands and rivers at the time of the "Green Sahara" played an additional role in forming a network of topographically defined water availability, allowing for tropical plants to migrate north from 15 to 24° N (reached ca. 9 cal ka BP). The analysis of the spatio-temporal changes in biodiversity, through both pollen occurrence and richness, shows that the core of the tropical rainbelt associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone was centered at 15-20° N during the early Holocene wet period, with comparatively drier/more seasonal climate conditions south of 15° N. © 2014 Author(s).

2014 - Il paesaggio agrario nella terramara di Baggiovara-Modena (XVII – XVI sec. a.C.). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Cardarelli, A.; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Benassi, S.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The agricultural landscape of the Terramara of Baggiovara “17th – 16th cent. B.C.”The paper reports pollen data obtained by the analyses of samples taken from the Terramara of Baggiovara (Modena), dated from 17th to 16th century BC.Archaeobotanical analyses, integrated with palaeobotanical researches, carried out in some terramare of the region, gave useful elements for the reconstruction of the plant landscape and human impact during the middle and late Bronze age of the alluvional lowland area.Data suggest that the landscape was open with low forest cover and most land devoted to agricultural activities (small cereal and legume fields, alternated to extended pastures). The economy was mainly based on animal breeding rather than cultivations. The pollen spectra show a high presence of biological records that are pastures indicators, cerealia and other synananthropic indicators. Altogether, all these are important characters of anthropization.

2014 - Materiali e metodi in Paleobotanica e Archeobotanica [Capitolo/Saggio]
A., Miola; M., Mariotti; Mercuri, Anna Maria; G., Fiorentino; E., Kustatsher
abstract

Negli ultimi 50 anni la paleobotanica è passata dallo studio empirico dei fossili di piante, teso alla scoperta di nuovi taxa e alla conoscenza della loro distribuzione nel tempo e nello spazio, ad affrontare argomenti più ampi di paleobiologia, riguardanti soprattutto l’evoluzione e la paleoecologia, attraverso l’utilizzo di tecniche di ricerca sviluppate in altre discipline, come, ad esempio, metodi analitici quantitativi, tecniche biostratigrafiche innovative, metodi di analisi geochimica e biomolecolare ed, infine, tecniche avanzate di microscopia. Nel corso del XX secolo gli studi paleobotanici si sono estesi verso reperti di piante vissute in tempi più recenti, caratterizzati dalla presenza dell’Uomo, sviluppando metodi di studio adeguati a sedimenti raccolti in siti archeologici o nelle loro vicinanze. La ricostruzione, attraverso testimonianze vegetali, dell’interazione tra uomo e ambiente è diventata una delle finalità principali dell’Archeobotanica.

2014 - Mediterranean culture and climatic change: past patterns and future trends [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori
abstract

The Mediterranean basin has always featured, and still has, ' extremely rich environmental and cultural biodiversity. The ( mosaic of habitats distributed around the Mediterranean ) basin was primarily transformed by climatic changes occur- !* ring at a global scale. In the meantime, the environment has !! been continuously exploited and the landscape shaped. !" Mediterranean is in fact a key region that is worldwide as the !# house for many of the most ancient civilizations. !$ Since the passage from hunting and gathering to stock- !% breeding and cultivation, that would have meant a more !& stable occupation of lands and intense action on a limited !' area, the different scenarios for resource exploitation have !( been natural sets for the advance of different cultures !) (Table 30.1). This led to the onset and expansion of the "* relevant different cultural landscapes (Bottema et al. 1990; "! Butzer 2005; Mercuri et al. 2011; Mikhail 2012; Pons and "" Quézel 1985). The presence of large human groups and "# well-developed civilizations had remarkable effects on the "$ environment. Changes to biotic and abiotic systems have "% been so dramatic that human ecologists focused their atten- "& tion on the impact of human activities on the biotic world, "' and geologists proposed a new epoch the Anthropocene

2014 - Palaeoenvironment, land-use and palaeoethnobotany from archaeobotany research in Italy [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; Benatti, Alessandra; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

Plant remains - including pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, seeds and fruits, woods and charcoals - are among the most important biological archives upon which past environmental reconstructions are based. From one hand, plants are known to respond, in fact, to both climate change and human impact. From the other hand, humans collected plants that were available in the territory they explored, and even involuntary they shaped the landscape. As humans lived in a region, ‘cultural transformations of natural habitats’ began, and were the inevitable consequence of human presence in lands. Consequently, changes in flora and vegetation cover may have occurred earlier near settlements and in the places that today we call ‘archaeological sites’. The weak anthropogenic influence on the environment firstly occurred in the vicinity of the settlements, and then became a true local impact. Then, human impact became evident at a larger regional scale depending on the chronological and cultural variables, and on the distance and intensity of activity performances. In archaeological contexts, humans and their animals largely bring plant micro- and macro- remains to the site and thus cultural variables strongly influence the pollen spectrum and the archaeobotanical record. Far from being a problem, this taphonomical peculiarity is crucial to explore human behaviour and cultural aspects of plant exploitation. A set of palynological / archaeobotanical research has been carried out in the last decades by our research team. In Italy, investigations cover most of the regions from Northern (especially Emilia Romagna), Central (especially Tuscany) and Southern Italy (especially Basilicata and Sicily). Chronology ranges from the Middle Bronze age (e.g. Terramara di Montale), to the Roman and Medieval ages (e.g. Modena; Parma; Villa del Casale), to Renaissance ages (e.g. Ferrara). The research joins multidisciplinary archaeological study to palaeoenvironmental–ecological approach, with focus on the Italian peninsula and its impressive prehistoric and historic archaeological heritage.

2014 - Takarkori rock shelter (SW Libya): an archive of Holocene climate and environmental changes in the central Sahara [Articolo su rivista]
M., Cremaschi; A., Zerboni; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Olmi, Linda; S., Biagetti; S., di Lernia
abstract

Rock shelters in the central Saharan massifs preserve anthropogenic stratigraphic sequences that represent both a precious archive for the prehistory of the region and a powerful proxy data for Holocene palaeoenvironments. The geoarchaeological (micromorphology) and archaeobotanical (pollen analysis) approaches were integrated to investigate the anthropogenic sedimentary sequence preserved within the Takarkori rock shelter, a Holocene archaeological site located in the Libyan central Sahara (southern Tadrart Acacus massif). The site was occupied throughout the Early and Middle Holocene (African Humid Period) by groups of hunteregatherers before and by pastoral communities later. The investigation on the inner part of the sequence allows to recognize the anthropogenic contribution to sedimentation process, and to reconstruct the major changes in the Holocene climate. At the bottom of the stratigraphic sequence, evidence for the earliest frequentation of the site by hunters and gatherers has been recognized; it is dated to c. 10,170 cal yr BP and is characterized by high availability of water, freshwater habitats and sparsely wooded savannah vegetation. A second Early Holocene occupation ended at c. 8180 cal yr BP; this phase is marked by increased aridity: sediments progressively richer in organics, testifying to a more intense occupation of the site, and pollen spectra indicating a decrease of grassland and the spreading of cattails, which followed a general lowering of lake level or widening of shallowwater marginal habitats near the site. After this period, a new occupational phase is dated between c. 8180 and 5610 cal yr BP; this period saw the beginning of the frequentation of pastoral groups and is marked by an important change in the forming processes of the sequence. Sediments and pollen spectra confirm a new increase in water availability, which led to a change in the landscape surrounding the Takarkori rock shelter with the spreading of water bodies. The upper part of the sequence, dating between c. 5700 and 4650 cal yr BP records a significant environmental instability towards dryer climatic conditions, consistent with the end of the African Humid Period. Though some freshwater habitats were still present, increasing aridity pushed the expansion of the dry savannah. The final transition to arid conditions is indicated by the preservation of ovicaprines dung layers at the top of the sequence together with sandstone blocks collapsed from the shelter's vault. On the contrary, the outer part of the sequence preserves a significantly different palaeoenvironmental signal; in fact, the surface was exposed to rainfall and a complex pedogenetic evolution of the sequence occurred, encompassing the formation of an argillic laminar horizon at the topsoil, the evolution of a desert pavement, and the deposition of Mn-rich rock varnish on stones. These processes are an effect of the general environmental instability that occurred in the central Sahara since the Middle Holocene transition. Finally, the local palaeoclimatic significance of the sequence fits well with Holocene regional and continental environmental changes recorded by many palaeohydrological records from North Africa. This highlights the potential of geoarchaeological and archaeobotanical investigations in interpreting the palaeoenvironmental significance of anthropogenic cave sediments in arid lands.

2014 - The LPP of Modena and Archeobotany: research in Italy over the last twenty years [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Mazzanti, Marta; Benatti, Alessandra; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

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.

2014 - The charcoal sequence of a Roman site located in the town of Modena (Northern Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Benatti, Alessandra; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Allée, P.; Bosi, Giovanna; Bal, M. C.; Labate, D.
abstract

In 2009, an archaeological excavation (named “Ex Cinema Capitol”) was carried out in the current historical centre of the city of Modena (Northern Italy) by the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Emilia Romagna. It has reached a depth of 6.7 metres from the current roadway level (corresponding to 27.1 metres a.s.l.) that has allowed to highlight an important archaeological sequence dated from the 3rd cent. BC to the 2nd cent. AD. Archaeological investigations allowed to highlight walls, floors and foundation structures pertinent to a urban domus. For this site, seed and fruit analyses were carried out at the laboratory of Modena. In this context, archaeological charcoals have been studied in order to provide new botanical knowledge and to further understand the human-environment relationship (such as the choice of timber supply) at the local scale as well as to help the palaeoecological reconstruction of woody vegetation of the area. The analyzed charcoals were recovered by sieving the archaeological sediments from about forty layers or stratigraphic units. Nearly all the remains present an excellent state of preservation allowing a good identification, and a relatively large size with a very feeble curvature of the tree rings. This suggests that the caliber of the logs or branches was rather large in size in most of the remains. Of almost thousand total charcoals, at the moment, about 900 were identified and the anthracological results show a strong dominance of Fraxinus sp. and Carpinus sp. followed by Acer sp., Ulmus sp., Quercus sp. and other genera. Given the importance and complexity of the archaeological sequence, it will be necessary to compare the archaeobotanical data with the archaeological context in order to clearly relate the results with the relevant layers and archaeological context. The data probably refer to the mixed broadleaved forest that grew in the area. This work will provide interesting information by integrating the anthracological with the carpological data.

2014 - Wild cereals from Holocene central Sahara archaeological sites: aDNA and archaeobotany from the Takarkori rockshelter [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Fornaciari, Rita; Olmi, Linda; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Lernia, Savino di
abstract

Both pollen and macroremains recovered from archaeological sites point to a long-time exploitation of wild cereals and to the prevalence of these plants among those selected and transported to shelters and caves of central Sahara (southwestern Libya)(1). Spikelets, florets and grains of Panicoideae (Brachiaria, Cenchrus, Echinochloa, Panicum, Setaria, Urochloa, Sorghum) are the most abundant plant remains in these sites. The archaeological excavation of the Takarkori rockshelter by the Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission in the Acacus and Messak (Central Sahara), Sapienza University of Rome (directed by S. di Lernia), exposed a surface of c. 120 m2 in extent. The 1.6 m thick deposit includes stone structures, fireplaces, plant accumulations, dung layers and a burial area. Layers were deposited during hunter-gatherer and later pastoralist occupational phases. Chronology ranged from c. 9000 to 4200 BP, and was based on stratigraphy, radiocarbon dates, and archaeological materials (2). Systematic morphological analysis was carried out on 200 spikelets/florets selected as representative of different chronological contexts. The records of Panicum, Echinochloa and Sorghum showed homogeneous typology and fairly uniform size in each genus. aDNA extraction confirming the morphological identifications of the three taxa was obtained by Olmi et al. (3). aDNA was successfully performed using several methods (4, 5) and then assayed using PCR with a primer set for the rbcL gene. New aDNA extraction was obtained from Panicum spikelets and the analysis of matK, trnH-psbA and trnL barcode regions may help to identify the records at species level.

2014 - il paesaggio vegetale ricostruito attraverso le analisi polliniche [Capitolo/Saggio]
Silvia, Marvelli; Marco, Marchesini; Torri, Paola; Ca, Accorsi; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Sono presentati i risultati dello studio palinologico del sito di Sant'Agata Bolognese, livelli pre-romani, romani e medievali.

2013 - 2013 Palynology: The bridge between palaeoecology and ecology for the understanding of human-induced global changes in the Mediterranean Area [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Marignani, M.; Sadori, Laura
abstract

The starting point of palynology when dealing with ecology is that ‘ecosystems are dynamic and have a history’ (Willis & Birks, 2006; Birks, 2012). In a thematic review centred on ‘cultural landscapes of the past’, recently published, Mercuri, et al. (2010) outlined the essential role of botanists in creating a bridge of knowledge between past and present vegetation and human impact dynamics. This is especially obtained by providing a faithful interpretation of the plant cover developed as a consequence of presence or pressure of both past and modern human activities. These concepts match the assumptions of history as ‘change with time’ and ‘ecology as a historical discipline’ by Boero (2010).

2013 - ANTHROPOGENIC POLLEN INDICATORS (API) FROM ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES AS LOCAL EVIDENCE OF HUMAN-INDUCED ENVIRONMENTS IN THE ITALIAN PENINSULA [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Torri, Paola
abstract

Pollen data from twenty-six archaeological sites are reviewed to investigate the development of human-induced environments through the presence of selected Anthropogenic Pollen indicators (APi). the sites are located in six italian regions - veneto, emilia romagna, tuscany, Basilicata, calabria, and sicily - and in the republic of san Marino. their chronology spans from the Bronze to the renaissance ages, from approximately 4200 to 500 years BP. the APi which are common in these sites are properly considered important markers of human activity and anthropization in the Mediterranean area. the most frequent APi taxa in pollen spectra are seven: Artemisia, Centaurea, cichorieae and Plantago are ubiquitous and therefore they have the major relevance, followed by cereals and Urtica, and by Trifolium type. the spread of plants producing these pollen grains is sometimes marked by high percentage values in pollen spectra. Pollen records show that, as expected, cereals and wild synanthropic herbs were widespread near archaeological sites but local differences are evident. ecological and chrono-cultural reasons may be at the base of the observed differences. in general, the synanthropic plants well represent the xeric environments that developed as a result of the continuous human pressure and changes in soil compositions. these changes have occurred especially during the mid and late holocene.

2013 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES BETWEEN 9500 BP AND 4500 BP: A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE SAHARA TO UNDERSTAND EXPANDING DROUGHTS IN THE “GREAT MEDITERRANEAN” [Articolo su rivista]
E. A. A., Garcea; Mercuri, Anna Maria; C., Giraudi
abstract

The Sahara is more connected to the Mediterranean than often assumed and palynology, in particular, has provided evidence of past interrelations between the Mediterranean and the Sahara with pollen spectra from prehistoric Saharan deposits including Mediterranean taxa. In order to show human-environment relationships and populations’ strategies in response to changing environments, this paper presents a case study from the southern Sahara. This region offered a natural laboratory for the study of human/climate interaction as the range of environmental change extended from flood to drought, forcing people to cope with periodic environmental instability. When the tropical rainfall belt migrated northward, watertable outcropped in interdunal depressions and formed permanent lakes, which alternated with severe arid spells. As a case study, this paper presents the results of interdisciplinary investigations on climate changes, human adaptations and subsistence strategies at Gobero, in the southern Sahara of Niger. Gobero is a restricted archaeological area comprising 8 sites that surround the shores of a palaeolake. It was intermittently occupied between about 9500 cal years BP and 4500 BP. Due to alternating environmental conditions it could only be occupied at the beginning and at the end of the most humid periods.

2013 - Archaeobotanical investigations in a small scale roman agro-processing site at Case Nuove (Tuscany, Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Bowes, K.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The contribution presents the archaeobotanical analyses carried out at the archaeological site of Case Nuove (Tuscany). This study is part of the "Roman Peasant Project".

2013 - Archaeobotany of urban sites: the macro (seeds, fruits, wood) and microremains (pollen, charcoal particles, NPPs) from Mutina – Roman Age, northern Italy. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rinaldi, Rossella; Torri, Paola; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Recent drillings of cores taken from the town of Modena (Emilia Romagna, northern Italy) have permitted to reconstruct the Holocene vegetation history of this areas based on pollen, charcoal particles and non pollen palynomorphs. Radiocarbon datings, TOC and lito-stratigraphical analyses were carried out. The cores include layers referring to the Roman period that saw the foundation of the town (183 BC). Contextually, a large set of investigations on archaeobotany of archaeological sites of Roman age (2nd century BC – 6th century AD) have been studied for macro and microremains. The set of the very well-preserved plant records and the high number of off-site and on-site locations studied in the same town give firm data for a detailed reconstruction of the urban environment. This is one further proof of the great interest that these integrated research of archaeobotany of urban sites has to understand history and ecology of modern cities. Current and past biodiversity, land use and relationship between on-site and extra-urban environments, palaeoethnobotanical features and traditional uses of plants are only part of the issues that can be inferred from these studies.

2013 - Climate warming and the decline of Taxus airborne pollen in urban pollen rain (Emilia Romagna, northern Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; E., Casini; Olmi, Linda
abstract

Woody plant performance in a changing global environment has always been at the centre of palaeoenvironmental and long-term climate reconstructions carried out by means of pollen analysis. In Mediterranean regions, Taxus constitutes the highest percentage in past pollen diagrams from cold or cool periods, and therefore it is generally considered a good index to infer climate features from past records. However, a comparison of these inferences with the true current trends in pollen production has not been attemped until now. This study reports the decline of airborne pollen of Taxus observed in Emilia Romagna, a region of northern Italy, during the period 1990–2007. Phenological observations on four male specimens and microscopic examination of fresh pollen were made in order to check Taxus flowering time and pollen morphology. Airborne pollen was monitored through continuous sampling with a Hirst volumetric sampler. In the 18-year long period of investigation, Taxus pollen production has decreased, while total woody pollen abundance in air has increased. The trend of the Taxus pollen season shows a delay at the beginning, a shortening of the pollen period, and an advance of the end of the pollen season. This was interpreted as a response to climate warming. In particular, Taxus follows the behaviour of winter-flowering plants, and therefore earlier pollination is favoured at low autumn temperatures, while late pollination occurs more often, most likely after warm autumn temperatures.

2013 - Dal polline nei sedimenti alla ricostruzione del paesaggio e dell’economia di Torre di Satriano [Capitolo/Saggio]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il lavoro presenta le indagini palinologiche condotte su campioni scelti provenienti dal sito archeologico di Torre di Satriano (Basilicata). le analisi polliniche forniscono le prime informazioni utili alla ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale dell’area intorno al sito durante le fasi di VI sec. a.C. All’analisi del polline sono state affiancate analisi sugli indicatori biologici paleoambientali (NPPs - Non Pollen Palynomorphs), reperti microscopici che permettono una ricostruzione paleoambientale di dettaglio.

2013 - ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT OF THE GREEK COLONIAL SYSTEM IN SOUTHERN ITALY: POLLEN AND NPPS EVIDENCE OF GRAZING FROM THE RURAL SITE OF FATTORIA FABRIZIO (VI-IV CENT. BC; METAPONTO, BASILICATA) [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; J. C., Carter
abstract

this paper reports a study case showing integrated analyses of microscopic records from an archaeological site of southern italy. pollen and non pollen palynomorphs-Npps were found in archaeological layers and were basic in reconstructing both the past environment and the economic activities of the site. the site, Fattoria Fabrizio, is a modest 4th-cenury bc farmhouse of the chora (rural territory) of the Greek city (polis) of Metaponto (basilicata). pollen analyses in addition to the study of Npps have been particularly worthwhile for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoeconomical reconstructions of this site and others in the chora. the pollen spectra delineate an open plant landscape, with scanty woodlands and presence of local wet environments. Olea pollen is fairly well represented in all samples, suggesting that this tree was an important element of the agricultural economy of the chora. shrubby grasslands and a well-developed macchia characterized the territory, probably as result of grazing activities by sheep and goats. accordingly, the high percentages of poaceae and cichorieae pollen, together with coprophilous fungal spores (such as Sordaria type and Sporormiella type), suggest that pastoral activities were widely practiced. the low number of cerealia pollen grains suggests that the inhabitants’ fields covered small areas or were quite far from the farmhouse.

2013 - Early to middle Holocene environmental variations in the Gobero basin. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Giraudi, C.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Palynological and geological studies carried out at Gobero allowed to reconstruct the main palaeoenvironmental and climatic changes that occurred in the early and middle Holocene. The geological data of the area surrounding the perilacustrine ar- chaeological sites showed that four aeolian (arid) sedimentary units (from the earliest to the latest aeolian unit, a.u. 2, 3, 4 and 5) alternated with four lacustrine (wet) sedimentary units (lacustrine units, l.u. 3, 4, 5 and 6). The earliest Holocene lacustrine unit, l.u. 3, dated 10,000–8160 cal BP, represents the time when the Gobero lake reached its maximum expansion and depth. The pollen data showed a complex environmental scenario including xerophilous and hygrophilous plant associations. The floristic changes and the lacustrine units in the Gobero basin match the general wet and dry climate oscillations. The early Holocene humid phase was interrupted by a dry spell ca 8200 BP. Then, a major dry phase, which was also evident in many other lake records, took place at, or just after, 6000 BP with a shift towards more permanent aridity. Nevertheless, the persistence of well-developed wet environments, even in the most recent l.u. 6 (ca 3800 cal BP), suggested that a grassland-type of vegetation continued to develop during late Holocene wet oscillations, following the increase of a lacustrine level.

2013 - Environmental and ethnobotanical data inferred from pollen of Gobero and the dried lakebeds in the surrounding area. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Massamba N’siala, I.; Florenzano, Assunta
abstract

In the framework of a multidisciplinary research, pollen data from the site of Gobero and its surroundings were helpful to reconstruct some features of the plant landscape of the region at the time of occupation by Pre-Pastoral and Pastoral populations, in early and mid-Holocene phases, respectively. Samples were collected from the burial excavations and the desiccated lakebeds of the area. The latter ones correspond to layers of lacustrine events stratigraphically determined in the Gobero basin. As usual in arid land deposits, most of the samples did not contain pollen, and others had deteriorated pollen and low concentration values. Nevertheless, pollen spectra were obtained from 39 samples. They showed a low biodiversity. Ficus and Ziziphus-type were the most common woody taxa, together with Capparis, Combretum-type, Myrtus and Salvadora persica. Spectra were herb-dominated, with a prevalence of Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Cyperaceae, together with Asteraceae and Plantago. Hygro-hydrophytes such as Typha, Juncus, Nymphaea and Potamogeton evidenced local wet environments. In fact, the landscape was a mosaic of xeric and wet environments, prevalently covered by a savanna or grassland vegetation. The environment was wetter in the early Holocene than in the midddle Holocene. In a few cases, the pollen from some burials suggested that plants could have been collected to transport grasses, myrtle and capers to the site, in order to lay them near the human bodies, showing a possible thousands-year-old behaviour of using plants as grave goods.

2013 - Erratum to The European Modern Pollen Database (EMPD) project (Veget Hist Archaeobot, 10.1007/s00334-012-0388-5) [Articolo su rivista]
Davis, B. A. S.; Zanon, M.; Collins, P.; Mauri, A.; Bakker, J.; Barboni, D.; Barthelmes, A.; Beaudouin, C.; Birks, H. J. B.; Bjune, A. E.; Bozilova, E.; Bradshaw, R. H. W.; Brayshay, B. A.; Brewer, S.; Brugiapaglia, E.; Bunting, J.; Connor, S. E.; de Beaulieu, J. -L.; Edwards, K. J.; Ejarque, A.; Fall, P.; Florenzano, A.; Fyfe, R.; Galop, D.; Giardini, M.; Giesecke, T.; Grant, M. J.; Guiot, J.; Jahns, S.; Jankovska, V.; Juggins, S.; Kahrmann, M.; Karpinska-Kolaczek, M.; Kolaczek, P.; Kuhl, N.; Kunes, P.; Lapteva, E. G.; Leroy, S. A. G.; Leydet, M.; Saez, J. A. L.; Masi, A.; Matthias, I.; Mazier, F.; Meltsov, V.; Mercuri, A. M.; Miras, Y.; Mitchell, F. J. G.; Morris, J. L.; Naughton, F.; Nielsen, A. B.; Novenko, E.; Odgaard, B.; Ortu, E.; Overballe-Petersen, M. V.; Pardoe, H. S.; Peglar, S. M.; Pidek, I. A.; Sadori, L.; Seppa, H.; Severova, E.; Shaw, H.; Swieta-Musznicka, J.; Theuerkauf, M.; Tonkov, S.; Veski, S.; van der Knaap, P. W. O.; van Leeuwen, J. F. N.; Woodbridge, J.; Zimny, M.; Kaplan, J. O.
abstract

2013 - Excavating the Roman peasant II: excavations at Case Nuove, Cinigiano (GR) [Articolo su rivista]
Emanuele, Vaccaro; Mariaelena, Ghisleni; Antonia Arnoldus, Huyzendveld; Cam, Grey; Kim, Bowes; Michael, Mackinnon; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Alessandra, Pecci; Miguel Ángel Cau, Ontiveros; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

This report details the survey, excavations and materials analysis carried out at Case Nuove (GR) in Tuscany, a site identified by surface survey as a possible rural house, but which excavation and materials analysis suggest was a small-scale agro-processing point of late Republican date. Through accompanying analysis of pollen and land-use data, the article considers the problems this type of site — the stand-alone agro-processing point — presents for interpretations of the Roman landscape. The survey, excavations and materials analysis of Case Nuove revealed a small- scale agro-processing site, serving perhaps as a collective processing point for local farmers but controlled, at least in part, by a local villa. While only a single site in a complex landscape, it is hoped that the results from Case Nuove illuminate the importance of productive and processing activities as components of Roman landscapes and the embeddedness of such activities in their locale, that is, not only in the plant and physical landscapes, but also in the social complex formed by near (and far) human settlement.

2013 - Holocene palaeoclimate in the northern Sahara margin (Jefara Plain, Northwestern Libya) [Articolo su rivista]
C., Giraudi; Mercuri, Anna Maria; D., Esu
abstract

The palaeoclimatic evolution of northwestern Libya has been deduced from the study ofthe palustrine and aeolian sediments. The Holocene environmental variations have beenrecognized through geological and stratigraphic surveys and by pollen analysis andmalacofauna content of the sediments. Some organic-rich horizons have been dated usingthe radiocarbon method. The data show that in general, the presence of marshes is linkedwith the period of higher humidity, which began around ca 9.4 ka BP and ended around5.0 ka BP. From ca. 5.0 ka BP up to about 4.4 ka BP, there was a simultaneous presenceof marshes and vegetation of arid climate as a consequence of rainfall in the mountainsand/or a decrease in temperatures. The Holocene wet period was interrupted by two aridspells dated about 8.2 and 5.5-5.4 ka BP. The end of the wet phase must have beengradual. The climatic events that occurred in the Jefara plain seem to be well correlatedwith those identified in Saharan Africa even if the Mediterranean is only one hundredkilometers away.

2013 - Il verde nei parchi archeologici e nei giardini storici: linee-guida dalle ricerche archeobotaniche [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Il Laboratorio di Palinologia e Paleobotanica di Modena da tempo lavora nell’ambito delle ricostruzioni del pae- saggio vegetale attraverso le analisi archeobotaniche (semi/frutti, legni/carboni, polline, palinomorfi non pollinici - NPP, microcarboni). Recentemente i risultati ottenuti da questo tipo di analisi sono stati finalizzati alla progettazione di parchi archeo- logici e di giardini storici scomparsi. In alcuni casi si è arrivati alla fase applicativa completa (es. Parco Archeo- logico della Terramara di Montale) o parziale del progetto (es. Giardino delle Duchesse a Ferrara), mentre in altri casi è stata data l’indicazione circostanziata per il futuro progetto di sistemazione (es. Giardino della Farmacia dell’Ospedale Maggiore a Milano). Un caso di grande interesse è rappresentato dal sito archeologico “Novi Sad”, nelle immediate vicinanze del centro storico di Modena. In questo sito sono state trovate numerose testimonianze della storia della città, in par- ticolare per il periodo romano (insediamenti, attività produttive, aree funerarie, discariche,...). A tale sito, nello stesso luogo di rinvenimento, è stato dedicato un parco archeologico, il Novi Ark, la cui collocazione è una sorta di “vetrina” per la città anche dal punto di vista turistico. L’Archeobotanica è risultata fondamentale per l’inter- pretazione delle strutture rinvenute e per il loro inserimento in un adeguato arredo verde progettato sia in base alle analisi eseguite nel sito stesso, sia per confronto con i dati già disponibili per il periodo romano in Emilia Romagna, senza trascurare le fonti classiche. Nel territorio di Modena si possono poi citare altri due esempi sempre attinenti al periodo romano. Il primo riguarda la valorizzazione di un importante monumento funerario dedicato ad una donna, Vetilia, morta nel I sec. d.C. Dell’ara, conservata ai Musei Civici di Modena, è stata riprodotta una copia realizzata con i medesimi materiali lapidei dell’originale. La sua collocazione, in una rotatoria sulla via Emilia, poco distante dal punto del ritrovamento, ha richiesto un progetto per l’arredo verde, poi messo in opera, realizzato dal nostro Laboratorio te- nendo conto dei dati archeobotanici regionali, delle fonti ed anche delle esigenze della manutenzione dell’arredo verde in un contesto trafficato. Il secondo caso riguarda l’importante sito di Montegibbio (350 m s.l.m., Sassuolo - MO), nel quale è stata rinvenuta una villa romana di un certo pregio. Le analisi archeobotaniche hanno fornito una prima base di dati utili per il progetto, in fase di stesura, di un futuro parco che comprenda e valorizzi tutte le emergenze, naturalistiche e storico-archeologiche, dell’area. Come dimostra il caso del Parco di Montale (con migliaia di visitatori l’anno), questi contesti diffusi sul terri- torio creano un circolo virtuoso legato al turismo “intelligente”. La speranza è che questo meccanismo venga maggiormente potenziato e sostenuto sia a livello locale che nazionale, in virtù della consapevolezza (che ancora manca) che la nostra maggiore ricchezza è rappresentata dall’immenso patrimonio culturale e ambientale che l’Italia possiede.

2013 - Inside the "African Cattle Complex": Animal Burials in the Holocene Central Sahara [Articolo su rivista]
di Lernia, S.; Tafuri, M. A.; Gallinaro, M.; Alhaique, F.; Balasse, M.; Cavorsi, L.; Fullagar, P.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Monaco, A.; Perego, A.; Zerboni, A.
abstract

Cattle pastoralism is an important trait of African cultures. Ethnographic studies describe the central role played by domestic cattle within many societies, highlighting its social and ideological values well beyond its mere function as 'walking larder'. Historical depth of this African legacy has been repeatedly assessed in an archaeological perspective, mostly emphasizing a continental vision. Nevertheless, in- depth site-specific studies, with a few exceptions, are lacking. Despite the long tradition of a multi-disciplinary approach to the analysis of pastoral systems in Africa, rarely do early and middle Holocene archaeological contexts feature in the same area the combination of settlement, ceremonial and rock art features so as to be multi- dimensionally explored: the Messak plateau in the Libyan central Sahara represents an outstanding exception. Known for its rich Pleistocene occupation and abundant Holocene rock art, the region, through our research, has also shown to preserve the material evidence of a complex ritual dated to the Middle Pastoral (6080-5120 BP or 5200-3800 BC). This was centred on the frequent deposition in stone monuments of disarticulated animal remains, mostly cattle. Animal burials are known also from other African contexts, but regional extent of the phenomenon, state of preservation of monuments, and associated rock art makes the Messak case unique. GIS analysis, excavation data, radiocarbon dating, zooarchaeological and isotopic (Sr, C, O) analyses of animal remains and botanical data are used to explore this highly formalized ritual and lifestyles of a pastoral community in the Holocene Sahara.

2013 - L'Etnobotanica per la conservazione della natura e della cultura dei popoli [Capitolo/Saggio]
G., Caneva; G., Aliotta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; F., Camangi; V., Consoli; G., Forti; Mercuri, Anna Maria; G., Puppi; A., Ranfa; F., Taffetani; M., Tufano; P. M., Guarrera
abstract

Il contributo di Bosi, Mercuri e Bandini Mazzanti ha riguardato soprattutto i parchi archeologici (es. Parco della Terramara di Montale), in cui, attraverso la ricerca archeobotanica e l'applicazione di tecniche di archeologia sperimentale è possibile fare compiere percorsi educativi-informativi ad adulti e ragazzi su vari aspetti etnobotanici.

2013 - LAND USE FROM SEASONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: THE ARCHAEOBOTANICAL EVIDENCE OF SMALL ROMAN FARMHOUSES IN CINIGIANO, SOUTH-EASTERN TUSCANY - CENTRAL ITALY [Articolo su rivista]
Rattighieri, Eleonora; Rinaldi, Rossella; K., Bowes; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

this paper focuses on the archaeobotanical study of two Roman small farmhouses, san Martino and poggio dell’amore, located near cinigiano, in the province of grosseto-tuscany. the sites were probably occupied during seasonal agricultural works, a peculiar typology of site that has not been usually identified in Roman sites of central italy. the integrated analyses of pollen, non pollen palynomorphs, charcoal particles and seeds/fruits help to obtain interesting details on the site function, land use and palaeoenvironment of these archaeological contexts. the archaeobotanical reconstruction shows that the landscape was fairly treeless. pastures surrounded the small buildings while cereal fields were probably less extended or further away than legume fields cultivated to forage. shrubs and some fruit trees might mark boundaries of fields, while the woods, including oak woods, were distributed far from the sites. anthropogenic pollen indicators, spores of coprophilous fungi and parasite eggs point to the presence of excrements in the sites suggesting that the small buildings were used as small barns for domestic animals, or a temporary shed.

2013 - L’uso dei microresti vegetali per le ricostruzioni paleoambientali e per la valutazione degli effetti dell’attività antropica: l’esempio dei laghi vulcanici laziali [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
L., Sadori; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Negli ultimi decenni diversi studi hanno dimostrato l’utilità di combinare le analisi polliniche con lo studio dei microcarboni e dei palinomorfi non pollinici [Carrión e Navarro, 2002; Miras et al., 2004; Riera et al., 2006] e sempre più spesso i lavori riportano risultati da entrambi i tipi di reperti, che possono essere analizzati sugli stessi preparati e quindi in laboratorio non richiedono estrazioni diverse. Lo studio palinologico di sequenze lacustri oloceniche permette di approfondire la conoscenza dei complessi rapporti tra l’uomo e l’ambiente e di ricostruire le trasformazioni del paesaggio avvenute sia sotto la pressione di eventi naturali e/o climatici che culturali [Mercuri e Sadori, 2012, 2013; Mercuri et al., 2010; Roberts et al., 2011; Sadori et al., 2011].

2013 - MARIJKE VAN DER VEEN. Consumption, trade and innovation: exploring the botanical remains from the Roman and Islamic ports at Quseir al-Qadim, Egypt (Journal of African Archaeology Monograph Series 6) [Recensione in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This rigorous and detailed scientific re- port on the ar- chaeobotanical evi- dence from the Ro- man and Islamic ports of Quseir al- Qadim on the Red Sea coast of Egypt actually feels more like a gripping novel. This is not the first time that Marijke van der Veen has shown her ability to recount fascinating botanical investigations of the past in a stimulating and thorough way. In order to discover how plants can inform the story of human daily life and culture, we must acquire great experience in interpretation of plant macroremains; we could also learn a lot by reading these pages. The book under review combines analyses of plant remains and texts with sociological and anthropological approaches, and for this reason it is set to become a classic in the archaeological literature.

2013 - Modena. Primi risultati dalle analisi palinologiche della sezione “Campi-S2” [Articolo su rivista]
Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Silvia, Benassi; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Nell’ambito dello studio multidisciplinare che interessa l’area di “Via Campi-nuovi Dipartimenti” sono state previste analisi palinologiche al fine di ottenere informazioni utili alla ricostruzione paleo ambientale del sito . Un totale di 41 campioni pollinici, a intervalli di ca. ogni 10 cm, sono stati prelevati da una sezione verticale continua, spessa ca. 5 m. In questa prima fase di studio sono stati scelti 20 campioni provenienti per lo più dallo strato alluvionale compreso tra due suoli (tra 4,30-4,20 m e tra 3,90-3,80 m) e in parte da campioni posti al di sopra del suolo più superficiale. Una datazione radiocarbonica è stata eseguita su legno sub-fossile, proveniente da un livello posto a 4,22 m di profondità e ha fornito la seguente data: 2005 ± 125 cal. BP.

2013 - Olea, Juglans and Castanea: the OJC group as pollen evidence of the development of human-induced environments in the Italian peninsula [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora
abstract

Pollen data from three off-site records and twenty-six on-site (archaeological) sites are reviewed to investigate the development of cultural landscapes through the history of the olive, walnut and chestnut trees in the Italian Peninsula from the Late Glacial to late Holocene. The spread of these trees, which have been gathered or cultivated since ancient times, though not marked by high values in pollen diagrams, is an important indicator of increasing human activity and anthropization in the Mediterranean area. The sum of Olea, Juglans and Castanea percentages in pollen spectra constitutes the OJC curve. The off-site records discussed are core RF93-30 from the Adriatic Sea (last 7000 years), and cores PALB94-1E of Lago Albano and PNEM94-1B of Lago di Nemi, two lakes in the Latium region (last 13,000 years). The on-site records are located in several regions (Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Basilicata, Calabria, and Sicily) and in the Republic of San Marino. Their chronology spans approximately from the Bronze to the Renaissance ages, from 4200 to 500 years BP. The simultaneous presence of OJC in the off-sites and in all the archaeological sites confirms that these trees were widespread in the Italian peninsula during the last four millennia. The OJC pollen sum shows low values but it is common in Bronze age sites from northern Italy, when their percentages increase in the off-site records. In Hellenistic and Roman times, there are sharp increments of their curves in the off-sites, and values of Olea are especially high in archaeological sites of southern Italy. The highest values of OJC, especially due to Castanea, are found in the different types of records in the Middle ages. Juglans is significant but less common in both the archaeological sites and the off-sites. The cultivation of walnut and chestnut trees in pre-Roman times may have included local stands. The nurturing for wood may have had negative effects on pollen fallout while the flowering of plants was favoured to obtain fruits. As humans exploited the natural resources they interfered with the distribution of useful plants. The development of human environments in a modern sense, however, is a relatively recent phenomenon. It has largely caused the expansion of complex agrarian landscapes, including fields, pastures and groves.

2013 - Palinologia e Archeobotanica applicate allo studio del paesaggio mediterraneo: modellamenti e impatto antropico durante i cambiamenti ambientali dell’Olocene [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda; Florenzano, Assunta; Rinaldi, Rossella; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Benatti, Alessandra; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Fanetti, D.
abstract

La complessità odierna del paesaggio mediterraneo è il risultato di dinamiche di interazione ‘natura-cultura’ che ne hanno determinato e condizionato l’evoluzione. La ricerca interdisciplinare basata sull’integrazione di dati botanici, ecologici, geomorfologici e archeologici offre la possibilità di ottenere una conoscenza approfondita di tali interazioni, congiungendo l’osservazione dell’ambiente attuale a quella delle sue trasformazioni nel passato. La prospettiva diacronica olocenica attraversa le fasi più cruciali di tali trasformazioni, dalla creazione di spazi per coltivazioni e insediamenti, all’abbattimento di boschi e deviazione di corsi d’acqua, alla importazione di nuove culture e ampia diffusione di sinantropiche a marcare gli insediamenti umani (1,2,3). Palinologia e archeobotanica sono da anni al centro della ricerca del Laboratorio di Palinologia e Paleobotanica di Modena. Il poster illustra i principali siti studiati nella penisola italiana e nelle isole, e una rassegna di articoli scientifici redatti in questi ultimi anni sul tema dell’applicazione di queste materie allo studio del modellamento del paesaggio mediterraneo, con particolare attenzione all’azione antropica. Dati archeobotanici (polline, NPPs, semi/frutti, legni/carboni) sono stati ottenuti da oltre 70 siti archeologici, mentre dati pollinici sono stati ricavati o sono in studio da 10 carotaggi (in ambiente terrestre e marino). Le analisi polliniche spesso mostrano significativi valori di indicatori antropici [sensu Behre (4)]. I primi agricoltori vivevano in insediamenti stabili circondati da un’area di influenza nella quale agire continuativamente su un’area limitata. Ma è dall’età del bronzo che le testimonianze della presenza di ambienti sviluppati grazie all’influenza antropica diventano chiaramente leggibili nella combinazione di polline di cereali e sinantropiche spontanee. In seguito, nei diagrammi pollinici crescono le curve degli alberi coltivabili/coltivati (Olea, Juglans, Castanea) (5). Alcuni recenti lavori di analisi su semi e frutti hanno mostrato la incontestabile validità dei reperti carpologici da sito archeologico per studi di tipo etnobotanico (6, 7, 8). Il confronto tra lo studio di siti archeologici (in-sito) e carote marine o continentali (extra-sito) permetterà nei prossimi anni di comprendere l’impatto dell’insediamento umano, per definizione locale, a livello regionale o su vaste aree.

2013 - Palynology and Mediterranean vegetation history [Articolo su rivista]
Sadori, L.; Bertini, A.; Combourieu, Nebout; N., Kouli; Mariotti, Lippi; M., Roberts; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The history of Mediterranean vegetation can be outlined using pollen grains contained in lacus- trine, marine and other sediments. These sediments have recorded very important vegetation changes during recent geological times. For example, during the last 6 Ma (million years), the effects of different events acting at regional (e.g. the Messinian salinity crisis between 5.96 Ma and 5.33 Ma) and global (expansion of the Arctic ice at ca 2.6 Ma) scales produced a progres- sive decrease and final disappearance of tropical and subtropical taxa. However, prior to the start of the Quaternary the Mediterranean flora still included a consistent number of tropical and subtropical arboreal taxa accompanying deciduous and partly evergreen trees that have persist- ed until today. The most important features of the vegetation history of the Quaternary consist in the fact that vegetation adapted to climate changes due to changes in orbital cyclicity, alter- nating between glacial and interglacial periods. The more widespread vegetation types were steppe and grassland formations during the dry and cold glacial periods whereas either decidu- ous or evergreen forests were characteristic of interglacial periods. These cold-dry to warm- humid climate cycles became more and more intense towards the present. During the second half of the present interglacial, after the mid-Holocene, joint actions of increasing dryness, cli- mate oscillations and human impact led to the present day Mediterranean plant landscape. It is however not clear how far the causation of this spread of evergreen taxa was climatic or human. One of the most exciting challenges is the prediction of the future course of Mediterranean veg- etation. In this perspective a consistent help, not fully explored yet, can be found in aeropaly- nology, recording the pollen transported in the air. Together with modern surface samples, these data act as modern analogues. Though it probably does not represent the same past vegetation- al composition, the current pollen rain is the only basic reference on which our comparative approach can rely. Present trends are interpreted and future scenarios can be hypothesized just using a combination of aero- and archaeo-/palaeo-palynological approaches.

2013 - Palynology for the Mediterranean vegetation history: human-environment interactions in a changing climate [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Laura, Sadori; Marta Mariotti, Lippi; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The Mediterranean basin has always featured, and still has, extremely rich environmental biodiversity. This natural richness and variety has been enriched and conditioned by the development of several cultures. A huge set of biological archives provides evidences of flora and vegetation changes in the Mediterranean regions along time. These changes have occurred not only during the distant past, but also in the recent one. Altogether they determined the shape of the present-day plant landscape. Palynology has been extensively used to reconstruct different scenarios through the geological times. Besides many expected results, some surprises were found. It is not surprising that a consistent contingent of subtropical taxa was still present in the Italian Pliocene flora (Bertini and Martinetto 2011, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 304: 230-246; Sadori et al. 2010, Quaternary International, 225: 44–57) and that steppe and grassland formations covered in most occasions the Mediterranean lands during glacial times (Bertini 2010, Quaternary International, 225: 5-24). On the contrary, the presence of dense oak forests in central Sicily around 9000 years ago (Sadori and Narcisi 2001, The Holocene, 11: 655-671), the expansions of Abies alba woods along the central Tyrrhenian coast until mid Holocene (Bellini et al. 2009, The Holocene, 19: 1161-1172), and the persistence of pine forests in central Spain until the last millennia (Carrión et al. 2010, Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 162: 458–475) could be puzzling. If we consider the vegetation changes occurred in the last millennia we have to admit they are the results of interlaced environmental and cultural changes (Mercuri and Sadori 2013, chapter 30, The Mediterranean Sea: its history and present challenges. Springer, Dordrecht; Sadori et al. 2010, Plant Biosystems, 144: 940 – 951). Mediterranean habitats have been continuously transformed by climatic changes occurring at a global scale. In the meantime, the environment has been exploited and the landscape shaped by different human groups and societies (Mercuri et al. 2011, The Holocene, 21: 189-206; Kouli 2013, Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 21: 267-278; Mercuri et al. 2013, Quaternary International 303: 22-42). Joint actions of increasing dryness, climate oscillations, and human impact are hard to disentangle, and this becomes particularly true after the mid-Holocene (Roberts et al. 2011, The Holocene, 21: 3-13; Sadori et al. 2011, The Holocene, 21: 117-129). Important changes in Mediterranean vegetation seem to have coincided either with marked increases in social complexity or with enhanced aridity during the Holocene, or with both of them.

2013 - Piante & Uomo: etno e archeobotanica in Europa [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rinaldi, Rossella; Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; Olmi, Linda; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Fanetti, D.; Benatti, Alessandra; Maritan, M.
abstract

A Modena esiste una lunga tradizione di ricerche archeobotaniche. Il Laboratorio di Palinologia e Paleobotanica nel 2012 ha festeggiato in tal senso venticinque anni di attività continuativa, anche se la sua fondatrice, Daria Bertolani Marchetti, avviò questo settore per l’Emilia Romagna già all’inizio degli anni ’60 con un lavoro legato a frequentazioni umane di circa 4000 anni dal presente sul Monte Cimone. Nell’ultimo decennio, oltre ad implementare l’esistente, si è cercato di stabilire contatti e rapporti di ricerca con diverse realtà italiane e straniere, per aumentare le competenze e le conoscenze anche nel campo specifico dell’et- nobotanica, disciplina che indaga in maniera privilegiata il rapporto, nel passato e nel presente, tra uomo e piante. Le nostre ricerche si sono quindi particolarmente indirizzate verso i campi d’indagine riguardanti agricoltura, alimentazione vegetale e in generale utilizzo da parte dell’uomo delle piante per vari scopi, dalla preistoria fino all’attuale. Il Progetto PaCE dell’Unione Europea (Plants and Culture: seeds of the Cultural Heritage of Europe – Culture programme 2007-2013, EACEA 09/2006) ha rappresentato una sorta di sintesi di questo nuovo indirizzo. Il progetto ha coinvolto 30 gruppi di ricerca provenienti da 12 paesi europei, portando la mostra trans-europea ad esso collegata in 28 diverse location e coinvolgendo oltre 300000 visitatori. A distanza di sei anni dalla sua prima esibizione, la mostra PaCE è ancora presente in alcune sedi quali università e musei in Grecia, Polonia e Turchia, e la sua versione virtuale è visitabile al sito: www.plants-culture.unimore.it/virtual_exhibition.htm

2013 - Present and past pollen rain: aerobiological data applied to palaeoenvironmental reconstructions [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Links between the different fields of palynology gave extremely interesting insight to solve problems of pollen representation in past and present contexts. For example, there is general consensus on the importance of application of archaeopalynological techniques to forensic sciences, or on the studies of modern pollen rain for inferring the Relevant Source Area useful for past land-use reconstructions. The application of aerobiological studies to past palaeoenvironmental reconstructions is, therefore, a further very interesting field of investigation that, though not still completely explored, may be vector of new important inferences about past, present and future of climate change. Data of airborne pollen of Castanea and Taxus from aerobiological monitoring are presented as examples of studies on taxa of great interest for the development of plant landscape in Italy. Airborne pollen was monitored through continuous sampling with a Hirst volumetric sampler for 18-years. As for Castanea, long-distance transport of this pollen is well-known, but studies on modern pollen rain show that a relatively small amount of pollen is compatible with the presence of chestnut trees in the area. As for Taxus, pollen production has decreased, while total woody pollen abundance in air has increased in the time period studied. The trend of the Taxus pollen season shows a delay at the beginning, a shortening of the pollen period, and an advance of the end of the pollen season. This was interpreted as a response to climate warming. In particular, Taxus follows the behaviour of winter-flowering plants, and therefore earlier pollination is favoured at low autumn temperatures, while late pollination occurs more often, most likely after warm autumn temperatures.

2013 - Seeds, fruits and charcoal from the Fewet compound [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Buldrini, Fabrizio
abstract

Research on plant macrofossils from Fewet has been carried out in a multi- disciplinary perspective to understand the land use and transformation that the Garamantes introduced in Fezzan, Central Sahara, at the time of their cultural development. The site of Fewet preserved a fairly abundant archaeobotanical record thanks to the fire events that reduced much of the plant material contained in several rooms to a charred state. The characteristic species of the archaeobotanical record of Fewet include: (a) culti- vated plants: the trees such as Phoenix dactylifera, and to a smaller extent Ficus carica, Vitis vinifera and Acacia nilotica subsp. nilotica; cereals such as Hordeum vulgare, Triticum aesti- vum/durum/turgidum and T. monococcum, and some Panicoideae (Pennisetum glaucum, and Sorghum bicolor); pulses such as Vigna unguiculata and Vicia species; some vegeta- bles and herbs such as Lagenaria siceraria and Apium graveolens; (b) wild woody plants such as Tamarix species, and wild grasses including Sorghum halepense and Setaria and Panicum species. Plant remains were particularly abundant in Room FW5 and, to a lesser extent, in FW6. Date palm and barley are the best represented plants in the archaeobo- tanical record and were the most characteristic crops cultivated by the Garamantes. They marked the landscape of the Fewet oasis and of the entire Fezzan at that time. Phoenix dactylifera; Hordeum vulgare; Tamarix.

2013 - THE TRANS-EUROPEAN EXHIBITION “PaCE – PLANTS AND CULTURE IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE” [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sadori, Laura; Bosi, Giovanna; Florenzano, Assunta; M., Giardini; A., Masi; Mazzanti, Marta; Olmi, Linda; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

The project PaCE-Plants and Culture: seeds of the Cultural Heritage of Europe (Culture Programme 2007-2013, EACEA 09/2006) has promoted and still promotes the green cultural heritage common to Europe. PaCE project was proposed with the main idea of creating an interdisciplinary cooperation on the scientific and humanistic cultural heritage of Europe; this was performed by contacting institutions of several countries, involving research centres and museums, searching for a wide international work group and a common interest which went beyond geographical and chronological frontiers. The net of PaCE consisted of 30 teams belonging to 12 countries. The main successful action of this project was the performance of the trans-European PaCE Exhibition, translated in 11 languages and exhibited in 28 locations in different countries. From September 2008 to today, the exhibition has been set in 10 European countries (Norway, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Italy, San Marino, Spain) and approximately at least 320,000 persons have visited it. Since the beginning of 2009 the virtual exhibition is available on the web (http://www.plants-culture.unimore.it). Different botanical cultures, which are part of the history of European countries, are represented. The project has valorised the relationships between plants and people as cultural markers, and has improved the knowledge on the evolution and the history of the green cultural heritage.

2013 - The European Modern Pollen Database (EMPD) project [Articolo su rivista]
Basil A. S., Davis; Marco, Zanon; Pamella, Collins; Achille, Mauri; Johan, Bakker; Doris, Barboni; Alexandra, Barthelmes; Celia, Beaudouin; Anne E., Bjune; Elissaveta, Bozilova; Richard H. W., Bradshaw; Barbara A., Brayshay; Simon, Brewer; Elisabetta, Brugiapaglia; Jane, Bunting; Simon E., Connor; Jacques Louis de, Beaulieu; Kevin, Edwards; Ana, Ejarque; Patricia, Fall; Florenzano, Assunta; Ralph, Fyfe; Didier, Galop; Marco, Giardini; Thomas, Giesecke; Michael J., Grant; Jöel, Guiot; Susanne, Jahns; Vlasta, Jankovská; Stephen Juggins Marina, Kahrmann; Monika Karpińska, Kołaczek; Piotr, Kołaczek; Norbert, Kühl; Petr, Kuneš; Elena G., Lapteva; Suzanne A. G., Leroy; Michelle, Leydet; José Antonio López, Sáez; Alessia, Masi; Isabelle, Matthias; Florence, Mazier; Vivika, Meltsov; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Yannick, Miras; Fraser J. G., Mitchell; Jesse L., Morris; Filipa, Naughton; Anne Birgitte, Nielsen; Elena, Novenko; Bent Odgaard Elena, Ortu; Mette Venås Overballe, Petersen; Heather S., Pardoe; Silvia M., Peglar; Irena A., Pidek; Laura, Sadori; Heikki, Seppä; Elena, Severova; Helen, Shaw; Joanna Święta, Musznicka; Martin, Theuerkauf; Spassimir, Tonkov; Siim, Veski; Pim van der, Knaap; Jacqueline F. N., van Leeuwen*; Jessie, Woodbridge; Marcelina, Zimny; Jed O., Kaplan
abstract

Modern pollen samples provide an invaluable research tool for helping to interpret the Quaternary fossil pollen record, allowing investigation of the relationship between pollen as the proxy and the environmental parameters such as vegetation, land-use, and climate that the pollen proxy represents. The European Modern Pollen Database (EMPD) is a new initiative within the European Pollen Database (EPD) to establish a publicly accessible repository of modern (surface sample) pollen data. This new database will complement the EPD, which at present holds only fossil sedimentary pollen data. The EMPD is freely available online to the scientific community and currently has information on almost 5000 pollen samples from throughout the Euro- Siberian and Mediterranean regions, contributed by over 40 individuals and research groups. Here we describe how the EMPD was constructed, the various tables and their fields, problems and errors, quality controls, and continuing efforts to improve the available data.

2013 - The archaeology of ancient pastoral sites in the territory of Montescaglioso (4th - 1st century BC). An interdisciplinary approach from the Bradano valley (Basilicata - southern Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
D., Roubis; C., Colacino; S., Fascetti; S., Pascale; V., Pastore; F., Sdao; G., De Venuto; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; A., Miola; N., Panarella
abstract

This paper discusses a complete set of hoplite armour (panoply), found in tomb 672 at Chiaromonte (Basilicata), consisting of a “Corinthian” helmet, front and back greaves, bronze protection for the left forearm, and an iron sword. The tomb group can be compared to other tombs with panpolies at Chiaromonte, datable to the 6th century BC on the basis of other contexts in the region containing “Corinthian” helmets. Furthermore, the archaeological evidence from Chiaromonte is used to contextualize this important indigenous settlement centre against the backdrop of the “North- Lucanian” and the “Oinotrian” cultures. Finally, 6th-century Chiaromonte is related to the political and military system of Sybaris, mentioned by ancient sources, but so far scarcely attested “on the ground.” The author argues that the elite of Chiaromonte served in the cavalry of Sybaris.

2012 - A marine/terrestrial integration for mid-late Holocene vegetation history and the development of the cultural landscape in the Po Valley as a result of human impact and climate change [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; L., Vigliotti; Bosi, Giovanna; Florenzano, Assunta; Olmi, Linda; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella
abstract

Marine/terrestrial integration of pollen data contributes to the reconstruction of thetiming of climate-human forces that shaped cultural landscapes in the Italian peninsula. The paperfocuses on the relation between natural and human landscapes, and the development of the culturallandscape from the Bronze age to the Medieval and modern times. Two records were studiedwithin independent projects: the marine core RF93-30, central Adriatic, with a sediment sourcearea including the Po Valley, spans the last 7000 years; material from the Terramara di Montalethat was settled in the Po plain from approximately 3550 to 3200 cal B.P. The original chronologyof the marine core was developed by using the magnetic inclination of the secular variation recordand two 14C datings carried out on benthic and planktic foraminifera (at 527 and 599 cm of depth).Its pollen record shows a gradual irreversible trend towards increasing aridity since 5700 cal B.P.and, just after around 5100 cal B.P., Picea decline and Quercus ilex type increase marked less coolconditions. Human impact introduces rapid changes, as the decrease of silver fir, thinned by thereduction of precipitations and further cut before/at the early Bronze age, followed by the fall ofoaks. The latter started after around 3900 cal B.P., and became evident at around 3600 cal B.P.The gradual landscape openness and forest clearance correspond to the onset of Middle Bronzeage settlements in the Po Valley, and to the development of the cultural landscape in the region.The impact of terramaras includes wood management by coppicing, and patching of the territory inpastures and fields. Xeric environments (Cichorioideae), resulting from the continuative humanpressure, spread since the Recent Bronze age. In the multi-causal explanation for the decline ofterramaras event, we suggest that climate would have been less important in the decline than in theonset phases. The further human landscapes were mainly traced by the trends of Olea, Juglans and Castanea while modern times were marked by the findings of Zea mays

2012 - Analisi archeobiometriche e reperti carpologici: scopi e prospettive [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola
abstract

È presentata una panoramica dei lavori di Archeobiometria su reperti carpologici, lavori realizzati a Modena sulla base di ricerche che coprono un periodo ventennale. Si mettono in luce le molte potenzialità della materia dando alcune prospettive per un suo ulteriore sviluppo.

2012 - Analisi archeobiometriche e reperti carpologici: scopi e prospettive [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola
abstract

L’Archeobiometria applicata ai reperti di semi/frutti nei siti archeologici ha note applicazioni storiche riguardanti i più importanti taxa di erbacee (cereali e legumi) e di legnose coltivate (vite e olivo), ai fini del riconoscimento specifico (o sottospecifico) e ai fini di percorrere le strade della domesticazione di queste importanti piante alimentari (es. Renfrew, 1968). Tali indagini sono ancora di attualità con vari affinamenti e l’uso di più moderne tecniche, che accostano spesso alle indagini biometriche quelle di genetica antica (es. Terral et al, 2004). Più recentemente, già negli anni ’80-90, l’Archeobiometria si è allargata a fruttiferi, in particolare Prunoideae (es. Pollmann et al., 2005; Depypere et al, 2007), e ad altre specie legnose ed erbacee del Nuovo e Nuovissimo Mondo (es. Lepofsky et al., 1998). Ancora più recentemente si assiste ad una convergenza di interessi e di metodi fra discipline apparentemente diverse, in realtà con numerosi punti di contatto. Infatti sul lato agronomico si è sviluppato il tema, attraverso analisi morfobiometriche e genetiche, della caratterizzazione degli ecotipi colturali a varia ampiezza geografica, per la ricerca di quelli dimenticati e per la valorizzazione delle antiche risorse vegetali che possono costituire un punto di forza per l’identità geo-colturale e per l’ecoturismo eno-gastronomico (es. Paris & Nerson, 2003; Laghetti & Hammer, 2007; Cox & Van der Veen, 2008). Da qui solo un passo porta all’archeobiometria dei reperti di piante coltivate/coltivabili soprattutto in periodo storico, dal Romano al Rinascimento/ inizio Evo Moderno, principalmente quando le parti conservabili sono importanti anche nella tipizzazione delle forme attuali (nell’ambito europeo, ma non solo, ne sono esempi gli endocarpi di Prunoidee, Olea e Cornus, i semi di Vitis, di Cucurbitacee, i semi/frutti di specie aromatico/condimentarie, ecc.). Lo scopo non è solo la caratterizzazione dei documenti di ecotipi colturali del passato, ma la ricerca del possibile tratto di unione fra archeoreperti e attuale. In ogni caso, le applicazioni nel settore carpologico della archeobiometria possono fornire svariate informazioni: dalla più scontata (ma non sempre facile) distinzione fra forma selvatica e forma coltivata, alla documentazione dell’avvenuto processo di domesticazione in particolare delle meno studiate “specie marginali”, alla progressione in senso cronologico di una stessa specie verso forme colturali “migliori” e/o “più uniformi” (Sadras, 2007), perfino per segnalare quel “luxury food” che sottolinea l’alto stato sociale dei fruitori. I limiti di questo tipo di ricerche sono, oggi come un tempo, da ricercare nello stato di conservazione dei reperti e nella disponibilità di un campione statisticamente valido: applicazioni di tipo biometrico in assenza di tali requisiti, se non in casi particolari, sono poco significative e, talora, possibile fonte di errore.

2012 - Archaeological sites and related ethnobotanical observations in central and southern Sahara [Poster]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The research tries to link archaeobotanical studies carried out in different archaeological sites of the central and southern Sahara desert to ethnographical and ethnobotanical investigations on Tuareg Peoples. Data provide information on the possible relationships between current uses and traditions of living populations and early and middle Holocene human impact and land use in the same areas. Pollen, seeds/fruits and plant artifacts from burials, rockshelters and caves give details on plant presence and on their cultural uses in the past as plants and use in traditional houses tell us today. Even if there are many well-preserved archaeological-archaeobotanical materials, in general Saharan and North African studies remain dramatically far away from the potential impact of modern transmission of traditional knowledge. Some examples of long-tradition plant uses in past and modern Saharan contexts will be presented. Multidisciplinary research are basic to interpret data. Modern technologies include Esem microscopy analysis to improve the precision of species determination, and the possibility to make diachronical correlations on cultural transmission processes, and specific strategies of resource exploitation. In this framework, a strong botanical and ecological research is necessary in the site and in the field, helped by geomorphology information and completed by ethnobotanical data.

2012 - Archeobotanica, archeologia e fonti storico-iconografiche per il ripristino di “paesaggi urbani”: il Giardino delle Duchesse del Palazzo Ducale Estense di Ferrara alla fine del XV secolo. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; C., Guarnieri; Mercuri, Anna Maria; R., Merlo; F., Scafuri; Torri, Paola
abstract

Il Giardino delle Duchesse a Ferrara, realizzato tra il 1473 ed il 1481 da Ercole I d’Este, veniva descritto come un luogo paradisiaco. Alla fine del ‘400 il giardino era caratterizzato da piante da frutto, ornamentali e siepi di bosso in figure geometriche. Agli inizi del ‘600 il giardino ospitava fruttiferi, cipressi, erbe medicinali, bosso scolpito, un pozzo marmoreo e un percorso pavimentato che suddivideva il giardino in quattro parti uguali. A partire dal ‘600 per il giardino cominciò un lento degrado e nel ‘700 non ne rimaneva che il ricordo. Nel contesto della volontà espressa dalle autorità comunali di valorizzazione del Giardino delle Duchesse, sono state svolte sia indagini archeologiche che indagini archeobotaniche. A tale scopo sono stati analizzati campioni pollinici e carpologici prelevati nel corso degli scavi archeologici del sito e campioni carpologici dal riempimento di una vasca di scarico del Palazzo Ducale, vicina e coeva alla fase iniziale del Giardino. Gli spettri pollinici presentano una buona ricchezza floristica e comprendono taxa arboreo/arbustivi riconducibili ad arredo verde e numerose erbacee con possibile utilizzo ornamentale. Un sostegno alle analisi polliniche viene da quelle carpologiche, in quanto diverse entità polliniche sono testimoniate anche da semi/frutti, talora da foglie. I dati archeobotanici, con l’aiuto delle fonti storiche ed iconografiche hanno reso possibile una più oggettiva ricostruzione del Giardino delle Duchesse.

2012 - Cambiamenti climatici e impatto antropico nel Mediterraneo: la prospettiva paleo/archeobotanica. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori
abstract

Il legame tra esseri umani e ambiente è una delle problematiche più stringenti degli ultimi decenni, volta in particolare a comprendere quale sostenibilità ambientale sia possibile in un momento di evidenti cambiamenti climatici (Diamond 2002; Oldfield 2005; Sadori 2007). Le ricerche sugli archivi biologici permettono di studiare la relazione tra storia della vegetazione e trasformazioni socio-ambientali per area geografica e per fase culturale (Berglund 2003; Birks et al. 1998; Mercuri 2008) La prospettiva paleo- e archeobotanica si occupa di questi temi attraverso lo studio di resti botanici, polline e macroresti vegetali, presenti in depositi di origine diversa. Lo studio del Tardoglaciale e Olocene, circa gli ultimi 15mila anni, mostra chiari cambiamenti della copertura vegetale che sono avvenuti in seguito a oscillazioni climatiche globali. Con una generalizzazione, possiamo riassumere i cambiamenti più evidenti in un andamento verso innalzamento delle temperature e calo delle precipitazioni, con variazioni stagionali, nel Mediterraneo centrale. Proprio nel Mediterraneo, l’Olocene medio ha visto anche il fiorire di alcune delle più importanti civiltà, preludio della società moderna. Molti autori sottolineano che le traiettorie di evoluzione culturale sembrano più o meno fortemente coincidere con cambiamenti climatici (Mercuri et al. 2011). Questi ultimi hanno portato, tra le proprie conseguenze, modifiche nell’assetto vegetazionale più o meno drammatiche. Resta comunque non facile avere a disposizione record che abbiano una sufficiente risoluzione sufficiente a discriminare tra modifiche ambientali climatiche o antropiche, perché è probabile che alcuni adattamenti all’ambiente siano avvenuti in modo sfumato e altre più brusco, in dipendenza dalle condizioni locali.Bibliografia citataBerglund BE (2003) Human impact and climate changes - synchronous events and a causal link? Quat Int 105: 7-12Birks HH, Birks JB, Kaland PE, Moe D (1988) The Cultural Landscape, Cambridge University Press, CambridgeDiamond J (2002) Evolution, consequences and future of plant and animal domestication. Nature 418: 700–707Mercuri AM (2008) Human influence, plant landscape, evolution and climate inferences from the archaeobotanical records of the Wadi Teshuinat area (Libyan Sahara). J Arid Environ 72: 1950–1967Mercuri AM, Sadori L, Uzquiano Ollero P (2011) Mediterranean and north-African cultural ad- aptations to mid-Holocene environmental and climatic change. Holocene 21: 189–206Oldfield F (2005) Environmental change: key issues and alternative approaches, Cambridge, University Press CambridgeSadori L (2007) Pollen Records, Postglacial. Southern Europe. Encyclopedia of Quaternary Sci- ences, Elsevier, pp. 2763-2773

2012 - Cichorioideae-Cichorieae as pastureland indicator in pollen spectra from southern Italy [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; Rattighieri, Eleonora; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Cichorioideae with fenestrate pollen are among the most important markers ofpasturelands. The pollen type mainly includes members of the Cichorieae tribe, and this is the actualtribe identified in pollen spectra from the Italian peninsula. The paper presents a brief review ofpollen presence of Cichorieae in archaeological sites of southern Italy. Particularly, the case study ofSant’Angelo Vecchio, a Hellenistic site located in Metaponto (Basilicata) is reported. Four classesof Cichorieae can be distinguished based on the maximum diameter length: < 18 μm (Hieraciumtype), 18-25 μm, 26-44 μm, ≥ 45 μm (Scolymus type).

2012 - Climate changes and human settlements since the Bronze age period in central Italy. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori
abstract

There is an inescapable liaison between humans and environmental sustainability and therefore cultural trajectories have shown, and still show, trends that in many cases seem to be fairly coincident with climatic changes. Several scholars have stressed that, in Mediterranean regions, pronounced increases in social complexity had coincided with climatic deterioration, particularly with increased aridity in mid-Holocene times.

2012 - Climate changes and human settlements since the Bronze age period in central Italy [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sadori, L.
abstract

In the Mediterranean basin, crowd of many different civiliza- tions, the environment was continuatively exploited during the Ho- locene. The onset of the Bronze age in Italy, archaeologically dated at ca. 4300-4200 years ago, is among the most problematic examples of a fairly synchronous cultural change probably driven by a climatic change. Terrestrial and marine cores, and archaeological layers pre- serve biological archives mirroring palaeoenvironmental changes. Obviously the human land transformation and managing are more evident in archaeological sites. When compared with off-site records, ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣ the wet early Holocene phase, Mediterranean regions became pro- gressively more arid, especially after the end of the 7th millennium BP. Cultural adaptations to mid-Holocene environmental changes are fairly evident in many pollen records since 5000-4000 years ago. Lago di Mezzano is an extraordinary example, as it represents an off-site / on-site mixed case. In many central Italian lakes, a mid-Holocene for- est opening was evident, possibly also occurring several times in the range of few centuries. A climate shift towards aridity is visible in pol- len diagrams around 4000 cal. yr. BP. Water shortage probably obliged Bronze age populations to settle along the lake shores in pile dwell- ings. Then, human landscapes expanded since around 3600 cal. yr BP, with cereals and legumes cultivation, olive diffusion, forest clearance, ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

2012 - Dati archeobotanici e offerte votive dallo scavo [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Marchesini, Marco; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

The paper presents pollen and seed/fruit analyses carried out on the site Piazza Garibaldi of Parma (Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy), dated to the 4th - 3rd/2nd centuries BC, i.e. around the time of Roman foundation of this town. The site was probably a sacral area. Archaeobotanical samples were collected from two layers: L325 (pollen samples Pro1, Pro2, and carpological sample Cro1); L320 (Pro3, Cro2). Data are useful both for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and to make hypotheses about the divinities to which plant votive offerings were offered. Around the site, oak woods and hygrophilous woods were not extended. The plant landscape was probably dominated by herbs, and human activities highly influenced environmental features. In fact, cultivations including cereals, legumes, hemp, with possibly chestnut tree and vinegrape among woody plants, and especially a number of medicinal/vegetables/spices plants characterized the archaeobotanical record. Ficus, Vitis and Pomoideae, together with a number of other fruits, cereals and wild anthropogenic plants were well represented. In particular, Papaver somniferum, Coriandrum sativum, together with Fragaria vesca, are peculiar in the carpological record, while pollen of entomophilous plants are common and sometimes abundant in the spectra. Altogether, they well correspond to votive offerings to several gods, and particularly some of them including opium poppy and cereals would have been offered to Demeter/Ceres, the goddess of crops and soil fertility.

2012 - HUMAN IMPACT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AS SHOWN BY POLLEN FROM ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES (HOLOCENE, CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN) [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Most of the biological archives, including pollen, upon which past environmental reconstructions are based, respond to both climate change and human impact. The significance of biological records in regions where changes occurred frequently, and sometimes rapidly, such as the central Mediterranean, may be unclear as different forces may originate their assemblages.The presentation reports pollen analyses from archaeological sites that are clear examples of presence and activities of human groups in their territories. A comparison between pollen data from a mid-late Holocene marine core (RF93-30) and a Middle-Recent Bronze age archaeological site (Terramara di Montale) both with evidence of climate changes and human impact is discussed (Mercuri et al. in press).The regression in the natural forest vegetation, both deciduous and evergreen trees, is visible from the mid-Holocene, and mainly in the late Holocene in RF93-30. An increasing dryness is discernible by the decrease of Fagus since after 5700 cal B.P., and continuing gradually since at least 4780 cal B.P. Later, after an aridity phase at 4500–4000 cal B.P., human impact introduces rapid vegetation changes especially clear in the two records. Particularly, these actions are the fall of silver fir (thinned by the decrease of precipitations and further cut before/at the early Bronze age) and subsequent fall of oaks at around 3600 cal B.P.Xeric environments, represented by Cichorieae, resulted from the continuative human impact, and spread since the Recent Bronze age. Grasslands have continued to be browsed by domestic animals in many districts of the Mediterranean basin for millennia, in southern Italy as well as in central Sahara, and the effects of aridification were enhanced by the (over)-exploitation of lands.

2012 - Il progetto di tutela e valorizzazione del Fontanile dell'Ariolo, un ambiente di valore culturale e naturalistico a Gavasseto (Reggio Emilia) [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Montorsi; D., Mordacci; M., Nettis; Sgarbi, Elisabetta
abstract

Heavy anthropic pressure, mainly during the second half of the 20th century, has led to considerable changes in the Po Plain landscape, such as degradation, rarefaction or disappearance of wetlands, ponds, water springs (locally called Fontanili) and watercourses. At present many elements characterizing the agricultural landscape, i.e. riparian woods, grasslands, stable meadows, “‘piantate” (these are typical vineyards where the grapevines are supported by trees, usually elms or maples), rows of plants and hedgerows have almost completely disappeared. They all can be defined semi-wild landscape elements of environmental and historical interest. The “Fontanile dell’Ariolo”, placed south-east of Reggio Emilia (northern Italy), is an emergence of limpid groundwater, with little temperature variations, throughout the year. These conditions support the life of a micro-habitat in which peculiar plant and animal species find refuge. As a part of a project for the re-qualification and valorization of the Fontanile, following up its recognition as an SCI (Site of Community Importance), documentary researches were conduced at Public Records Offices of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Moreover the main phases of the project carried out to re-establish areas near the Fontanile, are described.

2012 - Indagini archeobotaniche sui riempimenti delle buche da rifiuti e del pozzo nero di via Cavestro a Parma (X - XI sec. d.C.) [Capitolo/Saggio]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Pederzoli, Aurora; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Rinaldi, Rossella; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Archaeobotanical analyses were carried out on pits and latrine, dated to the 10th – 11th centuries AD, from the site of Piazza Garibaldi. According to archaeological data, the site was a market square in Mediaeval times. Data from pollen and seeds/fruits were useful for both palaeoenvironmental and palaeoethnobotanical reconstruction, and together with NPPs including parasite remains contributed to add details on the function of the site. In the Middle Ages, cereal fields, together with legumes, grapevines and fruit trees to be grown in the area, together olive trees and Prunoideae. The analyses of plant and parasite remains in four pits and one latrine suggested that their infillings consisted of waste, human and animal excrements, deteriorated vegetable food and marcs. Human parasite eggs of Ascaris and Trichuris were found in the latrine, while parasites of animals were found also in the pits.

2012 - Indicatori microscopici di pascolo per ricostruzioni di paleoeconomia e paleoambiente: polline, spore di funghi coprofili e uova di parassiti [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; A., Miola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Le modifiche apportate dall’attività umana al paesaggio vegetale sono ben documentate dal polline prodotto dalle diverse comunità vegetali. Tra i reperti pollinici gli Indicatori Antropogenici sono par¬ticolarmente significativi e permettono di rintracciare l’attività delle popolazioni passate. Si tratta di polline pro¬dotto da specie coltivate, nitrofile o indicatrici di luoghi calpestati e di pascolo. Lo studio di tali Indicatori è affiancato all’analisi delle spore di funghi coprofili e delle uova di parassiti. Le in¬formazioni così ottenuteche permettono di individuare e comprendere meglio le attività umane come l’allevamento di bestiame e la pastorizia.Sono qui illustrati due casi studio (progetto PICAR - PRIN08): A - Piano Locce, in area montana (L’Aquila-Abruzzo), B - Valle del Bradano, in contesti archeologici (Basilicata). A - La ricostruzione paleoambientale di Piano Locce, basata sull’analisi pollinica, ha permesso di ricostruire la storia del paesaggio vegetale a partire da 36.000 anni dal presente.Prima dell’Olocene, la conca di Piano Locce è caratterizza da una vegetazione a steppa nella quale, nei momenti di minor rigidità del clima, erbivori selvatici pascolano liberamente. Questa ipotesi è sostenuta dall’associazione di spore di funghi coprofili con uova di parassiti intestinali (Dicrocoelium) e ammassi di granuli pollinici o“pollen clumps”. Durante l’Olocene, le spore di coprofili sono sempre presenti con un andamento oscillante ma tendenzialmente in crescita. Il loro incremento percentuale, che si verifica in alcuni momenti dell’Olocene, suggerisce un utilizzo della conca anche da parte di animali domestici. I due picchi che si osservano nella parte più superficiale della sequenza sono messi in relazione con la notevole presenza di ovini legata al fenomeno della transumanza che si sviluppa durante il periodo romano e medievale. B - La Valle del Bradano è caratterizzata da una notevole ricchezza di siti archeologici che vanno dall’età del Bronzo all’età Medievale. Tra essi Difesa San Biagio e Altojanni hanno restituito evidenze di pratiche di pastorizia/allevamento nell’area durante i periodi ellenistico, romano e medievale. In particolare, polline di Cichorioideae, Chenopodiaceae e Brassicaceae, assieme a spore fungine di coprofili quali Sor¬daria tipo, Sporormiella e Podospora tipo, segnano la prevalenza di attività pastorale durante il periodo ellenistico a San Biagio. Una maggiore biodiversità caratterizza le fasi cronologiche di Altojanni, dove gli spettri pollinici risultano dominati da Asteraceae e Poaceae. Alle spore di Sordaria tipo e Podospora tipo si aggiungono spore di funghi con diversa ecologia quali Chaetomium e Valsaria variospora tipo. Il contesto ambientale e microarcheobotanico sono in accordo con le evidenze archeologiche che, per questo sito, documentano la presenza di aggeri che delimitavano spazi nei quali gli animali domestici, probabilmente bovini, stabulavano durante il periodo medievale.

2012 - Inferenze archeoambientali dalle sequenze polliniche della Terramara di Baggiovara - Modena (XVII - XVI sec. a.C.) [Articolo su rivista]
Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rattighieri, Eleonora; G., Pellacani; A., Cardarelli; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il lavoro presenta i primi dati ottenuti da analisi palinologicheeffettuate nel sito della Terramara di Baggiovara, Modena. L’analisipalinologica è stata finalizzata alla ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetaleprecedente, coevo e successivo alle fasi di vita dell’abitato e ha permesso diottenere prime indicazioni sull’attività produttiva al suo interno. Inparticolare, emerge un paesaggio decisamente aperto con copertura forestaleconfinata lontano dall’abitato. Gli spettri pollinici sono caratterizzati dauna forte presenza di indicatori di pascolo, cereali e altre speciesinantropiche. Ne emerge, dunque, un paesaggio culturale con caratteri diantropizzazione che erano già evidenti in Pianura Padana durante il bronzomedio. Abstract The study reports dataobtained by the palynological analyses of samples taken from the Terramara ofBaggiovara, located in Modena, Emilia Romagna - northern Italy. Pollen allows to reconstructthe plant landscape that existed ‘before, during and after’ the terramara. Datasuggest that the economy of the site was mainly based on animal breeding ratherthan on crop cultivation. In particular, the landscape was open and the forest coverwas low.Pollen spectra show astrong presence of pastoral indicators, cerealia and other sinantropic indicators.They are important characters ofanthropization of these lands that testified how a cultural landscape hasalready developed in the Middle Bronze age in the Po Plain.

2012 - La coltivazione della palma da datteri: una linea di continuità dalla preistoria ai nostri giorni [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
M., Mariotti Lippi; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il ritrovamento di grandi quantità di datteri in due siti archeologici, uno dell'Età delFerro nel Sultanato di Oman e uno di Età Classica-Tardo Garamantico in Libia meridionale, hapermesso di ricostruire due episodi nella millenaria storia della coltivazione della palma cheriveste un ruolo fondamentale nell'economia agricola dei paesi subtropicali aridi. Le indaginimorfometriche rivelano, in entrambi i siti, una continuità di valori all’interno dell’intervallodimensionale dei semi. Ciò porta a ipotizzare la presenza di una sola varietà di palma incoltivazione oppure la coesistenza di più varietà e dei loro ibridi.

2012 - Palinologia applicata al sito di San Vincenzo - Stromboli (Bronzo Medio) per uno studio di ricostruzione archeoambientale [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
E., Rattighieri; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Levi, SARA TIZIANA
abstract

2012 - Palinologia applicata al sito di San Vincenzo-Stromboli (Bronzo Medio) per una ricostruzione archeoambientale [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Rattighieri, Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Levi, SARA TIZIANA
abstract

Il seguente lavoro presenta i primi risultati della analisi palinologiche condotte nelvillaggio preistorico di San Vincenzo a Stromboli, risalente all’età del Bronzo Medio 1-2 (primametà del II millennio a.C.). L’analisi palinologica si è concentrata soprattutto sui campioniriferibili al Bronzo e ha permesso di ottenere indicazioni sull’attività produttiva all’internodell’abitato. In particolare i significativi valori di indicatori di pascolo (ad es., Trifolium e sporedi funghi coprofili), la scarsa presenza di Olea europaea e l’assenza di cereali suggerisconoun’economia basata principalmente sull’allevamento di animali domestici.

2012 - Palynology of archaeological sites: the example of economy and human impact of the Metaponto area (6th-1st century BC) [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Most of the biological archives, including pollen, upon which past environmental reconstructions are based, responds to both climate change and human impact. The latter is clear and visible by definition in layers from archaeological sites thanks to the plant remains trapped in sediments. The Metaponto area has been investigated by the Institute of Classical Archaeology of the University of Texas, under the direction of Prof. J.C. Carter. Grazing / breeding and agricultural activities practised around the farmhouses of the Greek colonial system shaped the landscape. Open grasslands were surrounded by shrubby grasslands and a maquis, probably more extended than today, characterised this territory in the past.

2012 - Pioggia pollinica e qualità dell’aria: polline di Olea negli uliveti dal caso studio della regione Basilicata (sud Italia). [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, Assunta; Benassi, Silvia; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Gli uliveti sono un elemento fondamentale del paesaggio dell’Italia meridionale. In queste regioni, il polline di Olea è uno dei principali elementi biologici diffusi in aria e ha un notevole impatto sulla salute dell’uomo, poiché è stato riconosciuto tra le principali cause di allergia respiratoria nell’area mediterranea.Il lavoro presenta lo studio palinologico di uliveti della Basilicata, regione nella quale l’olivicoltura è ampiamente diffusa. Sono stati analizzati campioni di suoli superficiali prelevati al centro (IN) e a diverse distanze (OUT) dagli uliveti per valutare la rappresentatività del polline di Olea nell’area interessata dagli impianti.Pur essendo influenzate da diversi fattori (estensione dell’uliveto, età degli alberi, stadio al quale si trova il periodo di fioritura, presenza di polline da specie sovrarappresentate, lavorazione del terreno, distribuzione di altri uliveti nelle aree circostanti), le quantità di Olea rinvenute nei campioni sono strettamente legate alla distanza dall’uliveto. In generale, le percentuali di questo polline sono molto elevate al centro dell’uliveto (ca. 55% in media per gli uliveti più estesi) e decrescono fortemente a 500 m (ca. 6%, con un abbattimento di ca. 90%), per rimanere pressoché costanti a 1000 m. Il confronto con i dati aerobiologici dell’area (biennio 2005-2006, stazione ARPAB di Matera) conferma che il polline di Olea aerodiffuso (7-11%) è meno abbondante ma in proporzione comparabile a quello al suolo (13%).I dati raccolti forniscono un’ulteriore prova dell’importanza del polline di Olea in Basilicata, suggerendo inoltre un elevato rischio allergenico per i soggetti atopici nel raggio di 1000 m intorno agli uliveti.Pollen rain and air quality: Olea pollen in the olive groves (the case study of Basilicata, a region of southern Italy) - Olive trees are key elements of the cultural landscape of southern Italy. Olea pollen is therefore one of the main component in the biological aerosol and it is known to have important impact on human health for pollinosis in Mediterranean countries. The paper reports pollen analyses from olive groves distributed in Basilicata, a region facing the Ionian Sea, where agriculture is still largely spread. The aim of the study is to evaluate the representativeness of Olea pollen in soil samples, taken at different distances from sources. Five olive groves (A-E) have been selected along a SE/NW transect along the Bradano river, taking into consideration that they should have been at significant distance from the other olive groves of the same area. Six samples per each olive grove have been taken in the following way: a) two IN samples, including one surface sample, and one sample collected by pinches; b) four OUT samples, including two samples taken at 500 m far from the centre of the olive grove, at N and W directions and two samples taken at 1000 m, at N and W directions. Olea pollen was found in good amount in all samples but its percentages were very variable depending on several factors: olive grove extension, age of the trees, gap between period of sampling and start of pollination (April), abundance of pollen from overrepresented taxa in the spectra (Pinus), occurrence of particular agricultural practices (ploughing), spread of several olive groves or presence of wild olive specimens in the same area.Moreover, the distance of the point of sampling from the trees plays an important role in olive pollen representativeness. As expected, the highest percentages of this pollen are found at the centre of the olive groves, and then dramatically fell at 500 m, and remained fairly constant at 1000 m. The more extended olive groves (A, D) show the highest values of Olea pollen at the centre (ca. 55% on average). This high value sharply drops to ca. 5% at 500 m. Therefore, the decrease of this pollen may be estimated of about 87-92% in the first few hundred meters from the sources.Comparison w

2012 - Polline di Cichorioideae quale indicatore di pascolo negli spettri dell'Italia Meridionale [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Torri, Paola; E., Rattighieri; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2012 - Raccolte palinologiche [Capitolo/Saggio]
E., Brugiapaglia; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Le specie vegetali appartenenti alle Tracheophyta producono quantità spesso rilevanti di polline e spore che, viventi o fossili, sono l’oggetto di studio principale della Palinologia. Questa scienza si occupa in senso lato anche di altri sporomorfi quali, ad esempio, cisti di dinoflagellati, altri elementi algali, elementi fungini e spore di Briofite.Il termine “Palinologia” fu proposto per la prima volta nel 1944 dai botanici inglesi Hyde e Williams per indicare la ‘scienza delle particelle polverulente - polline e altri palino sporomorfi - galleggianti in aria’. La parola è ispirata al verbo greco palynein = diffondere, disperdere, che ha assonanza con il greco paipále e il latino pollen, lemmi traducibili entrambi in ‘fior di farina’. Il capitolo illustra il valore e utilità della Palinoteca tra le collezioni botaniche.

2012 - Saharan Prehistoric Basketry. Archaeological and archaeobotanical analysis of the early-middle Holocene assemblage from Takarkori (Acacus Mts., SW Libya) [Articolo su rivista]
S., di Lernia; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The paper presents the large set of basketry and other worked fibre artefacts constituting the perishable artefacts assemblage from the Takarkori rock shelter. This site is located in southwestern Libya, central Sahara. Its well-preserved Holocene stratigraphy testifies to human occupations by foraging groups (Late Acacus culture; ca. 9000-7400 uncal years bp; ca. 8300-6100 BCE) and herders (Pastoral cultures; ca. 7400-4500 uncal years bp; ca. 6400-3000 BCE).The basketry collection includes 91 desiccated items. They have been divided into two distinct groups: basketry constructions and basketry elements (b-items: 53 fragments); ropes and other elements in the broad sense (r-items: 38 fragments). Stems were mostly used to make the b-items, while a fairly diversified set of materials was used for ropes and other elements. In a few cases, mixed animal and plant materials were also employed. SEM analyses showed some diagnostic characteristics such as epidermal stomata, phytoliths, hairs and vessels indicating monocotyledons. Many items were identified as Panicoideae, likely of the Setaria and Panicum types. Therefore, the main wild cereals collected for food and transported into the site also seem to have been the main plants used to make basketry. The only wooden item was attributed to Vitex. The majority of the basketry is made using the twined technique.Basketry remains were more common during the Late Acacus occupation of the site, possibly associated with wild cereal processing and storage, reinforcing the idea of a re-organization of food security towards a delayed use of resources. The basketry material could be interpreted as remains of large and open baskets to collect and store seeds. Decreasing availability of wild cereals, changes in resource exploitation and the nomadic mobility pattern may explain why a smaller number of basketry items was found in layers connected to the Pastoral phases of occupation.

2012 - The Significance of Intestinal Parasite Remains in Pollen Samples from Medieval Pits in the Piazza Garibaldi of Parma, Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Pederzoli, Aurora; Torri, Paola; Bosi, Giovanna; Olmi, Linda; Rinaldi, Rossella; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

This paper presents the study of parasite remains recovered in pollen samples collected from archaeological layers. Laboratory treatment enabled us to ob- tain very high concentrations of both pollen and parasite eggs from the same samples. The case study of the site of Piazza Garibaldi in Parma, a town in the Po plain, is reported. The site was a sacred area in Roman times and a market square in Medieval times (10th–11th century A.D.). Pollen, seeds, and fruits from the latter phase were collected from four Medieval pits and one cesspit. After a palynological treatment including sieving, floating, and light acetolysis, abundant quantities of parasite eggs were extracted. Human and animal parasite eggs belonging to Trichuris, Ascaris, Taenia/Echinococcus, Capillaria, Dicrocoelium, and Diphyllobothrium were found. The analyses of an- imal and plant remains identified in the same samples suggested that the pit infillings consisted of waste, human and animal excrements, deteriorated plant food, and refuse of grapes. Therefore, parasite remains help the inter- pretation of archaeobotanical data in identifying human behaviors and site functions.

2012 - Uniformità morfobiometrica in accumuli di cereali selvatici dell'Olocene iniziale nel Sahara Centrale: spighette di Panicum, Echinochloa e Sorghum [Altro]
Olmi, Linda; S., Sala; L., Arru; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2012 - Uniformità morfobiometrica in accumuli di cereali selvatici dell'Olocene iniziale-medio nel Sahara Centrale: spighette di Panicum, Echinochloa e Sorghum. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Olmi, Linda; S., Sala; Arru, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il lavoro presenta dati morfometrici relativi a 200 spighette di cereali selvatici diPanicum, Echinochloa e Sorghum, provenienti da un riparo sotto roccia ubicato nel Saharacentrale, al confine tra Libia meridionale e Algeria. Questo sito archeologico si trova nel TadrartAcacus (Patrimonio dell’Umanità UNESCO). Tutta la regione è stata abitata prima da cacciatoriraccoglitoridurante l’Olocene iniziale e, in seguito, da civiltà pastorali. I cereali selvatici sonostati trovati in accumuli e in stato mummificato. Le cariossidi sono state sottoposte ad analisidescrittiva ed è stato possibile estrarre DNA antico da alcuni reperti. I reperti dei diversi generisono risultati assai omogenei per tipologia e uniformi per dimensioni, mentre le analisigenetiche, eseguite sia presso il Centre for Ancient Genetics (Copenhagen) e presso il PlantPhysiology Lab di Modena, hanno confermato le attribuzioni ottenute su base morfologica.

2012 - Water related habitats in Libyan Sahara desert: kel Tadrart Tuareg knowledge and use of the territory [Poster]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; A., Zerboni; S., di Lernia; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

oesposizine di aspetti etnobotanici legati all'acqua nel deserto

2011 - ARCHAEOBOTANY FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE: THE PICAR ROJECT AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE RECONSTRUCTIONS IN CIRCUM-MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori; A., Miola; C., Colacino
abstract

The PICAR project (2010-2012) aims to study the cultural landscape genesis and develpment in Mediterranean countries. The acronym means Cultural landscaPe and human Impact in Circum-mediterranean countries: multidisciplinary Archaeobotanical research for environmental, phylogeographic, climatic and virtual Reconstructions (Paesaggio culturale e Impatto antropico in paesi Circum-mediterranei: ricerca multidisciplinare con analisi di resti Archeobotanici per la Ricostruzione ambientale, climatica, filogeografica e virtuale). The project aims at the reconstruction of the cultural landscape as it was shaped through time by the interaction of climatic-environmental conditions. The area of investigation covers three circum-Mediterranean countries (Italy: Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Latium and Lucania; Turkey, and Libya). Several archaeological sites are studied through the most effective archaeobotanical tools for this kind of research, i.e. pollen and plant macroremains, integrating them systematically with non pollen palynomorphs (NPP), isotopic analyses, and ancient DNA (aDNA) extraction from sub-fossil plant materials. A parallel study on the genetic variability of living plants, aiming at furthering out our knowledge of wild or cultivated species of remarkable human interest, such as vine, olive and wild cereals, is planned. A few plant elements are particularly important (e.g., Olea europaea and Pinus halepensis, the former for its cultural/cultivation value, the latter for its importance as a landscape element) and it appears worth to focus on one of them at least. The use of archaeobotanical analyses ‘sensu lato', i.e., the study of plant remains from a site through the simultaneous measurements of the biological parameters above mentioned, is still underexploited. PICAR wants, in this way, to explore the new cognitive potentialities of the archaeobotanical method which, by definition, ‘investigates the relationship man-plant' through the analysis of the plant remains recovered from archaeological layers or, anyway, from layers coeval to the human occupation of a territory.The integrated research has already given impressive results from a number of sites, and is visible in the web site of the project (www.picar.org).

2011 - Archeobotanica, archeologia e fonti storico-iconografiche per il ripristino di “paesaggi urbani”: il Giardino delle Duchesse del Palazzo Ducale Estense di Ferrara alla fine del XV sec. d.C. [Altro]
Bosi, Giovanna; Merlo, R.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Guarnieri, C.; Scafuri, F.; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Il Giardino delle Duchesse a Ferrara, realizzato tra il 1473 ed il 1481 da Ercole I d’Este, veniva descritto come un luogo paradisiaco, caratterizzato da piante da frutto, ornamentali e siepi di bosso in figure geometriche. A partire dal ‘600 per il giardino cominciò un lento degrado e nel ‘700 non ne rimaneva che il ricordo. Nella prospettiva di ricreare il giardino estense e di renderlo fruibile al pubblico, sono stati incrociati i risultati provenienti da diversi approcci di indagine (Bosi et al., 2006; Bosi et al, 2009; etc.): 1) scavi archeologici per identificare la planimetria del giardino stesso; 2) indagini archeobotaniche (palinologiche e carpologiche) su campioni di polline e di semi e frutti (datati alla fine del ‘400) prelevati nel sito stesso e nel riempimento di una vasca di scarico del Palazzo Ducale, prossima al Giardino; 3) indagini storico-archivistiche-architetturali; 4) confronto con gli studi fitoiconografici nel coevo Salone dei Mesi di Palazzo Schifanoia (Piccoli, 1989); 5) confronto con la lista floristica del più tardo “Erbario Estense” (Camus,1885). I risultati sono confluiti in una ricostruzione iconografica mediata che ha avuto come base più importante l’oggettività delle emergenze archeologico-architettoniche e dei dati botanici.

2011 - CONTRIBUTO DELLE ANALISI XILO-ANTRACOLOGICHE ALLA RICOSTRUZIONE PALEOAMBIENTALE DEL SITO GARAMANTICO DI FEHWET (LIBIA SUD- OCCIDENTALE) [Abstract in Rivista]
Buldrini, Fabrizio; Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Mori
abstract

Il villaggio di Fehwet è situato nella piccola oasi omonima, posta ca. 10 km a sud Ghat, in Libia sud-occidentale. Il sito archeologico è stato oggetto di scavo nel corso delle campagne 2002- 2006 della Missione Archeologica Italo-Libica diretta da Savino di Lernia e condotta da Sapienza Università di Roma e Dipartimento di Archeologia di Tripoli. La maggior parte dei reperti ha mostrato buono stato di conservazione. Dai dati raccolti emerge una larga predominanza di Tamarix (153 reperti-77%) che include T. tetragyna Ehrenb. (97 reperti), T. aphylla Karst. (26 reperti), e Tamarix sp. (30 reperti). Pure significativa è la presenza di Phoenix dactylifera L. (43 reperti - 22%), mentre rari sono Acacia sp. (1 reperto) e cf. Nerium oleander L. (1 reperto).

2011 - Climate changes and human settlements since the Bronze age period in central Italy. [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sadori, L.
abstract

2011 - Environment and Economy of Terramaras in the Central/Southern Po Plain. [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The archaeobotanical research which has been recently carried out in terramara settlements and necropolis located in central/southern Po Plain is giving information on the plant landscape evolution and economy of people living in northern Italy during the Bronze age. Terramaras must have been extremely close to each other as, at present, hundreds of sites have been discovered by archaeologists. In particular, the largest settlements and the civilization of terramaras mainly developed in the Po Plain during the Middle and Recent Bronze age (respectively MBA, and RBA; ca. 1650 - 1170 B.C.). Each site consisted of both rows of houses, surrounded by an embankment and a ditch, and a territory out of the ditch. This territory was an area devoted to the exploitation of subsistence resources, and was more or less extended depending on the size of the settlement, its distance from other existing sites and the chronological phase. The natural environment probably influenced the main type of exploitation of the area of influence.Pollen was collected from on-site and off-site short sequences from three sites – that, in chronological order, are Terramara di Baggiovara (MBA), Terramara di Montale (MBA-RBA)1,2 and Necropoli di Casinalbo (RBA). Plant macroremains were also studied from the Terramara di Montale. Analyses permitted local reconstructions of the distribution of lands in the open environment spread around the settlements from the Middle to Recent Bronze age. Main environmental changes were also observed in pollen data from layers preceding and following the Bronze age depositional phase.Results showed similarities in the general trends in exploitation of resources and environmental changes suggesting that economic activities mainly consisted of cereal field cultivation (especially barley and wheats) and animal breeding. Charred caryopses of Hordeum vulgare, Triticum aestivum/durum and T. dicoccum were prevalent in the carpological spectra of Montale. Moreover, woods were important resources and managed as coppices to provide timber, charcoal and other products. A mixed deciduous Quercus-Carpinus betulus wood, with Acer, Ostrya, Fraxinus, Tilia and Ulmus, was scattered in the plain, while mixed coniferous and broadleaved woods were mainly spread in the hill and mountain belts. Environmental changes were induced by human activities and climate changes. Climate changes could have acted as a trigger to cultural change or an amplifier of human impact3. 1 Mercuri A.M., Accorsi C.A., Bandini Mazzanti M., Bosi G., Cardarelli A., Labate D., Trevisan Grandi G., 2006 - Economy and environment of Bronze Age settlements - Terramaras - in the Po Plain (Northern Italy): first results of the archaeobotanical research at the Terramara di Montale. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 16: 43-60.2 Mercuri A.M., C.A. Accorsi, M. Bandini Mazzanti, G. Bosi, G. Trevisan Grandi, A. Cardarelli, D. Labate, L. Olmi, P. Torri, 2006 - Cereal fields from the Middle-Recent Bronze Age, as found in the Terramara di Montale, in the Po Plain (Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy), based on pollen, seeds/fruits and microcharcoals. In: J.P. Morel, Tresserras J. and Matalama J.C. (Eds.), The Archaeology of Crop Fields and Gardens, ISBN: (10) 88-7228-482-1, Centro Studi Europei per I Beni Culturali, Ravello, Edipuglia: 251-270.3 Mercuri A.M., Sadori L., Uzquiano Ollero P., in press. Mediterranean and north-African cultural adaptations to mid-Holocene environmental and climatic changes. The Holocene (2010), doi: 10.1177/0959683610377532.

2011 - Il fontanile dell'Ariolo a Gavasseto (Reggio Emilia): ambiente di valore culturale e naturalistico da tutelare e valorizzare. [Poster]
M., Nettis; L., Montorsi; D., Mordacci; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sgarbi, Elisabetta
abstract

La forte pressione antropica, soprattutto a partire dalla seconda metà del secolo scorso, ha determinato notevoli cambiamenti nel paesaggio della Pianura padana; ne sono un esempio il degrado, la rarefazione e/o la scomparsa di zone umide, maceri, fontanili e corsi d’acqua. Sono quasi completamente scomparse anche molte componenti caratterizzanti il paesaggio agricolo, le fasce boscate ripariali, i pascoli, i prati stabili, le piantate, i filari e le siepi, che si possono definire “elementi semi-naturali” di interesse conservazionistico-storico. Il Fontanile dell’Ariolo, situato a sud-est della città di Reggio Emilia, in località Gavasseto, è costituto da un affioramento di carattere artesiano di acque limpide, ricche di ossigeno, con temperatura poco variabile nel corso dell’anno, mediamente tra i 12 e i 16 °C. Indagini svolte presso gli Archivi di Stato di Reggio Emilia e Modena hanno consentito di reperire notizie e documenti sulla presenza del Fontanile nel passato e su i suoi utilizzi; tra le carte consultate una, del 1422, riferisce di una vendita di terreni a Gavasseto e fa cenno ad un luogo dicto ad paludem. Nel cabreo Communa Gallana del 1719, il Fontanile viene chiaramente indicato sulla mappa di un podere denominato “Le Fontane”. La tutela del Fontanile è stata resa possibile attraverso il suo inserimento in un SIC (Sito di Importanza Comunitaria) ed è in corso la realizzazione di un progetto per la caratterizzazione della componente floristica e vegetazionale. Sono inoltre previsti interventi di valorizzazione del sito in ambito storico-culturale e naturalistico, con finalità anche didattiche.

2011 - Il paesaggio agrario nella terramara di Baggiovara – Modena (XVII – XVI sec. a.C.) [Poster]
Florenzano, Assunta; Rattighieri, Eleonora; A., Cardarelli; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Le terramare hanno rappresentato uno dei più importanti fenomeni demografici, economici e sociali della penisola italiana nell’età del bronzo. Nella Pianura Padana centrale, l’area in cui si sviluppò la cultura terramaricola, l’alta concentrazione di insediamenti ha profondamente influenzato l’evoluzione dell’ambiente. Le evidenze polliniche descrivono, infatti, la presenza di un paesaggio agrario già ampiamente occupato da superfici coltivate, sviluppatesi a seguito di una forte riduzione delle aree forestate. L’impatto antropico delle terramare nel paesaggio della pianura è legato allo sfruttamento intensivo del territorio. Gli abitanti delle terramare costruirono i loro villaggi in siti con particolari caratteristiche geomorfologiche e in vicinanza di corsi d’acqua. Gli abitati, circondati da un fossato e un argine erano costituiti da case ordinate regolarmente lungo stradine ortogonali, nelle prime fasi spesso erette su impalcati aerei. Ogni villaggio era dotato di un territorio, corrispondente all’area utilizzata per lo sfruttamento delle risorse vegetali e per la pastorizia. Baggiovara (MO) - Opera Pia Bianchi (campagna 2009 - Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell'Emilia Romagna - Direzione: Andrea Cardarelli- Giuliana Steffé, esecuzione scavi: Coop. ARS/Archeosistemi - Reggio Emilia) era inserita nel sistema socio-economico terramaricolo già nella fase iniziale delle terramare (inizio Bronzo Medio). Le sequenze polliniche mostrano un calo graduale della copertura arborea a partire dall’impianto della terramara. Il progressivo incremento di cereali e cicorioidee, che rappresentano rispettivamente i campi e i pascoli, è accompagnato a un aumento significativo di piante di ambienti umidi. Oscillazioni dei valori di cicorioidee in alternanza a cereali segnalano la probabile ‘rotazione’ dei pascoli con i campi, pratica che favoriva la concimazione dei terreni e ne garantiva la rigenerazione.

2011 - Indicatori di pascolo microscopici: polline, spore di funghi coprofili e uova di parassiti. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Miola, A.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The paper reports two study cases showing integrated analyses of microscopic records (pollen, co- prophilous fungi and parasites remains) which are of basic importance to reconstruct past breed- ing and pastoral activities in Italy. The sites are located at Piano Locce (1225 m a.s.l., Barisciano, L’Aquila) in a depression in a mountain area and in the Bradano Valley (about 150-500 m a.s.l., Basilicata) in a hilly area rich in archaeological sites.The pollen-based palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of Piano Locce provided the history of plants landscape from around 36.000 years BP. Before the Holocene, a steppe vegetation and a grassland characterized the area where wild animals freely browsed. This assumption is strongly supported by the association of spores of coprophilous fungi with intestinal parasites eggs (Dicrocoelium) and pollen clumps. The trend of coprophilous fungi and pollen assemblages including Anthropogenic Indicators shows that, after the wild animals browsing, a fairly continuous presence of domesticated animals, prevalently ovicaprines, interested the area in the Holocene.The archaeological sites of Difesa San Biagio and Altojanni in Bradano Valley showed evidences of ovicaprine-farming and cattle breeding during Hellenistic and Mediaeval periods. In particular, Cichorioideae, Chenopodiaceae and Brassicaceae pollen and spores of coprophilous fungi (such as Sordaria type, Sporormiella and Podospora type) attest the predominance of pastoral activities dur- ing the Hellenistic period at San Biagio. A greater pollen biodiversity characterizes Altojanni, where spores of the coprophilous fungi were associated with spores of fungi with a different ecology as Chaetomium and Valsaria variospora type. The environmental and microarchaeobotanical contexts are in agreement with archaeological evidences that attest the presence of domestic animals, prob- ably cattle, maintained in this site during Middle Ages.

2011 - Mediterranean and north-African cultural adaptations to mid-Holocene environmental and climatic changes [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sadori, L.; Uzquiamo Ollero, P.
abstract

In Mediterranean and north-African regions, cultural trajectories have shown trends sometimes coincident with climatic changes. The mid Holocene was a period of intense changes in climate, and in environmental and cultural systems. This paper reports pollen and charcoal studies from these areas aiming at presenting how impressive cultural changes frequently coincided with critical climate oscillations. Three of the main dry events of key relevance for climatic–cultural changes were selected to discuss this topic: c. 8200 cal. yr BP, c. 6000 cal. yr BP, and c. 4200 cal. yr BP. Five examples from on-site case studies were reported: (1) Wadi Teshuinat area (Fezzan, Libya, Central Sahara); (2) Benzù cave (Ceuta mountains, Spain, NW Africa); (3) La Vaquera Cave (Central System, Spain); (4) Terramara di Montale (Po Plain, Northern Italy); (5) Arslantepe (Eastern Anatolia,Turkey).Their archaeobotanical record helps to recognise and date human presence and activity in different territories. In these examples, anthropogenic signals and comparisons with other sites could be useful to distinguish climate signal from human impact in pollen records. Charcoals are evidence of human activity in cases which are not shown by pollen. Overexploitation of thinned plant resources, including overgrazing, accelerated the evolution towards xeric conditions during drying climatic phases. Humans enforced the aridity crisis and enhanced its signal in palaeoclimatic records. Sometimes, changing exploitation strategies and movements led to the onset of new cultures. Nevertheless, the onset and decline of a culture are very different critical phases, and different agents must have been involved in their occurrence.The Bronze Age marked the environment more than the Neolithic, probably because there is a relation between improvements in knowledge, cultural changes and the evolution of complex forms of land exploitation.

2011 - Morphological and genetic analyses of early-mid Holocene wild cereals from the Takarkori rockshelter (central Sahara,Libya): first result and prospects. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Olmi, Linda; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Gilbert, M. T. h. P.; Biagetti, S.; Fordyce, S.; Cappellini, E.; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; di Lernia, S.
abstract

Abstract The paper presents the first data on plant macroremains from Takarkori, a large rockshelter located in the Acacus Mountains, south-western Libya. The site was occupied by hunter-gatherers, followed by pastoralists, and its deposits span from about 8900 14C bp to 4500 14C bp. During the 2004-2006 field seasons, accumulations of desiccated seed/fruit remains were observed and collected in their entirety. Nine of these, almost completely consisting of wild cereal spikelets, were selected for morphological examinations. Six samples were selected for aDNA studies which yielded sequence data for 5 samples extracted from Takarkori specimens. Morphometrical descriptions of Panicum, Echinochloa, and Sorghum were reported from records, and the aDNA sequences obtained from them matched the identifications. The recovery of aDNA from early-mid Holocene remains from a nowadays arid environment which may often have completely degraded ancient DNA is one major result of these analyses.

2011 - Palaeoethnobotany from Saharan Archaeological Sites and Related Ethnobotanical Observations (Libya and Niger) [Poster]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Archaeobotanical remains from archaeological contexts provide information onthe past relationships between human populations and environment. Within the multidisciplinary studies carried out in different sites of Sahara desert, pollen and seeds/fruits helped to reconstruct past environments giving details on the flora and vegetation cover during the early and middle Holocene. Plant remains are generally known to be effective tools to reconstruct plant landscape evolution, as they permit to study diachronically environmental changes. Data from burials, rockshelters and caves enhance our knowledge of ancient customs of plants use, which can be often correlate with the current use of the same. Ethnobotanical observations on Tuareg today use of plants are a key reference to interpret archaeobotanical data, especially for food and medicinal plants. An example of this type of approach is the studies on Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader, a wild and toxic plants used for human nu- trition and traditional medicine.

2011 - Plant micro-and macroremains from urban roman context of Northern and Central Italy [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
L., Sadori; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Florenzano, Assunta; M., Giardini; A., Masi; Mazzanti, Marta; Rinaldi, Rossella; C., Pepe; D., Sabato
abstract

In Italy, archaeobotanical research from urban contexts dated to the Roman period, if compared with results from other areas under the influence of Romans, is rather scanty. Available analytical data suggest that the landscape of Rome during the Imperial period in the area of the Seven Hills kept natural conditions. Archaeological levels rich in charcoal interpreted as traces of a fire, probably the Nero’s one (64 AD) were found in the founding of Tabernae belonging to Domus Tiberiana, facing via Nova, at the foot of Palatine hill. Charcoals belong both to native and imported trees. Recent archaeological excavations brought to light seedbeds (dating back to the 1st century AD) of the garden of Horti Luculliani. Pollen suggested an open natural environment, where deciduous and evergreen arboreal elements were accompanied by spontaneous herbs. Romans used also exotic trees like palms as decoration elements of important monuments like the mausoleum of Antinous at Villa Hadriana near Tivoli. Near Rome, the town of Portus arose and developed together with the imperial harbour. Two sediment cores taken in the area indicate that since the 1st century AD a typical Mediterranean coastal environment was present, with coexistence of deciduous and evergreen elements. Clear signs of increasing human presence linked to the expansion of the town are evidenced by both pollen and seeds/fruits since the 3rd cent. AD. In the Emilia Romagna region, the archaeobotanical analyses of two towns permitted to explore palaeo-environmental and ethnobotanical features of colonies located more northern in the Italian peninsula. At the time of its foundation, around the 3rd century BC, Parma, hosted a sacred area in the place that today is the central square of Piazza Garibaldi. Votive plant offerings were recorded. The association of opium poppy seeds and cereal pollen suggested that the area was mainly dedicated to Ceres, the goddess of crops and soil fertility. Mutina, today Modena, was founded in 183 BC and became soon a strategic center of economic relevance. The seeds and fruits from six sites showed a rich biodiversity (454 taxa) especially including records from wetlands and human environments. A significant amount of seeds of Linum bienne/usitatissimum and Reseda luteola was interpreted as an evidence of the long-time tradition of textile industry carried out in this area.

2011 - Pollen integrated to archaeological data for the study of the fortified settlement of Altojanni (Bradano Valley, Grottole – MT, Southern Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Roubis, D.; Sogliani, F.; Rattighieri, Eleonora
abstract

Studi archeobotanici per la ricostruzione del paesaggio culturale in Basilicata, sulla base di polline e non pollen palynomorphs da siti archeologici

2011 - Primi risultati archeobotanici per lo studio sulla ricostruzione ambientale del sito del Bronzo medio di san Vincenzo, Stromboli [Abstract in Rivista]
Rattighieri, Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Levi, SARA TIZIANA
abstract

Analisi archeobotaniche condotte a Stromboli

2011 - Primi vegetali americani nel paesaggio agrario emiliano-romagnolo: intrusi alieni o piuttosto il rinnovamento di consolidate tradizioni colturali/culturali? [Altro]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rinaldi, Rossella; Guarnieri, C.; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Nel quadro delle indagini archeocarpologiche in Emilia Romagna, quelle nel territorio ferrarese, che hanno comportato l’esame di alcuni milioni di semi/frutti e l’identificazione di oltre 400 specie, sono state fondamentali per mettere in luce l’origine delle tradizioni colturali/ gastronomiche/ culturali di questa area. Lagenaria siceraria, ritrovata per la prima volta nella regione a Modena in un sito romano datato al 15-40 d.C. (Rinaldi, 2010), è la nota zucca da vino, “cucurbita” per i Romani, con origine africana (Zimbabwe - Decker-Walters et al., 2004), ma domesticata per la prima volta in Asia, presumibilmente in Cina (Erickson et al., 2005). I semi romani sono di colore giallo, con auricole basali evidenti, coppia di linee prominenti e Lunghezza/larghezza >o ± 2, quindi probabilmente da forme domesticate asiatiche (Erickson et al., 2005). Ma è nei siti archeologici medievali dell’area ferrarese che questi reperti, a partire dal IX sec., hanno diffusione ubiquitaria, in armonia con le tradizioni dell’area. Nel sito di Argenta (FE), datato al 1275-1325 d.C., i semi di Lagenaria sono particolarmente numerosi e accompagnati da resti di “bucce”. Curiosamente ad Argenta appartengono anche i primi semi dell’americana Cucurbita, 2 reperti rinvenuti nella latrina, datata alla I metà del XVI sec., dell’antico Monastero di Santa Cristina e, per la conservazione imperfetta, attribuiti al tipo carpologico C. pepo/moschata. Essi sono forse il documento di coltivazioni di avanguardia negli orti del monastero? Nessun dubbio che tale rinvenimento ad Argenta sia testimonianza di pianta aliena dal punto di vista botanico, tuttavia esso appare inserirsi perfettamente, come analogo moderno, sulla scia di consolidate tradizioni locali.

2011 - Seeds/fruits, pollen and parasite remains as evidence of site function: Piazza Garibaldi - Parma (N Italy) in Roman and Mediaeval times [Articolo su rivista]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Florenzano, Assunta; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Pederzoli, Aurora; Rinaldi, Rossella; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Archaeobotanical analyses were carried out on layers from the site of Piazza Garibaldi in Parma, a town located in the plain of Emilia Romagna, in northern Italy. The layers dated to the 3rde2nd centuries BC, around the time of the foundation of the Roman town, and to the 10the11th centuries AD. According to archaeological data, the site was a sacred area in Roman times, while it was a market square in Mediaeval times. Data from pollen and seeds/fruits were useful for both palaeoenvironmental and palae- oethnobotanical reconstructions, and together with NPPs including parasite remains contributed to add details on the function of the site in the different chronological phases.Since Roman times, woods have grown far from the site, and human activities highly influenced the landscape. Cereals, legumes and hemp were cultivated together with figs, grapevines, and a number of medicinal, vegetables and spice plants. Altogether, data confirmed the presence of votive offerings, and particularly the association of opium poppy and cereals suggested that they were mainly offered to Ceres, the goddess of crops and soil fertility.In the Middle Ages, cereal fields, together with legumes, grapevines and fruit trees continued to be grown in the area, but olive trees and Prunoideae revealed a different arboricultural economy. The analyses of plant and parasite remains in four pits and one latrine suggested that their infillings consisted of waste, human and animal excrements, deteriorated vegetable food and marcs. Human parasite eggs of Ascaris and Trichuris were found in the latrine, while parasites of animals were found also in the pits.The interpretation of archaeobotanical data was so tightly linked to the archaeological context that similar spectra must be differently interpreted in the two chronological phases.

2011 - Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) on silver colloids for the identification of ancient textile dyes. Part II: pomegranate and sumac. [Articolo su rivista]
Bruni, S.; Guglielmi, V.; Pozzi, F.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The effectiveness of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectrocsopy on Ag colloids has been successfully demonstrated for the identification of a yellow dye in two ancient wool threads found in the Royal Tumulus of In Aghelachem, Libyan Sahara, belonging to the Garamantian period (2nd – 3rd century A.D.). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) highlighted the presence of ellagic acid in the extracts from the threads, excluding other chromophores. This result, together with the abundance of malic acid detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), suggested the possible use of pomegranate rind or sumac berries as source of the yellow dye, both plants being documented in the Fezzan area during the Garamantian period. HPLC analyses and SERS spectra acquired on the extracts of the ancient threads were therefore compared with those obtained from pomegranate and sumac extracts of the corresponding fruits and reference dyed wool samples, allowing us to identify the yellow dye as deriving from pomegranate (Punica granatum L.). SERS spectra of ellagic acid and dyes extracted from pomegranate rind and sumac berries are reported here for the first time. A methodological improvement is also presented, based on the use of NaClO4 as aggregating agent, that leads to a significant increase of the signal-to-noise ratio in the SERS spectra.

2010 - Ambiente ed economia nelle terramare: ricerche archeobotaniche nel modenese e nel bolognese [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; L., Forlani; M., Marchesini; S., Marvelli; Torri, Paola
abstract

Circa una decina di siti dell'Età del Bronzo, distribuiti nel modenese e nel bolognese, sono già stati indagati o sono in fase di studio dal punto di vista archeobotanico. Questa ricerca ha reso possibile contribuire sotto molti aspetti alla ricostruzione del paesaggio culturale e della economia dei diversi siti, arricchita di informazioni di tipo naturalistico-biologico di dettaglio emersi dall’esame diretto dei reperti botanici macroscopici e microscopici portati alla luce durante gli scavi. Risultati migliori per completezza e attendibilità sono stati raggiunti là dove è stato possibile condurre in parallelo analisi quali-quantitative su varie tipologie di reperti, in particolare analisi palinologiche, microantracologiche, carpologiche e xilo-antracologiche. Ognuna di esse, infatti, rappresenta una insostituibile fonte di informazioni di simile valore “scientifico”, ma di diverso significato ai fini della ricostruzione del paesaggio e delle attività dell’uomo. L’analisi pollinica comparata di profili on-site e out-site ha reso possibile, ad esempio, evidenziare alcune trasformazioni dovute ad effetti climatici da altre legate principalmente all’impatto antropico sul manto vegetale. Il complesso delle analisi ha consentito, tra l’altro, di inquadrare i siti dal punto di vista climatico-vegetazionale, di valutare il peso delle attività antropiche sul territorio (ad esempio, l’estensione dei campi a cereali), di avere un quadro delle specie messe a cultura e delle spontanee curate/mantenute dall’uomo. I macroresti hanno in particolare messo in evidenza gli scopi di tali pratiche, tra i quali preminente è quello alimentare, visibile ad esempio nello stoccaggio dei cereali, e poi ancora l’utilizzo/lavorazione del legno, la scelta dei legnami da lavorare e di quelli da utilizzare come combustibile, a fini sia domestico-tecnologici sia rituali. La qualità delle ricostruzioni, oltre alla valenza scientifica, ha mostrato una grande importanza ai fini della divulgazione educativa consentendo ad esempio di ricreare per immagini e per ambientazioni la “realtà botanica” del sito di Montale.

2010 - Archaeobotany for cultural landscape and human impact reconstructions. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sadori, L.; Blasi, C.
abstract

2010 - Archaeobotany, historical and iconographical sources, from Roman to Medieval age to reconstruct the diffusion of Prunus persica in Italy [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Sadori, Laura; E., Allevato; Bosi, Giovanna; G., Caneva; E., Castiglioni; A., Celant; G., Di Pasquale; M., Giardini; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rinaldi, Rossella; M., Rottoli; F., Susanna
abstract

2010 - Climatic control on the growth of gigantic gypsum crystals within hypogenic caves (Naica mine, Mexico)? [Articolo su rivista]
Garofalo, P. S.; Fricker, M. B.; Günther, D.; Forti, P.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Loreti, M.; Capaccioni, B.
abstract

Three hypogenic caves within the Naica mine of Mexico (Cueva de los Cristales — CLC, Ojo de la Reina — OR, 26 and Cueva de las Velas — CLV) host spectacular gypsum crystals up to 11 m in length. These caves are close to 27 another shallow cave of the area (Cueva de las Espadas — CLE), with which they cover a 160 m-deep vertical 28 section of the local drainage basin. Similar to other hypogenic caves, all these caves lack a direct connection 29 with the land surface and should be unrelated with climate.30 A record of multi-technique fluid inclusion data and pollen spectra from cave and mine gypsum indicates 31 surprisingly that climatic changes occurring at Naica could have controlled fluid composition in these caves, 32 and hence crystal growth. Microthermometry and LA-ICP-Mass Spectrometry of fluid inclusions indicate that 33 the shallow, chemically peculiar, saline fluid (up to 7.7 eq. wt.%NaCl) of CLE could have formed from 34 evaporation, during a dry and hot climatic period. The fluid of the deep caves was instead of low salinity 35 (∼3.5 eq. wt.% NaCl) and chemically homogeneous, and was poorly affected by evaporation. We propose that 36 mixing of these two fluids, generated at different depths of the Naica drainage basin, determined the stable 37 supersaturation conditions for the gigantic gypsum crystals to grow. Fluid mixing was controlled by the 38 hydraulic communication between CLE and the other deep caves, and must have taken place during cycles of 39 warm-dry and fresh-wet climatic periods, which are known to have occurred in the region. Pollen grains 40 from a 35 ka-old gypsum crystal of CLC corresponds to a fairly homogenous catchment basin made of a 41 mixed broadleaf wet forest, which suggests precipitation during a fresh-wet climatic period and confirms our 42 interpretation of the fluid inclusion data.43 The unusual combination of geological and geochemical factors of Naica suggests that other hypogenic caves 44 found elsewhere may not host similar crystals. However, this work shows that fluid inclusions and pollen 45 spectra represent a useful tool for cave studies in general, and if used in future studies might be essential to 46 unravel the mechanisms of hypogenic deposition.

2010 - Cultural landscape and human impact in circum-mediterranean countries: the multidisciplinary archaeobotanical research of the PICAR project [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori; A., Miola; C., Colacino; Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; M., Giardini; M., Iberite; B., Gaudioso; M., Maritan; D., Roubis
abstract

2010 - Cultural landscape and human impact reconstruction by an archaeobotanical-biological approach [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Torri, Paola; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Rinaldi, Rossella; Gianassi, Elisa; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Florenzano, Assunta; M., Guerzoni
abstract

The project PICAR (Cultural landscaPe and human Impact in Circum-mediterranean countries: multidisciplinary Archaeobotanical research for environmental, phylogeographic, climatic and virtual Reconstructions; Programmi di Ricerca Scientifica di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale 2008FJCEF4 - Italy) focuses on cultural landscape reconstructions and on the recognition of plants related to anthropic presence or activities in a territory (collected or cultivated economic plants; useful, including those that are currently neglected, plants; wild synanthropic plants). The focus is on the knowledge of the general response of environmental dynamics to human impact in the past, and on how different environments changed under the pressure of different civilizations. This communication will report some examples of the multidisciplinary archaeobotanical studies that the research team of the laboratory of Modena has carried out in the last years, mainly dealing with contexts from Italian archaeological sites. Pollen and macroremains analyses were and are commonly integrated with archaeological data. This methodology allows comparisons between different times and geographical areas giving new hints to human landscape reconstructions, by comparing in which way humans exploited plant resources in their territories, adapting them to the changing environment under the changing Holocene climate, and by transforming soils and vegetation according to their cultural needs.

2010 - Cultural landscapes of the past [Curatela]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori; C., Blasi
abstract

The special issue ‘‘Cultural landscapes of the past’’ is the outcome of the idea to present a set of researches centered on past cultural landscapes reconstructed principally on the basis of an integrated archaeobo- tanical approach. The publication of this topic on Plant Biosystems, the research international journal edited by the Societa` Botanica Italiana, accomplishes to our deliberate purpose of emphasizing the role of plants as key elements of the landscape and their consequent invaluable usefulness in revealing past cultural trajectories involving environmental trans- formations.The papers reported in this special issue present examples of archaeobotanical studies from Mediter- ranean countries, and offer a fairly articulated illustration of how much different contexts can be investigated. The range of time mainly includes Bronze Age and Roman times, but also some reference to later periods are included. As archae- obotanical analysis was well-defined by Faegri et al.’s (1989) words as the study of anthropogenic indica- tors in past contexts, most part of these papers is dedicated to consider and discuss the roles of cultivated and wild synanthropic plants.

2010 - Etnobotanica di Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader quale risorsa utilizzata dagli abitanti della zona sahariana [Poster]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda; S., Biagetti; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Da sempre, l’utilizzo di piante da parte delle popolazioni che vivono in ambienti desertici comprende la maggior parte delle specie reperibili sul territorio, incluse quelle considerate “tossiche”, e oggigiorno queste conoscenze costituiscono fonte di interesse per la possibilità di ottenere conferme e nuove informazioni sulla validità del loro uso farmacologico e alimentare. La coloquintide (Citrullus colocynthis) è una pianta erbacea che cresce spontanea su substrati sabbiosi di aree desertiche e semi-desertiche, in tutto il Sahara, nelle regioni subtropicali e nel bacino mediterraneo, fino a raggiungere il Medio Oriente, Iran, India e Asia meridionale. Questa pianta, citata nella Bibbia e nei papiri di Ebers (c. 1550 a.C.) per le sue proprietà curative e per la sua pericolosità è ancora oggi utilizzata tradizionalmente. I caratteristici semi di Citrullus colocynthis sono stati ritrovati in diversi siti archeologici sahariani, a testimonianza di un uso antico e radicato nelle tradizioni locali.

2010 - Fattori climatici, sistema ambientale e scelte insediative: il caso di studio di Jure Vetere (S. Giovanni in Fiore –CS). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Roubis, D.; Lazzari, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Lo studio pollinico di campioni prelevati da livelli precedenti e coevi alla basilica ha contribuito in modo significativo alla ricostruzione della flora e vegetazione dell’area nel momento della frequentazione del sito (Mercuri et al., 2007). Il polline presente negli strati archeologici, oggetto di studio dell’Archeopalinologia, è infatti un sensibile strumento di conoscenza dell’ambiente, testimone dell’esistenza delle piante che lo hanno prodotto in contesti passati. Di conseguenza, il polline è un buon indicatore del paesaggio e del clima esistenti al momento della sua deposizione, e lo studio diacronico di serie polliniche permette di conoscere aspetti dell’evoluzione di paesaggio e clima nel tempo (Faegri et al., 1989; Caneva, 2005). I campioni pollinici sono stati prelevati, durante la campagna di scavo del 2005, da tre serie presenti all’interno dello scavo del monastero medievale: a) Serie ‘Campana’ - 24 campioni presi in sequenza a partire dall’interno della fossa per la fusione della campana, e proseguendo nella sezione che va dal piano del monastero al piano di campagna, fino al livello attuale; b) Serie ‘Abside’ – 7 campioni raccolti in vari punti nell’abside; c) Serie ‘Cappella Sud’ – 10 campioni presi in sequenza lungo una parete nel lato ovest. Le analisi eseguite finora, utili a delineare tratti dell’ambiente precedente e coevo alla frequentazione della basilica medievale, sono relative a 5 campioni appartenenti al Periodo 0, cioè la fase pre-monastero, e 4 campioni appartenenti al Periodo I, cioè XII-inizio XIII sec., vale a dire la fase di costruzione del ‘Complesso Architettonico A’ a coro rettilineo (Corpo di Fabbrica-CF1). A conclusione i dati pollinici testimoniano che Jure Vetere possiede oggi un paesaggio che intatto da nove secoli, o forse più, e che nei tratti principali conserva che già in periodo medievale lo rendeva cornice adatta a un insediamento monastico. Anche il toponimo ‘La Castagna’ ha radici antiche, che i nostri dati suggeriscono essere precedenti anche alla costruzione del monastero. Il valore culturale di questo luogo, dunque, nasce dalla esistenza di strutture archeologiche ancora incastonate in un suggestivo e conservato scenario paesaggistico.

2010 - Fewet (Libya, Central Sahara) and the archaeobotanical research on Garamantian times [Abstract in Rivista]
Gianassi, Elisa; Bosi, Giovanna; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The site of Fewet, located in the south-western part of the Fezzan region (Libya), was inhabited by a clan or a tribe of ancient peoples of the Sahara who, exploiting oases and controlling the Saharan caravan routes, have flourished in this region in the period c.500 BC - 500 AD. By the ancient Greek and Roman sources they are known with the name of the Garamantes. The site includes a little agricultural compound (200 BC - 0) and an adjacent necropolis (650 BC - 350 AD). The research on plant macroremains and charcoals has allowed to know the “mature phase” of the Garamantian culture and economy in a territory at the edges of their mythical kingdom, where it is possible to follow better the transition from the Late Pastoral period to this culture. Phoenix dactylifera, in the form of stones, fruits and charcoals, is the best represented plant in the archaeobotanical record. The biometrical and morphological data of date palm stones are important markers of domestication and cultural cares. Cereals, above all Hordeum vulgare, are always in association with pulses suggesting a complementary use of these crops in Central Sahara. So the landscape of the oases was already like a garden in the Garamantian times, with trees for fruits, fuel and timber, and herbaceous plants cultivated in the shadow of tree leaves. Many of these plants together with plants from spontaneous desert vegetation were used by the Garamantes in many ways, like weaving mats and baskets.

2010 - Fossil leaves and sporomorphs in the museological Coppi Collection, originally from the Plio–Pleistocene Argille Azzurre formation (San Venanzio, Northern Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Palaeobotanical specimens in private or public historical collections include important fossils, and modern studies involving taxonomic revisions can renew the scientific value of forgotten records. In Italy, information on past floras can be also obtained through the re-examination of the published drawings and pictures, or survey of the original collections. This paper presents the taxonomic revision of the macrofossils in the palaeobotanical collection, originally from San Venanzio (Modena), collected by Francesco Coppi at the end of the 19th century. Fossils were taken from the Argille Azzurre formation (Lower Pliocene–Lower Pleistocene). Re-sampling was not carried out because the sampling point at present lies under the houses of a village, increasing the importance of the museological collection. Descriptions of 76 fossil leaves are reported. Sporomorphs were extracted from the clayey limestone where three macrofossils had fossilized. Though only scattered information on the past plant cover has been randomly preserved, the plant macro- and microfossils provide a contribution to the research on the Plio–Pleistocene flora of Northern Apennines, and add information which can be useful to improve knowledge on local palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Animal and plant fossils were deposited in a coastal or delta area. Pollen flora mainly reflected the vegetation distributed in the highest belts, far from the site of deposition, while macrofossils prevalently reflected local vegetation.

2010 - La prospettiva archeobotanica per la ricostruzione del paesaggio culturale [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Relazione su invito presentata nel corso della prima giornata di lezioni della Summer School E.Sereni, Reggio Emilia (agosto 2009)

2010 - Mid-Holocene cultural landscapes and climate change in Mediterranean and north-African areas [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori; P., Uzquiano Ollero
abstract

During the Holocene, intense changes in climate, in environment and in cultural systems have occurred. Cultural trajectories have shown trends fairly coincident with climatic changes in Mediterranean and north-African areas. In particular, three dry events occurring at ca. 8200 cal yr BP, ca. 6000 cal yr BP and ca. 4200 cal yr BP seem to have been of key relevance for fairly synchronous climatic-cultural changes (Mercuri et al., in press). Archaeobotanical records (pollen and macroremains) help to recognise and date human presence and activity in different territories indicating that when human groups occupied a region they exploited the territory and operated a choice of useful plants for food, building and fire. Humans used and selected what the territory offered. When climatic-environmental changes occurred, humans changed their plant resources from time to time moving towards what was available in the territory and changing their subsistence strategies. Over-exploitation of thinned plant ressources including overgrazing, sometimes accelerated the evolution of aridity in a drying climatic phase. In these cases humans enforced aridity crisis and the relevant climate signal in palaeoclimatic records was enhanced. When dry climate depleted water and plant resources under a sustainable level, humans necessarily moved to new places.This work reports pollen and charcoal studies from six archaeological sites located around Mediterranean basin covering the three main dry events mentioned above :Wadi-Teshuinat area (south-western Libya), Benzú cave (Ceuta, Spain, north-western Africa), La Vaquera cave (central Spain), Lago di Mezzano (central Italy), Terramara di Montale (northern Italy) and Arslantepe (eastern Anatolia, Turkey).Archaeobotany suggests that Bronze age has probably marked the environment more than the Neolithic, possibly because there is a relationship between knowledge improvement, culture development and evolution of complexity in land exploitation.The work was partially financed by project PICAR - cultural landscaPe and human Impact in Circum-mediterranean countries - Programmi di Ricerca scientifica di rilevante Interesse Nazionale 2008FJCEF4Mercuri AM, Sadori L, Uzquiano Ollero P. in press. Mediterranean and north-African cultural adaptations to mid-Holocene environmental and climatic changes. The Holocene.

2010 - POLLEN, MACROREMAINS AND FRUITS’ aDNA FROM THE TAKARKORI ROCKSHELTER: AN INTEGRATED ARCHAEOBOTANICAL RESEARCH IN CENTRAL SAHARA [Abstract in Rivista]
Olmi, Linda; Mercuri, Anna Maria; S., di Lernia
abstract

The archaeobotanical record from the Takarkori rockshelter (Fezzan, south-western Libya) was systematically collected in the 2003-2006 excavation seasons. The archaeological excavation was carried out over a surface of ca. 120 square metres and brought to light occupation layers radiocarbon dated between ca. 4500 and 8900 uncal. years bp. The rockshelter hosts a 1.6 m thick archaeological deposit including structures, fireplaces and burials of women and children interred near the shelter wall. An impressive amount of mainly desiccated and well preserved plant macroremains was brought to light from Late Acacus and Pastoral layers. Known amount of sediment (3 or 6 l) were dry sieved. Charcoals and seeds/fruits concentrations visible to naked eye were also collected. Pollen was sampled from on-site trenches including different amount of organic matter: the best results were obtained from a sequence of thirty samples. The main pollen zones were in agreement with main cultural changes in the archaeological record. Moreover, the exceptionally well-preserved fruits of Poaceae encouraged analyses on aDNA (done in the Centre for Ancient DNA Research of the University of Copenhagen). The extraction of ancient DNA was carried out on records from three samples of Poaceae fruits accumulation (spot n° 8136, 1423 and A2908). Two of the spot samples are dated to ca. 8000 uncal. years bp; one is dated to ca. 6000-5500 uncal. years bp. Notwithstanding the common doubts about the possibility of DNA preservation in arid and hot environments, the lab study was quite successful, with 5 out of 6 samples extracted and with 3 out of 5 correctly identified. DNA sequences (blind analyses) from Echinochloa, Panicum and Sorghum agree with the identifications made on the basis of morphological analysis. Further elaborations of the sequences obtained allowed to reach a more detailed identification of the genus Panicum, which compared with the sequences currently available in the online database seems to be P. laetum.The integrated archaeobotanical studies on macroremains and pollen, carried out within a multidisciplinary research framework, provided information on the past human-environment relationships and on the Holocene landscape evolution of the area.

2010 - Plants and Culture in Euromediterranean Area: archeobotany and the PaCEM Network [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sadori, Laura; Mazzanti, Marta; J., Benes; Bosi, Giovanna; A. M., Ciarallo; E. O., Donmez; A. G., Fahmy; M., Giardini; J. A., Lopez Saez; P., Marinval; A., Masi; L., Pena Chocarro; A., Sarpaky; S. M., Valamoti
abstract

2010 - Pollen from archaeological layers and cultural landscape reconstruction: case studies from the Bradano Valley (Basilicata, southern Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Florenzano, Assunta; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda; Roubis, D.; Sogliani, F.
abstract

The article aims at presenting some aspects of environmental reconstruction through pollen analysis from archaeological contexts. The anthropogenic pollen transport into archaeological sites is regarded as an interesting tool to improve knowledge on flora and vegetation in the area of influence of sites. The zoophilous plants can be found more easily than in the regional airborne pollen rain where anemophilous pollen is generally overrepresented. Moreover, pollen from archaeological contexts is mainly a result of the cultural landscape shaped by human activities. Two case studies from the Bradano Valley (Basilicata, southern Italy), rich in archaeological sites dating altogether from the Middle Bronze Age to the Medieval age, are reported. Difesa San Biagio and its surroundings is one of the biggest settlements of the area, settled in early times by Enotrians. Altojanni is an extended area mainly frequented in Hellenistic, Roman late Imperial and Medieval times. A very open landscape, and clear signs of plant exploitation and cultivation, breeding and settlements were present in the two sites. Though samples are disturbed and preservation problems are sometimes observed, the main characters of pollen spectra are recurrent. High percentages of Poaceae and Cichorioideae, together with coprophilous fungal spores, strongly suggest a long tradition of pastoral activities. These case study examples suggest that human activities would have produced a fairly xeric environment.

2010 - Reconstructing past cultural landscape and human impact using pollen and plant macroremains. [Articolo su rivista]
Sadori, L.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mariotti Lippi, M.
abstract

Three examples of plant landscape shaping, carried out by Iron Age populations living in different geographical areas, are presented. The examples differ in population type (Garamantes, Etruscans, and Romans), archaeological context (settlement, necropolis, furnace, port), and area of plant exploitation (respectively, Fezzan – Libyan Sahara and Tuscany, Latium – central Italy). The leitmotiv of the three parallel investigations highlighted that humans induced clear changes in plant cover modifying the quantitative ratio among native elements and spreading the plants of economic interest even outside of their natural habitats. Micro- and macroremain analyses once more enhanced that landscape reconstruction depends on both wild and cultivated plants, and that the cultural plant landscape is composed of a complex mixture of indigenous and exotic elements. Archaeobotany results in great help in reviewing ancient prejudices, rewriting history in a modern ecological view, also discovering a different role in the landscape evolution of past civilizations. In this light, the Garamantes deeply transformed the oases in agrarian producer sites, and the Etruscans, in the area of the Gulf of Follonica, modified the previous forest vegetation, probably enhancing the xeric features. The Romans, believed as the main creators of the environmental changes in the Mediterranean basin, surprisingly did not produce consistent plant changes in the area of the Tiber delta, in the surroundings of the imperial port of Rome, during the first century AD.

2010 - The Holocene plant landscape of Gobero: palynology applied to palaeo-environmental and palaeo-ethnobotanical reconstructions [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; E., Garcea; C., Giraudi; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Florenzano, Assunta
abstract

Gobero (600 m asl; 16°55’N – 9°30’E) is a paleolake surrounded by early-mid Holocene archaeological sites (1). It lies on the western edge of the Ténéré Desert, in central Niger, about 600 km NW of the Lake Chad. Approximately two hundred human burials on the edge of the paleolake provide a uniquely preserved record of human occupation in the Sahara under severe climatic fluctuation during the Holocene (2). The area of Gobero is presently in the hyperarid climate region of the southern Sahara (3). The permanent vegetation, including small shrubs and tufted grasses, is restricted to wadis and depressions where groundwater is close to the surface. Desert/sub-desert and ephemeric floras grow under scanty and variable precipitations (18 ±15.8 mm per year).The archaeological sites are situated in a closed depression with an endorheic drainage pattern. Some ephemeral streams, having small catchment areas extending immediately north and north-east of the sites, flow into the depression. During Holocene humid periods, a lake was formed inside the Gobero basin and, when the humidity was at its maximum, a spillway connected Gobero with the lake Chad. Based on stratigraphical-archaeological data and direct dating of human burials, two occupational phases are identified that correspond with two humid intervals, dating to the early and mid-Holocene, respectively. The older occupants, with a hunting-fishing-gathering subsistence basis, were buried in hyperflexed positions, and represent the most ancient known cemetery in the Sahara, between about 9700 and 8200 cal BP. The younger occupants adopted cattle herding and were of shorter stature with semi-flexed burials and grave goods including animal bones and ivory ornaments, between about 6900 and 4700 cal BP (1, 4). The site was also used as a habitation, as indicated by over 10,000 stone artefacts and over 4,000 ceramic fragments.In the framework of a large-scale multidisciplinary research, pollen data from the site of Gobero and its surroundings provided a primary contribution to reconstruct the past plant landscape of the region. The site also offers an incomparable set to study the evolution of a fragile and vulnerable environment, in which climate changes have played a crucial role for plants, animals and human’s survival. Samples were collected from the burial fillings and from desiccated lakebeds. Pollen spectra were obtained from 39 samples. They showed a low biodiversity. Ficus and Ziziphus-type were the most frequent pollen from woody plants, together with Capparis, Combretum-type, Myrtus and Salvadora persica. Spectra were herb-dominated (mainly Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Cyperaceae, together with Asteraceae and Plantago). Hygro-hydrophytes (Typha, Juncus, Nymphaea cf., Potamogeton) were common. The landscape was a mosaic of xeric and wet environments, covered by a grassland vegetation. The environment was wetter at the early Holocene than at the mid Holocene. In a few cases, pollen from burials has suggested that plants were collected to transport grasses, myrtle and capers as grave goods in the cemetery, possibly a thousand-years ancient behaviour of positioning plants near dead persons. 1) P. Sereno et al. (2008) PLoSONE 3(8), e2995, 1-222) National Geographic magazine, September 20083) F. White (1982), The vegetation of Africa, UNESCO 4) Garcea (ed.) in prep. Gobero: the No-Return Frontier Archaeology and Landscape at the Saharo-Sahelian Borderland. J. African Archaeology

2010 - The city of Parma (Emilia Romagna - Italy). Seeds and fruits, pollen and parasite remains from layers dated to Medieval Age [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; Pederzoli, Aurora; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Rinaldi, Rossella; Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Archaeobotanical analyses have been carried out on the site Piazza Garibaldi of Parma, a city located in the Po plain in Emilia Romagna, a region of Northern Italy. The studied layers were dated to the 4th - 2nd cent. BC, i.e. around the time of the Roman foundation of the city, and to the 9th – 12th cent. AD. In Roman times the site was probably a sacral area, while in Medieval Age it was a market square. Concerning Medieval Age, the archaeological structures which were archaeobotanically studied included four pits and one latrine. Pollen, seeds/fruits and parasite remains were useful for both palaeoenvironmental and palaeoethnobotanical reconstructions. Analyses of plant and parasite remains suggested that the infillings consisted of waste, human and animal excrements, deteriorated vegetal food and marcs. Pollen samples were treated according to a method using Na-pyrophosphate, HCl 10%, filtration, acetolysis, heavy liquid separation, HF 40%. Eggs of intestinal parasites belonging to Trichuris, Ascaris, Taenia, Capillaria, Dicrocaelium, Diphyllobotrium genera were observed during pollen analyses. Eggs of Ascaris and Trichuris are present in large amount in all samples. Eggs of Ascaris are extremely abundant in the medieval sites in Europe, and they are considered a faecal pollution indicator. Ascaris lumbricoides and A. suum (human and pig parasite respectively) have morphologically similar eggs. Contrarily, eggs of Trichuris trichiura (human parasite) are statistically considerably smaller than those of T. suis (pig parasite). Therefore, 100 eggs of genera Trichuris were measured and data were statistically analyzed. Concerning the latrine are all distributed around the mean size value of T. trichiura. The combination of T. trichiura and Ascaris sp. is typical for human escrements (Bouchet et al., 2003). Thus may be assumed that this latrine was not used for animal faeces. Interestingly pollen from entomophilous plants was common in the latrine, possibly partly due to human consumption of honey (Pearsall, 2008). Concerning pits, Trichuris eggs showed a wider size range and probably belong to both the species. Moreover, eggs of other animal parasites (Capillaria, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Diphyllobothrium) were found in small amount. The combination of human and animal parasite eggs and the large amount of Graminae pollen, suggest that pits placed in the market square were used to eliminate plant and animal waste products.References Bouchet F., Harter S., Le Bailly M., 2003. The state of the art of paleoparasitological research in the old world. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 98(Suppl. 1): 95-101.Pearsall D.M., 2008. Paleoethnobotany. A handbook of procedures. Emerald Group Publishing Limited

2010 - The city of Parma (Emilia Romagna, Italy) in the Roman and Medieval Periods: seeds and fruits, pollen and parasite remains [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Florenzano, Assunta; Rinaldi, Rossella; Torri, Paola; Pederzoli, Aurora; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Archaeobotanical analyses have been carried out on the site Piazza Garibaldi of Parma, a city located in the plain of Emilia Romagna, a region of Northern Italy. The studied layers were dated to the 4th - 2nd cent. BC, i.e. around the time of the Roman foundation, and to the 9th – 12th cent. AD. In Roman times the site was probably a sacral area, while in Medieval Ages it was a market square. Pollen and seeds/fruits data were useful for both palaeoenvironmental and palaeoethnobotanical reconstructions. Oak woods and hygrophilous woods grew far from the site, while human activities highly influenced the environment in early times. Cereals, legumes and hemp were probably cultivated together with chestnut trees, fig trees, grapevines and Pomoideae. Moreover, a number of medicinal/ vegetables/spices plants were present. Papaver somniferum, Coriandrum sativum, together with Fragaria vesca, were characteristic in the carpological record. Altogether, archaeobotanical data well correspond to votive offerings to several gods, and particularly some of them including opium poppy and cereals would have been offered to Demeter/Ceres, the goddess of crops and soil fertility. Concerning Medieval Ages, the archaeological structures which were studied included four pits and one latrine. Analyses of plant and parasite remains have suggested that the infillings were made by waste, human and animal excrements, deteriorated vegetal food and marcs. In particular, human parasite remains (belonging to the genera Ascaris and Trichuris) were found in the latrine, while also parasites of animal (such as species of Capillaria, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Diphyllobothrium) were present in pits. Pollen from entomophilous plants (such as Digitalis purpurea which lives wild today only in Sardinia) were common in the latrine, possibly also due to human consumption of honey. Cultivated fields of Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum, T.monococcum, T. dicoccum and other cereals, together with legumes, grapevine and fruits trees, were grown in the area. Some olive trees were probably cultivated in the hills. Many wild species were found in the deposits, including Agrostemma githago and Thymelaea passerina. The archaeobotanical record from the Medieval Age revealed two main ‘agro-ethno-botanical’ features this city: a) a particular consideration for Prunus spinosa whose fruits are still today collected and prepared as an alcoholic drink (“Bargnolino”); b) a low consideration and importance of Cucumis melo in the economy of this area with respect to other areas of Emilia Romagna (e.g., provinces of Ferrara and Ravenna ).

2010 - Una ricostruzione archeoambientale del sito di San Vincenzo, villaggio del bronzo a Stromboli [Articolo su rivista]
Rattighieri, Eleonora; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Levi, SARA TIZIANA
abstract

Il lavoro presenta i risultati preliminari ottenuti dalle analisi archeobotaniche condotte nel villaggio di San Vincenzo a Stromboli. L’abitato è costituito da un villaggio preistorico risalente all’età del Bronzo Medio 1-2 (prima metà del II millennio a.C.). L’analisi di 10 campioni palinologici è stata finalizzata alla ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale coevo e successivo alla fase di vita del villaggio preistorico e ha permesso di ottenere indicazioni sull’attività produttiva all’interno dell’abitato. In particolare, La significatività degli indicatori di pascolo (ad es. Trifolium e spore di funghi coprofili), la scarsa presenza di polline di Olea europaea e l’assenza di cereali suggerisce che l’economia della popolazione locale fosse principalmente basata sull’allevamento di animali domestici. L’ambiente doveva essere decisamente deforestato con significativi caratteri di antropizzazione.

2009 - Andamento giornaliero di Ambrosia a Modena (stazione biorariaOrto Botanico/Osservatorio Geofisica) negli anni 2000-2003 [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Torri, Paola; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Madeo, C.; Accorsi, C. A.
abstract

Viene descritto l'andamento biorario del polline di Ambrosia a Modena

2009 - Archaeobotany and Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean area: the research of the PaCEM - Plants and Culture in Euromediterranean Area - Network [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Sadori, Laura; Mercuri, Anna Maria; A. G., Fahmy; L., Pena Chocarro; J. A., Lopez Saez; A., Sarpaki; S. M., Valamoti; Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; M., Giardini; A., Masi
abstract

Among the sciences applied in archaeology, archaeobotany fills a crucial piece of the Cultural Heritage puzzle. It assists us in understanding how a population exploits the environment. The study of Archaeobotany allows researchers to explore the evolution of the cultural landscape (1,2) through the use of plants, which is at the core of understanding modern human impact and sustainability. These issues also include conditions of life and diet, the exploitation of domestic and wild plants, the relationship between environmental modifications and cultural patterns as a result of human settlements. Social responses to climate change are the result of both human perception of nature and adaptation to its changing environment.(3) As a follow-up to an EU PaCE project (4), and under the same key-words ‘Plants and Culture’, we propose to extend our archaeobotanical network into Mediterranean countries. The main aim of this PaCEM network is to establish joint and coordinated associations with archaeological sites belonging to major ancient civilizations. In the communication we wish to present case studies from this research.Cultural landscape reconstruction, based on integrated micro- and macro-remains studies, is one of the last challenges for palynologists and archaeobotanists. The knowledge of past environments plays an important role in assisting archaeologists, historians, environmentalists, geographers and many other experts. A correct and adapted sampling strategy is at the base of all scientific investigations at archaeological sites; however, a univocal protocol can be difficult to assess. Recent studies point out that archaeobotanical sampling has not only to be carried out in the case of visible records, but should be carefully located within “anthropic” layers. It is clear that all known techniques for the archaeological recovery of plants and analysis conducted, should be applied consistently to all samples. Distinguishing signs of anthropic action, influence and impact by means of not-intentional or intentional plant management can be achieved not only by approaching the problem within a multidisciplinary framework, but also by parallel studies carried out both on pollen and macro-remains. It is only through the careful application of both forms of data collection and treatment, that a more complete picture of the past landscape can be achieved. (1) “Cultural Landscapes of the Past. Special issue of Plant Biosystems (Sadori L., Mercuri A.M. eds), in preparation(2) Morel J.-P., A.M. Mercuri (eds), 2009 – Plants and Culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe. Centro Europeo per i Beni Culturali Ravello, Edipuglia Bari.(3) “Mid-Holocene climate change in the Mediterranean region and its consequences”. Special issue of The Holocene (Roberts Ch. N., Sadori L., Perez R. eds)(4) “Plants and culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe” PaCE project. (CLT2007/1.2.1/it-182; 15 November 2007-15 July 2009; coordinator A. M. Mercuri) – www.plants-culture.unimore.it

2009 - Exploiting a monastic territory: a multi-disciplinary approach using GIS and pollen analysis to study the evolution of medieval landscape of the Jure Vetere monastery (Calabria Italy). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Roubis, D.; Sogliani, F.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Florenzano, Assunta; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella
abstract

Lo sfruttamento di un territorio monastico: un approccio multidisciplinare con l’utilizzo del GIS e delle analisi polliniche per lostudio dell’evoluzione del paesaggio medievale del monastero di Jure Vetere (Calabria-Italia).Nelle pagine che seguono analizzeremo i dati relativi all’ambiente naturale e le modalità di sfruttamento del territorio dell’insediamentomonastico di Jure Vetere, sorto nell’altipiano silano della Calabria (1100 m s.l.m.), tra gli ultimi anni del XII secoloe i primi decenni del XIII. Si tratta dei due periodi cronologici (Periodi I e II) riferibili alla frequentazione medievale delComplesso Architettonico A, così come essa risulta dalle ricerche multidisciplinari condotte sul sito dall’IBAM-CNR dal 2002fino al 2005. Del complesso Architettonico A sono stati riconosciuti due episodi costruttivi: il Corpo di Fabbrica 1 e il Corpo diFabbrica 2. Alla fine del Periodo II si verificano il definitivo trasferimento della comunità monastica e l’abbandono del sito. Diparticolare importanza si è rivelato lo studio di ricostruzione paleoambientale relativa al territorio circostante, prima e durantel’epoca della frequentazione del monastero nonché dopo il suo abbandono, ottenuto su base palinologica. Tali analisi hannoconsentito di ricostruire l’ambiente e il paesaggio vegetale del pianoro dove era stato fondato il protomonastero, fornendo i datinecessari per la lettura interpretativa delle dinamiche di sfruttamento delle risorse vegetali da parte della comunità monastica.Le analisi dei manufatti archeologici e degli ecofatti eseguite sul GIS hanno permesso di calcolare il costo di spostamento in terminidi tempo e di avanzare una proposta di classificazione dei diversi tipi di suoli potenzialmente sfruttabili attorno al sito. L’elaborazioneinformatica dei dati ha suggerito quindi di riconoscere due principali aree di provenienza delle materie primarie esecondarie necessarie alla vita nel monastero: un bacino interno funzionale allo sfruttamento totale intensivo delle risorse, unbacino esterno per le attività lavorative sussidiarie a carattere estensivo (suoli per orti e seminativi, aree a vocazione pastoralee aree per lo sfruttamento dei boschi). Infine, in una prospettiva del proseguimento futuro delle ricerche, si forniscono alcuneindicazioni riguardo i possedimenti ubicati a lunga distanza dal sito e sono avanzate ipotesi in merito ai terreni per il pascolo invernale,i tenimenti con colture e i punti di sosta lungo i tragitti di collegamento.

2009 - Forensic Palynology: methods and future. [Curatela]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; A., Travaglini
abstract

Lavori Originali / Original Articles3 A.M. Mercuri, A.TravagliniL’incontro di Roma e la Palinologia Forense in Italia / The meeting of Rome on Forensic Palynology7 D.C. MildenhallForensic palynology: an increasingly used tool in forensic science / Palinologia Forense: uno strumento dellaScienza Forense sempre più usato11 A.M. Mercuri, I. Massamba N’siala, L. OlmiPolline giallo: la palinologia applicata alle Scienze Forensi / The yellow pollen: palynology applied to ForensicSciences20 A.Travaglini, S. Silvestri, E. Mei, E. Marcelli, P. MontagnaIl Progetto: “Palinologia Forense: esperienze a Roma” / The project: “Forensic Palynology at Rome”25 M. Boi, G. Servera Vives, M. Capó Martí, L. Llorens GarcíaI cavalli e le loro qualità come campionatori pollinici / Horses as pollen trap34 M. Mariotti Lippi, A.M. MercuriPalynological analyses applied to a case of kidnapping in Italy / Indagini palinologiche applicate ad un casodi sequestro di persona39 A.Travaglini, E. MeiUn caso di omicidio per la palinologia forense / A homicide case for Forensic Palynology44 C.A. Accorsi, L. Forlani, F. Rossi, E. Del Borrello, G.Trevisan, A. CicognaniPalinologia e tossicologia in un caso di omicidio con notevole interesse forense / Forensic palynology andtoxycology in a interesting case of murder49 M. Marchesini, S. MarvelliIl contributo delle indagini palinologiche alle cause di morte di Cangrande della Scala, signore di Verona(1291-1329 d.C.) / The contribution of palynological analyses to the recognition of death-leading causes ofCangrande della Scala, master of Verona (1291-1329 a.D.)

2009 - From the “Treasure of Domagnano” to the Archaeobotany of a Roman and Gothic settlement in the Republic of San Marino. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Bigi, P.; Bottazzi, G.; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, M.; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Pedini, D.
abstract

Dal tesoro di Domagnano all’archeobotanica di un insediamento romano e goto della Repubblica di San Marino. La Repubblicadi San Marino (61 km2) è caratterizzata dal rilievo del Monte Titano (738 m s.l.m.; sito UNESCO patrimonio mondiale dell’umanità),che svetta sul solco vallivo del fiume Marecchia, importante direttrice transappenninica, e sulla costa adriatica delRiminese, distante da esso circa 20 km. Nella rete delle antiche percorrenze naturali, la visibilità a lunga distanza e la centralitàfra la costa e i passi appenninici hanno reso il Monte Titano un punto strategico per il controllo del territorio. Recenti ricerchearcheologiche hanno messo in luce numerosi siti nel territorio, frequentato sin dal Neolitico. I siti includono insediamenti rusticiromani, caratterizzati da un settore residenziale (Domagnano), o aree per la produzione di tegole, mattoni e ceramiche(Ca’Rigo e Maiano). Il sito di Domagnano (255 m s.l.m.), scavato negli anni 1998-2000, è stato oggetto di una ricerca multidisciplinarenell’ambito della quale gli studi archeobotanici sono stati principalmente mirati alla ricostruzione archeoambientalee alla comprensione delle relazioni uomo-ambiente durante le fasi insediative. La sintesi qui presentata è stata svoltanell’ambito del Progetto Europeo PaCE.Il sito di Domagnano qui studiato ha restituito strati che sono stati archeologicamente datati dal II secolo a.C. al VI sec. d.C.,testimonianze di una occupazione in età romana e gota, epoca alla quale è riferibile il “Tesoro di Domagnano” (fine del V-primametà del VI secolo d.C.). Sei momenti insediativi sono stati individuati dagli archeologi: 1) Fase I: II-I secolo a.C. - insediamentorustico di età repubblicana; 2) Fase IIA: I secolo a.C. - I secolo d.C., età tardo repubblicana-prima età imperiale - villa urbanorustica;3) Fase IIB: ultima decade del II-prima metà V secolo d.C. - modifiche e parziale abbandono dell’insediamento; 4) FaseIIIA: fine V-prima metà VI secolo d.C. - edificio rurale di età gota; 5) Fase IIIB: metà del VI secolo d.C., modifiche e abbandonodell’edificio rurale di età gota; 6) Frequentazione altomedievale. Le analisi archeobotaniche hanno previsto lo studio dipolline prelevato da fasi precedenti e coeve all’insediamento, di semi/frutti relativi al contenuto di un pozzo riempito in età gotae di legni/carboni provenienti da due riempimenti di età romana e gota. Le analisi archeobotaniche sono state eseguite su campioniprecedenti l’insediamento (Fase 0, strato non antropizzato; polline), su campioni relativi ad alcune fasi di frequentazioneromana (Fasi I, IIA, IIB; polline e legni) e gota (Fase IIIA; polline, semi/frutti e legni/carboni).I campioni precedenti l’insediamento hanno messo in luce una fase forestata a conifere, con tracce deboli di cereali, probabilmenterelativa a un periodo più fresco e umido del medio olocene. La ricostruzione su base archeobotanica ha messo in luce cheal momento dell’insediamento la copertura forestale era bassa, mentre prime tracce di piante coltivate quali olivo-Olea, noce-Juglans, vite-Vitis e cereali abbondanti tracciano i segni principali del paesaggio culturale modellato in periodo romano prima,e goto successivamente. Sin da questa fase, il territorio era ricco di aree umide e il bosco, ai margini del sito, forniva materialeper la costruzione di case e oggetti. Piante legate alle attività economiche e alla frequentazione del sito sono evidenti e le loropresenze dimostrano un significativo impatto antropico sul paesaggio vegetale. È probabile che il territorio sia stato prima maggiormenteinteressato da pratiche di pastorizia (Fase I) e in seguito si siano espanse maggiormente le pratiche agricole che includevanocoltivazione e trattamento di arboree ed erbacee (Fasi II e III).In età gota erano presenti frutteti, campi di orzo e grano, orti con legumi e piante condimentarie e medicinali, mentre le pressaturedi olio e vino erano eseguite in sito.

2009 - Holocene climatic-environmental changes and cultural trajectories in Mediterranean and African areas [Altro]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori; P., Uzquiano Ollero
abstract

2009 - Human-plant relationships in the Garamantian culture (Fezzan, Libya, Central Sahara) [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Olmi, Linda; L., Mori; E., Gianassi; Florenzano, Assunta
abstract

This paper reports archaeobotanical data which can help understand the relationships between humans and plants in Garamantian times in Fezzan. This region of the Central Sahara was inhabited by a sedentary population, the Garamantes, who exploited wells in the oasis and developed a network of sites controlling the Saharan caravan routes, as attested by archaeological and epigraphic sources since halfway through the 1st millennium BC. The research on pollen and plant macrofossils has been carried out from a multidisciplinary perspective on Garamantian settlements belonging to different occupational phases. Phoenix dactilyfera and Hordeum vulgare are the best represented plants in the archaeobotanical record, together with other fruits such as grapes and figs. Therefore, palms and cereals would have been the most characteristic crops cultivated by the Garamantes, and markers of the Fezzan landscape at that time. Plants were planted in the oasis, along channels and in gardens, or imported by trade and exchanges. It emerges that the Garamantes knew the limits and potentialities of the environment they inhabited, which was already in its current hyperarid climatic phase.

2009 - Il progetto PaCE ‘Piante e Cultura: semi del patrimonio culturale d’Europa’ (2007-2009) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2009 - Indagini archeopalinologiche in Sicilia a Taormina, Piazza Armerina e Mozia [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Terranova, F; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Manicardi, E; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Olmi, Linda; Rinaldi, Rossella; Valenti, A; Benassi, F; Pensabene, P; Tusa, S.
abstract

Indagini archeopalinologiche in Sicilia a Taormina, Piazza Armerina e Mozia

2009 - La ricostruzione dell’ambiente di Difesa San Biagio in età ellenistica (Basilicata orientale). [Articolo su rivista]
Florenzano, Assunta; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Roubis, D.
abstract

L’abitato di Difesa San Biagio, insediamento enotrio della valle del Bradano nell’immediato entroterra metapontino, rappresenta uno dei siti che meglio documenta i principali aspetti culturali della Lucania orientale e le trasformazioni indotte nelle popolazioni autoctone dal contatto con le città della Magna Grecia. Il lavoro presenta la ricerca archeopalinologica condotta a Difesa San Biagio, finalizzata alla ricostruzione archeoambientale del territorio in prossimità del sito archeologico e alla conoscenza delle specie botaniche presenti e/o utilizzate nell’abitato enotrio. I dati pollinici hanno consentito di tracciare un quadro culturale completo dell’insediamento di età ellenistica: situato in un’area con una bassa copertura boschiva e con una vegetazione costituita principalmente da aree a pascolo, basava la sua economia prevalentemente sulla pastorizia/allevamento, seguita da coltivazioni arboree (olivo) e cerealicole, i cui prodotti erano trattati nell’abitato all’interno di una struttura destinata a funzioni produttive. The village “Difesa San Biagio” is a Enotrius settlement in the Bradano Valley (Metapontino hinterland). This is one of the sites that best covers the main aspects of the culture of eastern Lucania and of the changes induced in peoples from contact with Magna Grecia cities.This work presents the archaeopalynological research conducted in “Difesa San Biagio”, with the aim of making an archaeo-environmental reconstruction of the land near the archaeological site and improve the knowledge of botanical species present and / or used in the Enotrius village. The pollen data allowed the drawing of a complete cultural context of the Hellenistic age settlement.

2009 - Le evidenze archeobotaniche [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Analisi archeobotaniche (pollini, semi/frutti, legni/carboni) e la loro interpretazione per la realizzazione del Parco Archeologico della Terramara di Montale

2009 - Luxury food and ornamental plants at the 15th century A.D. Renaissance court of the Este family (Ferrara, northern Italy) [Articolo su rivista]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; C., Guarnieri; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

The paper reports the archaeobotanical data from the Ducal Pit, a brickwork rubbish pit discovered in the basal floor of the Ducal Palace of Ferrara (Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy). It was in use during the second half of the 15th cent. AD, when the Este family inhabited the palace. Therefore, it helps to investigate food customs of a Renaissance reigning court. The pit fill largely consists of zoological remains, with plant remains and some artefacts. Though seed/fruit concentration was not high, a fairly diversified list of taxa, mainly belonging to food and ornamental plants, was identified. Data suggest that the pit was used for disposal of dining waste and for floor sweepings. Archaeobotanical data were compared with those obtained from other sites of the area, and with two Renaissance documentary evidence: the frescos in the “Room of the Months” in Ferrara’s Palazzo Schifanoia, and the cookbook by Cristoforo da Messisbugo, chef at the Este Court. The archaeobotanical record of the Ducal Pit proved to be fairly different from the other sites studied in Ferrara, especially because of the presence of luxury or exotic foods (for example, Punica granatum, Prunus armeniaca, Coriandrum sativum).

2009 - L’incontro di Roma e la Palinologia Forense in Italia [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; A., Travaglini
abstract

The paper briefly reports the history of recent meetings on Forensic Palynology in Italy (Parma, April 5-8 2006; Rome, September 11 2007). Communications presented atthe meeting of Rome are collected in this special issue of GEA. The latter includes four methodological papers and four papers dealing with palynology applied to crime cases.The meeting of Rome was opened by a video key lecture by Dallas Mildenhall who prepared for this special issue a paper on ‘Forensic palynology – an increasingly used tool in forensic science’. Experimental researches on textiles and animals as spore traps are reported. The paper on ‘Horses as spore trap’ by Marzia Boi was presented in a special session at the A.P.L.E. Symposium of Palynology 2008. Then, examples of palynology applied to kidnapping and homicide crime solving are reported by Italian teams with years of experience in this field in Italy. Finally, the case of the death of Cangrande Della Scala shows an interesting example of Forensic archaeobotany.

2009 - Osservazioni etnobotaniche sulle risorse utilizzate dagli abitanti della zona sahariana: Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda; Florenzano, Assunta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2009 - PaCE - Un progetto sulle Piante che sono parte della Cultura d'Europa [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Pace è una parola italiana che evoca sentimenti positivi e valori universali di rispetto e uguaglianza. Le stesse lettere, in inglese, hanno un significato ugualmente positivo di ritmo, andatura, passo regolare. In entrambe le lingue, pace è dunque indice di accordo e armonia, un augurio e un destino di successo per un progetto che ha la fortuna di avere questo acronimo un po’ speciale.PaCE è, infatti, la sigla del progetto europeo ‘Plants and Culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe’ (EU Culture 2007-2013) nato con lo scopo di promuovere e valorizzare il patrimonio culturale verde d’Europa (Fig.1). Sviluppato dal 2007 al 2009, PaCE ha svolto buona parte della sua attività nel 2008, Anno Europeo del Dialogo Interculturale e la prosegue nel 2009, Anno della Creatività e dell’Innovazione.Il progetto PaCE è stato possibile grazie alla collaborazione di 6 istituzioni partner coordinate dall’Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia (l’Università di Bergen-Norvegia, l’Università di Cracovia-Polonia, la Fondazione Bosch i Gimpera dell’Università di Barcellona-Spagna, l’Università “La Sapienza” di Roma-Italia e il Centro Universitario Europeo per i Beni Culturali di Ravello-Italia; Fig. 2), alle quali si sono associate numerose istituzioni europee (per una descrizione dettagliata dei laboratori e musei coinvolti vedi il sito web del progetto: www.plants-culture.unimore.it). Un elemento di forte novità di questo progetto è stato propria l’ampia rete di istituzioni associate che hanno reso possibile estendere l’area di interesse e attività del progetto dai 4 paesi base dei partner (Italia, Norvegia, Polonia, Spagna) a molti altri paesi. Come molti progetti di ampio respiro, PaCE prevede lo scambio e la collaborazione di ricercatori attraverso la pubblicazione di un sito web comune e di un volume che raccolga i lavori scientifici dei ricercatori coinvolti. Altro elemento di novità del progetto è la scommessa vinta di compiere un’azione comune. Questa azione è stata la Mostra trans-europea ‘Plants and Culture in the history of Europe’ – Piante e Cultura nella storia d’Europa (Fig. 3). Nel 2008, la mostra è già stata presente in 9 sedi e 6 nazioni: da settembre, in ordine cronologico, a Salonicco (Grecia), Cracovia (Polonia), Budapest (Ungheria), Fossanova-Latina, Carpineti-Reggio Emilia, Modena e Roma-Orto Botanico (Italia), Barcellona (Spagna), Tulcea (Romania). Nel gennaio 2009, è stata aperta a Reggio Emilia (24 gennaio-22 febbraio,Chiostri di San Domenico) e a San Marino.Perchè una mostra con titolo in inglese? La Mostra trans-europea PaCE è una mostra con un solo titolo in tutta Europa, un'opera nata dalla cooperazione di molti ricercatori appartenenti a nazioni diverse, ognuna con la sua lingua. Undici paesi hanno messo a disposizione contenuti e immagini inedite per i poster, e nello stesso tempo almeno undici paesi hanno acconsentito a ospitare la mostra. Nella sua versione inglese, dunque, PaCE è la stessa mostra presente in tutti i paesi che hanno contribuito a realizzarla, e sotto ai testi inglesi, ogni sede ha tradotto titoli e testi nella lingua del paese ospitante.

2009 - PaCE – a project on the plants, traditions and history of Europe [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The project PaCE-Plants and culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe (Culture Programme 2007-2013, EACEA 09/2006) promotes the green cultural heritage common to Europe and was included in the first projects approved to develop the Intercultural Dialogue, central topic and European priority in the 2008. The main ideas guiding this project were the improvement and dissemination of knowledge of the different botanical cultures in the history of European countries, and the safeguarding of their common cultural heritage. Actually, plants were first examples of multiculturalism, as they make possible the integration of different countries in such a comprehensive way that it is still only theoretical when dealing with other issues. The PaCE's multidisciplinary work group was constituted by botanists, archaeologists and experts of museology and scientific dissemination of eleven countries: Italy, Spain, Poland and Norway as partners, supporting museums and university laboratories from France, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, San Marino, Greece and Turkey. Their interdisciplinary research focused on the links between European plants and traditions, art and history, including plant introductions, exchanges of plant material and forgotten traditions. Most contribution was given by archaeobotany, which is by definition the study of the past relationships between humans and plants. Plant remains found in archaeological sites are key evidence from which the past territory management and plant uses, the plant cover and environmental reconstructions are inferred.

2009 - PaCE, a project for Europe. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Pace è in italiano una parola che evoca sentimenti positivi e valori universali di rispetto e uguaglianza. In inglese, ha un significatougualmente positivo di ritmo, andatura, passo regolare. In entrambe le lingue, pace è dunque indice di accordo e armonia,un augurio e un destino per un progetto che ha la fortuna di portare un acronimo tanto speciale. PaCE è, infatti, un progettoeuropeo Culture 2007-2013 - Plants and Culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe (7° nella call EACEA 09/2006), natocon lo scopo di promuovere e valorizzare il patrimonio culturale verde d’Europa. Sviluppato dal 2007 al 2009, PaCE ha svoltobuona parte della sua attività nel 2008, Anno Europeo del Dialogo Interculturale. Oltre alla ricerca, tale attività si è resa tangibilenegli incontri tra ricercatori di gruppi diversi, nella realizzazione di una mostra (temporanea e anche virtuale), e nella redazionedi questo volume. Alla base c’è l’idea che la tradizione e le conoscenze legate alle piante tipiche d’Europa rivestano unvalore non solo botanico, ma anche culturale molto forte e rappresentino un’eredità comune intima e significativa per questo continenteche tende a dimenticare il valore delle piante, da sempre fonte di alimento, medicina, abbigliamento, abitazione, preziosenella vita delle persone e nella storia dei paesi.The aim of the PaCE project is to recover andpromote green cultural heritage common to Europe in2008, European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The mainproject drivers are the improvement and disseminationof knowledge of the different botanical cultures in thehistory of European countries, and the safeguarding oftheir common cultural heritage (as per Article 151 of theTreaty). When the project ‘Plants and Culture: seeds ofthe cultural heritage of Europe’ (CLT2007/1.2.1/IT-182; 7° in the call EACEA 09/2006) was beingprepared for the Call for proposals in February 2007, Irealised that the acronym resulting from this title had tobe PaCE.The word ‘PaCE’ – which comes from Plants andCulture Europe – means ‘peace’ in Italian, and ‘speed,rhythm, walk quickly’ in English. This is probably thebest word that could be chosen to promote the EuropeanYear of Intercultural Dialogue (2008) established lastyear by the European Community.Approval of this project has resulted in satisfaction intwo areas:– PaCE, which was submitted by a scientificdepartment, has been included in a handful of projectsdevoted to Cultural Heritage,– plants have been properly recognised by the EuropeanCommittee (EACEA) as both part of EuropeanCultural Heritage and a means of recovering ofEurope’s common culture.

2009 - Palynological analyses applied to a case of kidnapping in Italy [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
M., Mariotti Lippi; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

La conoscenza degli ambienti che hanno fatto da sfondo ad atti criminosi può costituire una fonte di informazioni utili per le indagini sia in fase iniziale, per l'acquisizione di indizi, sia in fase finale, per la verifica delle ipotesi o conclusioni raggiunte. Nel caso qui presentato, sono state svolte indagini di botanica forense, su polline e su alcuni macroresti, in relazione a un sequestro di persona. Parallelamente è stata condotta un’analisi mineralogico petrografica dello stesso materiale. I campioni analizzati sono stati prelevati da materiale aderente al veicolo utilizzato per il sequestro (parafanghi e pedane dell'abitacolo) e dagli indumenti del sequestrato dopo la sua liberazione (vestiti e scarpe). Le informazioni ottenute sono riconducibili agli spostamenti e ai luoghi di permanenza del sequestrato e dei sequestratori.

2009 - Plant migration and plant communities at the time of the “green Sahara” [Articolo su rivista]
J., Watrin; A. M., Lézine; C., Hély; Contributors, ; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Around 8500 cal years BP, at the time of the maximum of the African Humid Period, lakes and wetlands expanded in the present- day Sahara while large paleodrainages were formed or re-actived, in response to an orbitally-induced increase in monsoon rainfall. It has been suggested that the direct consequence of this increase in rainfall was the northward displacement of the Sahara/Sahel boundary, thought to have reached 238N in central and eastern Africa. Here, we show a more complex situation characterized by an increase in biodiversity as the desert accommodated more humid-adapted species from tropical forests and wooded grasslands: tropical plant species now found some 400 to 500 km to the south probably entered the desert as gallery-forest formations along rivers and lakes where they benefited from permanent fresh water. At the same time, Saharan trees and shrubs persisted, giving rise to a vegetation that has no analogue today. In this article, we present distribution maps of selected plant species to show both the amplitude of the vegetation change compared to the present and the composition of the past plant communities. We also estimate the migration rate of tropical plant taxa to their northernmost position in the Sahara. This study is based on the use of several data sets: a data set of the modern plant distribution in northern Africa and a data set of modern and fossil pollen sites (from the African Pollen Database, http://fpd.mediasfrance.org/ and http://medias.obs-mip.fr/apd/).

2009 - Plants and Culture in the history of Europe24 gennaio - 22 febbraio 2009Chiostri di San Domenico - Reggio Emilia [Esposizione]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; S., Chicchi
abstract

That plants have always held an essential value for human life may be obvious, but nevertheless it is true. Despite this, in the IT- and technology-oriented societies of 21st century Europe, plants are largely disregarded. Most people are unaware of the role plant derivatives play in a number of their everyday activities, whether it’s baking a mouth-watering cake, sipping a favourite brandy, relaxing in a chair, or slipping on a pair of jeans. Nowadays, though, a great deal of ancient botanical ingredients have been replaced by artificial chemical products. We select our fruits unknowing whether they come from tall exotic trees or common low-lying shrubs; for this information is of no matter to us, modern-day hunter-gatherers, when we are searching for food in supermarkets as our ancestors once did in forests. Because of the decline in farming in many countries, and likewise the perception of seasonal rhythms (largely marked by plant life cycles), relative popular traditions are gradually disappearing. The outcome of this general loss of plant knowledge is that most people are no longer aware of the importance of plant use in their lives. Plants are generally perceived as limited to the realms of either ecologists or intellectuals and therefore any consideration of plant issues today is implicitly viewed as superfluous. Nevertheless, even today, plants provide for primary needs, such as food, medicine, clothing, tools, furniture and homewares, as well as social needs, such as body painting, make-up and ornaments, and are also common symbols and emblems. They have also always been employed in ceremonies and religious rites, thereby fulfilling transcendental needs.The aim of this pan-European exhibition, ‘Plants and Culture in the history of Europe’, is to show the importance of plants in building a European identity. As part of the European Culture Programme (2007-2013), a network containing dozens of researchers has been involved in a complex joint project to present a new and unique set of stories. These cover botany, archaeology, plant use throughout history, and popular traditions from eleven European countries, offering also a brief glance at European botanical history. The exhibition is based on the concept of Europe portrayed through plants, in the hope that the roots of our past become the seeds of our future.

2009 - Plants and Culture in the history of Europe31 gennaio - 15 marzo 2009Museo di Stato - Repubblica di San Marino [Esposizione]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; P., Bigi
abstract

2009 - Plants and Culture: a neglected basic partnership for Interculturality. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il lavoro parte dalla considerazione che ‘piante e cultura’ è un binomio che accompagna da sempre la storia umana. Dalla raccolta alla coltivazione, le diverse forme di sfruttamento delle specie vegetali hanno portato nel tempo a cambiamenti nella flora e vegetazione, trasformando il paesaggio naturale a paesaggio culturale. Allo stesso tempo anche il comportamento umano si è modificato, apprendendo comportamenti sempre nuovi per adattarsi a un ambiente in continua evoluzione. Gran parte della conoscenza che per generazioni ha permesso di ‘sapere come usare la foresta senza distruggerla’ sta oggi andando perduta. Per questo motivo, la Organizzazione Mondiale per la Salute (WHO-World Health Organisation) promuove da anni, e sempre più insistentemente, la valorizzazione della medicina tradizionale, basata su una conoscenza profonda ed empirica delle piante medicinali e magiche, quale strumento fondamentale per la salute fisica e mentale dei popoli, oltre che per la salvaguardia delle identità culturali dei paesi in via di sviluppo. Il mondo Occidentale, e l’Europa in particolare, soffre tragicamente la perdita di conoscenze botaniche che sono ora spesso relegate a nicchie geografiche e a persone anziane, e tendono a sparire assieme a loro. Gli studi etnobotanici e quelli archeobotanici aiutano a censire e riscoprire questo patrimonio, diventando stimolo per conservarlo o per la ricerca di nuove strade di trasmissione culturale. Alcune mostre divulgative vanno in questa direzione. Il lavoro propone alcuni esempi tratti dalla mostra trans-europea PaCE svolta nell’ambito del progetto europeo su ‘Piante e cultura: semi del patrimonio culturale europeo’ consultabile al sito web: http://www.plants-culture.unimore.it/exhibition.htm).Plants have always had a basic value for human life, but the use of giving importance to plants per se seems out of the Zeitgeist of this century, while molecular biology is largely more on fashion than classic botany among life sciences (National Research Council, 1992; Dixon, 2005; Olmstead, 2006). Plant exploitation, depending on different subsistence strategies and territories, has been a fundamental aspect of human cultures (Neumann et al., 2003; Zohary and Hopf, 2000). From harvesting to cultivation, the different forms of plant exploitation forced wild landscape to develop into cultural landscape (Birks et al., 1988; Zeist van et al., 1991; Mercuri and Sadori, in press), and human behaviour to adapt to changing environments (Diamond, 2002). In recent times, the decline of the agricultural-based culture in many countries has caused a separation among city and countryside, and modern human beings are suffering a gradual but continuous loss of perception of the seasonal rhythms, which our ancestors learned to be actually marked by plant life cycles. A major outcome of the crisis of botanical knowledge is that most people are no longer aware of the relevance of plants in their lives (Appendix 1). The disappearance of indigenous plant knowledge among the native people of all five continents, i.e. the knowledge of how to use the forest without destroying it (Plotkin, 1994), is considered a huge botanical tragedy occurring in recent decades, resulting in the loss of a long time history of human wisdom.

2009 - Plants and Culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe. [Curatela]
J. P., Morel; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

28 scientific papers by the participants to the European Project PaCEJean-Paul MorelLes plantes, un aspect de la civilisation européenneAnna Maria MercuriPaCE: a project for EuropeAnna Maria MercuriPlants and culture: a neglected basic partnership for interculturalitySoultana Maria ValamotiPlant food ingredients and ‘recipes’ from Prehistoric Greece:the archaeobotanical evidenceEurydice KefalidouThe plants of victory in ancient Greece and RomeLaura Sadori, Emilia Allevato, Giovanna Bosi, Giulia Caneva,Elisabetta Castiglioni, Alessandra Celant, Gaetano Di Pasquale,Marco Giardini, Marta Mazzanti, Rossella Rinaldi, Mauro Rottoliand Francesca SusannaThe introduction and diffusion of peach in ancient ItalyAnnamaria CiaralloPlants as a major element in the cultural frameworkof PompeiiAnna Maria Mercuri, Carla Alberta Accorsi, Marta Bandini Mazzanti,Paola Bigi, Gianluca Bottazzi, Giovanna Bosi, Marco Marchesini,Maria Chiara Montecchi, Linda Olmi and Daniel PediniFrom the “Treasure of Domagnano” to the archaeobotany ofa Roman and Gothic settlement in the Republic of San MarinoMarta Bandini Mazzanti, Giovanna Bosi and Chiara GuarnieriThe useful plants of the city of Ferrara (Late Medieval/Renaissance) based on archaeobotanical records from middensand historical/culinary/ethnobotanical documentationDimitris Roubis, Francesca Sogliani, Anna Maria Mercuri, CarlaAlberta Accorsi, Marta Bandini Mazzanti, Giovanna Bosi, AssuntaFlorenzano and Isabella Massamba N’sialaExploiting a monastic territory: a multi-disciplinary approachusing GIS and pollen analysis to study the medieval landscapeof the Jure Vetere monastery (Calabria-Italy)Laura Sadori and Diego SabatoPlant remains from the burials of St. Sisto basilica (Montaltodi Castro, central Italy)Giovanna Bosi, Paolo Maria Guarrera, Rossella Rinaldi and MartaBandini MazzantiEthnobotany of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) in Italy andmorphobiometric analyses of seeds from archaeological sitesin the Emilia Romagna Region (Northern Italy)Brigitta BerzsényiPrehistoric food and plant resources from the Middle BronzeAge tell site of Százhalombatta-Földvár in Pest County (theBudapest hinterland, Hungary)Orsolya DálnokiCollected or cultivated? Exotic and indigenous fruit remainsfrom Celtic to Roman times in Pest County, HungaryAndrea Janka TóthVegetable and fruits on a Turkish table in 16th-17th centuryBuda. An interdisciplinary study of a post-medieval pitAyşe Mine Gençler Özkan and Çiğdem Gençler GürayA Mediterranean: Myrtus communis L. (Myrtle)Anely Nedelcheva and Yunus DoganFolk botanical nomenclature and classification in Bulgariantraditional knowledgeAnely NedelchevaPlants related to the life and medicinal practice of St. IvanRilskiAlicja Zemanek, Bogdan Zemanek, Krystyna Harmata, Jacek Madejaand Piotr KlepackiSelected foreign plants in old Polish botanical literature,customs and art (Acorus calamus, Aesculus hippocastanum,Cannabis sativa, Fagopyrum, Helianthus annuus, Iris)Krystyna Harmata, Jacek Madeja, Alicja Zemanek and BogdanZemanekSelected indigenous trees and shrubs in Polish botanicalliterature, customs and art (Juniperus communis, Salix, Betulaverrucosa, Populus tremula, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus, Tilia, Piceaexcelsa, Abies alba)Jacek Madeja, Krystyna Harmata, Piotr Kołaczek, Monika Karpińska-Kołaczek, Krzysztof Piątek and Przemysław NaksBracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn), mistletoe (Viscumalbum (L.)) and bladder-nut (Staphylea pinnata (L.)) - mysteriousplants with unusual applications.Cultural and ethnobotanical studiesAlicja Zemanek, Bogdan Zemanek, Piotr Klepacki and Jacek MadejaThe poppy (Papaver) in old Polish botanical literature andculturePer Arvid ÅsenPlants of possible monastic origin, growing in the past or present,at medieval monastery grounds in NorwayDagfinn MoeFew, but useful garden plants known from Norwegian summer-farmsPer Harald Salvesen and Birgit KanzBoxwood cultivars in old gardens in NorwayDagfinn Moe, Per Haral

2009 - Plants and Man in the urban environment: the history of the city of Ferrara (10th - 16th cent. A.D.) through its archaeobotanical records [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

An overview of the archaeobotanical analyses carried out on material from archaeological sites of the city of Ferrara (Emilia-Romagna; 10th – 16th cent. A.D.), made by the Laboratory of Palynology and Palaeobotany of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia during over 15 years of research, is presented. The floristic list from seed/fruit analyses is reported, and interesting subject matters are tackled concerning both cultivated/cultivable plants (fruits and nuts, vegetables/aromatics/spices/medicinal plants, fibre and oil plants, cereals and pulses, flower and other ornamental plants), and wild plants not obviously used, together with plants of wet grounds, which represent rare and endangered species in the Emilia-Romagna region today.

2009 - Polline giallo: la palinologia applicata alle scienze forensi [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda
abstract

This paper is an overview of the principles and perspectives of Forensic Palynology, largely based on both general palynological assumptions and on the knowledge and experiences that the major international experts in this subject, Dallas Mildenhall, Patricia Wiltshire and Vaughn Bryant, shared in the last international congresses. In this moment, they are the few experts which spend time expressively to divulgate this science. They are actually involved in the investigations and surveys about criminal facts by the Security Forces, respectively, of New Zealand, Great Britain and USA.Pollen grains are a great survey’s instrument, but although this subject is treated since fifty years or longer, the two first Forensic Palynology International Meetings were held in 2004. Mildenhall and his colleagues underline the fact that main questions on this subject are: “How this science works, which are its rules, and why the use of forensic palynology in a systematic way is so important”. In general, two main features bring pollen analysis to be a very valuable tool in different research and applicative fields: a) each species has a typical pollen morphology; b) pollen grains have a very resistant external wall, the exine. Only fire and oxidation can completely destroy pollen grains, while the microbiological attack and the wet variations in the substrate can hard on or get the exine thinner. A Reference Pollen Collection must support the pollen identification. Basic assumptions for correct interpretation come from both knowledge on botany, and on pollen production and transport characteristic of each species. Archaeological and palaeoclimatic recontructions, air and food quality control are partly based on pollen analysis. Experiences in these fields give to the forensic palynologist the possibility to be supported in his analysis by a theoretical and methodological background, useful to follow the pollen traces in forensic cases. The continuative involving in forensic cases for pollen sampling and analysis could drive the interpretation quality to higher levels. Collecting data analysis, pollen lists and spectra bring information about plant sources linking them with persons, events, places and seasons. This helps to answer the questions of “where?” and “when?” a crime has been committed.Moreover, palynology is a multidisciplinary science, and can give more detailed answers when it is complementary used with other sciences like geology, biology, meteorology, legal medicine, etc... As important instrument of crime solving would be used like one element of the Environmental Profiling. A forensic palynologist has to perfectly know the crime scene or the place of finding, and has to personally sample on the field some control samples, having a perfect knowledge about the sampling scene and objects. Comparison of pollen spectra from different samples is the base of palynological investigation. The more samples will be examined the more detailed pollen interpretation will be performed.So, the aspect that bring more difficulties to the systematic use of pollen analysis in the criminal investigations is the correct sampling problem and the presence of a palynologist on the crime scene. Palynology follows the Evidential Paradigm assuming that it is possible to infer a whole history by few elements, and the analysis must be trained without preconceptions, because the information that pollen analysis will bring is unpredictable. Pollen spectrum can afford remarkable information, but frequently the more interesting inferences come from abundant, or clustered, or in generally key evidence, pollen.In this paper, some case examples of pollen as important clue helping the investigations are reported such as the ‘yellow rains’, or the pollen marker of displacements or travels, witness of aggressions or robberies. Moreover, how the palynological method from other applicative fields, such as archaeobotany

2009 - Ricostruzione ambientale del territorio della Valle del Bradano in età ellenistica (Basilicata orientale) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Florenzano, Assunta; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Roubis, D.
abstract

2009 - Seeds and fruits from Takarkori rockshelter (central Sahara, Libya): morphological and DNA analysis. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Olmi, Linda; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Gilbert, T.; DI LERNIA, S.
abstract

Archaeobotanical studies on macro-remains and pollen, carried out within a multidisciplinary research framework, provided information on the past human-environment relationships and on the Holocene landscape evolution of Central Sahara. This has been repetitively obtained by the studies on rockshelters and caves which are widely distributed in this desert region. The site of Takarkori is a large rockshelter with a well preserved stratigraphic series located in the Acacus Mts. (south-western Libya, central Sahara), not far from the Algerian border. It represents an important source of information about the past Saharan environment and the human-plant relationships in that area. The archaeological excavation of this site (<Italian-Libyan Archaeological Mission in the Acacus and Messak> University of Rome “La Sapienza”, www.acacus.it) were carried out from 2003 to 2006 over a surface of ca. 120 square metres and brought to light occupation layers radiocarbon dated between ca. 4500 and 8600 uncal. years bp. It hosts a 1.6 m thick archaeological deposit including structures, fireplaces and 15 burials of women and childs buried near the shelter wall.During the excavation 85 accumulation of plants (called “spot”) were listed and about 50 of them contain only carpological macroremains and will be useful for investigations on wild cereals. All these carpological spot samples were calculated by weight and volume; a preliminary analysis on the content was done. Spot analysis of the most interesting (for content and/or position in the archaeological site) is in progress and preliminary data are available. In the Centre for Ancient DNA Research of the University of Copenhagen, the extraction of ancient DNA was carried out on records from three spot samples. Many were the initial doubts about the preservation of DNA material so old (two of the spot samples are dated 8000 uncal. years bp; one is dated ca. 6000-5500 uncal. years bp) and stored in dry condition, but the excellent state of preservation (most of spikelets were wholly intact) has yet to find well-preserved DNA (only one sample did not work). Most of DNA sequences agree with the identifications made on the basis of morphological analysis.

2009 - The archaeobotanical analysis [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Analisi archeobotaniche (pollini, semi/frutti, legni/carboni) e la loro interpretazione per la realizzazione del Parco Archeologico della Terramara di Montale

2009 - Writing history through plants as a means of recovering a common culture. the example of PaCE Project (Culture Programme 2007-2013) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Sadori, Laura; J., Madeja; D., Moe; J. P., Morel; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; M., Giardini; A., Masi; I., Massamba Nsiala; Olmi, Linda; P. H., Salvesen
abstract

Not considering Identity and Globalisation as antithetic and contradictory words is one of the striking challenges of the present century. Scientists deal with evidence to document our cultural roots, evidence that can be regarded either as different features or as similarities between people from different countries. Plants are an exceptional medium for observing identity and globalization of food, exploitation of natural resources for different uses, and popular traditions. Since 2007, the team of botanists and archaeologists of the PaCE project have jointly operated in this direction working on the Intercultural Dialogue (European Year 2008) under the call 09/2006 of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). PaCE - ‘peace’ in Italian, ‘rhythm’ in English - is the acronym for ‘Plants and Culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe’, a Culture Programme 2007-2013 project promoting the recovering and dissemination of the green cultural heritage common to Europe. The project promotes joint actions based on an innovative partnership among universities, research institutions and museums involving countries from North, East, South and West Europe: Italy, Poland, Norway and Spain as partners, were supported by institutions from Bulgaria, England, France, Hungary, Greece, Romania, San Marino, and Turkey. The leaves of box (Buxus sempervirens L.) were drawn in the project logo (in the figure): the plant is well known today, mainly because it is excellent for hedging, but its history as a plant useful to humans goes far back. For the Ancient Greeks, box was a symbol of life, sacred to Pluto, while in northern European countries, it is a plant of peace, used in Palm Sunday traditions. The PaCE project has developed scientific knowledge on the significance of plants in human life, in a diachronical vision, using the language of archaeobotany and ethnobotany. The main researches contribution presented data from the history of useful plants (for example, box-Buxus, peach-Prunus persica, purslane-Portulaca oleracea), key archaeological sites (Rome and its vicinity, Budapest, Ferrara, Pompei), popular practices (leaf-throwing-Phyllobolia from ancient Greece) and the value of trees and scented herbs in symbolic and religious sphere. The project has focused on the links between plants and culture in its research and popularization activities: i) a scientific research network and printing of a scientific book (1); ii) a dissemination network for the popularization of this theme, providing plant history and traditions in the languages and cultures of Europe; iii) a web-site and an exhibition realised as joint actions. This project translates intercultural dialogue on the scientific and humanistic cultural heritage of Europe into a concrete action in the form of the PaCE trans-European exhibition, that proves a simple, visible way of getting the message of intercultural dialogue across to people at all levels. A total of 80 posters, realised by research groups from eleven countries, and translated into ten languages, were housed at 23 locations of Europe. The complete list of partners and associated partners, the virtual exhibition and free downloading of scientific papers are available in the project website: www.plants-culture.unimore.it.(1) Morel J.-P., A.M. Mercuri (eds), 2009 – Plants and Culture: seeds of the cultural heritage of Europe. Centro Europeo per i Beni Culturali Ravello, Edipuglia Bari.

2008 - A tale of precipitation and growth of giant selenite crystals within the caves of Naica (Chiuhahua, Mexico) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
P. S., Garofalo; M., Fricker; D., Günther; P., Forti; S. E., Lauritzen; Mercuri, Anna Maria; M., Loreti
abstract

dati di inclusioni fluide e polline dai cristalli giganti di Naica, Messico

2008 - A tale of precipitation and groth of giant selenite crystals within the caves of Naica (Chihahua, Mexico) [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
P. S., Garofalo; M., Fricker; D., Gunther; P., Forti; S. E., Lauritzen; Mercuri, Anna Maria; M., Loreti
abstract

The caves located within the Pb-Zn mine of Naica (Chiuhahua, Mexico) constitute a unique karstic environment because they lack a direct interconnection with the surface environment, and because they host exceptionally big selenite crystals (>10m in length). We report on an ongoing multidisciplinary study that considers the entire extent of the cave system and that is based on a large set of fluid inclusion, isotopic, and palynological data. This data set is used to propose a genetic model of the giant crystals.

2008 - Analisi polliniche a Cà di Rigo – Tratti del paesaggio vegetale al VI-IV sec. a.C. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Trevisan Grandi, G.; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, M.
abstract

Analisi polliniche nel sito di Cà di Rigo

2008 - Archeopalinologia e contesti di culto: il polline come testimone di pratiche rituali [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Secondo una definizione di FAEGRI et alii (1989), Archeopalinologia è l’analisi pollinica dell’ambiente umano, espressione che racchiude i due oggetti principali della sua indagine: polline e uomo. La relazione uomo-piante e l’evoluzione del paesaggio vegetale sono i temi preminenti che essa studia attraverso il recupero e l’identificazione del polline in siti archeologici e altri tipi di deposito datati per lo più all’Olocene, cioè gli ultimi 11.000 anni, e talvolta anche in periodi più antichi.La lezione presenta casi noti e meno noti di utilità dei resti pollinici per mettere in luce pratiche cultuali in contesti del passato. Comunicazione su invito tenuta il 28-29 giugno 2002, Convento dei Domenicani - Cavallino, Lecce

2008 - Climate, Geoarchaeological and Bioarchaeological Practices, Landscape Archaeology: data to evaluate the use and the transformation of a Monastic Site (Jure Vetere, Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
D., Roubis; F., Sogliani; M., Lazzari; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

ricerca ultidisciplinare sulla ricostruzione archeoambientale del monastero di Jure Vetere in Sila - Calabria

2008 - Climate, Geoarchaeological and Bioarchaeological practices, Landscape Archaeology. Data to evaluate the use and the transformation of a monastic site (Jure Vetere, Italy). [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Roubis, D.; Sogliani, F.; Lazzari, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This work is a multidisciplinary research project started on the archaeological site of Jure Vetere (Calabria region, southern Italy). The excavation area is located on Sila Grande mountain (1100 m a.s.l.), 5 km west of San Giovanni in Fiore, where between the end of the XII century and the first decades of the XIII century a monastic settlement rose. The archaeological research, carried out by IBAM-CNR on the site, made evident a huge ecclesiastical building that features two different phases. What should be pointed out is that, thanks to the multi-disciplinary approach applied to a “Landscape Archaeology” research, important information was collected due to the study of archaeological finds, written sources, ethnoarchaeological data, photo-interpretations, geological and geopedological research, pollen, botanic and archaeometric analysis. The processed data helps us recognize the main areas where the materials came from, and the analysis carried out on the GIS enables us to understand the dislocation of the different types of soil that could be exploited around the site, during the medieval period. The palynological study, from layers deposited in phases which preceded or were coeval to the life time of the monastery, provided the basis for the reconstruction of the ancient plant landscape of the site where the monastery was founded, and supplied the knowledge of the exploitation of plant resources by monks in the short period of occupancy of the site. Burned pollen grains and microcharcoal, frequently observed in the slides, allowed us to add the information about fires, to this environmental reconstruction. These were clearly represented in the samples by the monastery, but became more dramatically evident in the phase of the monastery occupation mainly reflecting the fire which destroyed the first building in 1214. Particular attention has been directed to the analysis of pedological horizons, burying the medieval building and its immediate neighbouring land, in order to evaluate its main characters and define the pedogenetic and geomorphic processes coeval of the soil formation, which still less define the agrarian applications which assure subsistence to the religious community. The study integrated with climate data has permitted us to correlate the history of this settlement with the different evolutive phases of the landscape, closely connected to the local and global climatic conditions coeval of the monastic settlement. Climatic inferences, by comparison with literature, were mainly suggested by pollen of Olea, Fagus and Abies. Within the Medieval Climatic Optimum, the period of life of the monks at Jure Vetere, should have occurred at the onset of a wetter and colder climatic deterioration.

2008 - Dalle indagini archeopalinologiche alla divulgazione e valorizzazione [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; E. P., Canevese; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; R., Merlo; D., Mior; F., Terranova; A., Valenti
abstract

Proposte per la creazione di materiali divulgativi e per la creazione di un parco storico-archeologico nell'area del teatro greco-romano di Taormina

2008 - Human influence, plant landscape, evolution and climate inferences from the archaeobotanical records of the Wadi Teshuinat area (Libyan Sahara) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Central Sahara rock shelters offer an early and middle Holocene environmentalreconstruction. This paper summarises palynological research carried out within amultidisciplinary archaeological research project on the Wadi Teshuinat area (TadrartAcacus Mts., in south-western Fezzan, Libya). The sites were occupied by hunter-gathererand pastoralist cultures. On-site pollen data, treated as a single ‘regional site’, showed thatdifferent pollen stratigraphies and flora characterised the past phases. Plant macroremainsalso helped to understand local plant exploitation and landscape evolution.Pollen spectra showed the following climate oscillations: wet and cool (approx.8800–8250 cal. BC), dry and warm (approx. 7920–7520 cal. BC), wet (approx. 7550–7200 cal. BC), dry (approx. 6340–6210 cal. BC—geoarchaeological evidence), wet andwarm (approx. 6250–4300 cal. BC, including a wetter and warmer phase at approx.5500–4600 cal. BC); dry and warm (approx. 4250–2900 cal. BC); drier and warm (approx.2900–1600 cal. BC, up to the present). Since the early Holocene, both climatic andanthropic factors have played an important and strictly interconnected role intransforming the environment. Thus, while subsistence strategies were adjusting toclimatic and environmental changes, the plant landscape was also being slowly andcontinuously shaped by humans.

2008 - Lakeside Cemeteries in the Sahara: 5000 Years of Holocene Population and Environmental Change [Articolo su rivista]
P. C., Sereno; E. A. A., Garcea; H., Jousse; C. M., Stojanowski; J. F., Saliège; A., Maga; O. A., Ide; K. J., Knudson; Mercuri, Anna Maria; T. W., Stafford; Jr, ; T. G., Kaye; C., Giraudi; I., Massamba N'siala; E., Cocca; H. M., Moots; D. B., Dutheil; J. P., Stivers
abstract

Background: Approximately two hundred human burials were discovered on the edge of a paleolake in Niger that providea uniquely preserved record of human occupation in the Sahara during the Holocene (,8000 B.C.E. to the present). CalledGobero, this suite of closely spaced sites chronicles the rapid pace of biosocial change in the southern Sahara in response tosevere climatic fluctuation.Methodology/Principal Findings: Two main occupational phases are identified that correspond with humid intervals in theearly and mid-Holocene, based on 78 direct AMS radiocarbon dates on human remains, fauna and artifacts, as well as 9 OSLdates on paleodune sand. The older occupants have craniofacial dimensions that demonstrate similarities with mid-Holocene occupants of the southern Sahara and Late Pleistocene to early Holocene inhabitants of the Maghreb. Theirhyperflexed burials compose the earliest cemetery in the Sahara dating to ,7500 B.C.E. These early occupants abandon thearea under arid conditions and, when humid conditions return ,4600 B.C.E., are replaced by a more gracile people withelaborated grave goods including animal bone and ivory ornaments.Conclusions/Significance: The principal significance of Gobero lies in its extraordinary human, faunal, and archaeologicalrecord, from which we conclude the following:(1) The early Holocene occupants at Gobero (7700–6200 B.C.E.) were largely sedentary hunter-fisher-gatherers withlakeside funerary sites that include the earliest recorded cemetery in the Sahara.(2) Principal components analysis of craniometric variables closely allies the early Holocene occupants at Gobero with askeletally robust, trans-Saharan assemblage of Late Pleistocene to mid-Holocene human populations from the Maghreband southern Sahara.(3) Gobero was abandoned during a period of severe aridification possibly as long as one millennium (6200–5200 B.C.E).(4) More gracile humans arrived in the mid-Holocene (5200–2500 B.C.E.) employing a diversified subsistence economybased on clams, fish, and savanna vertebrates as well as some cattle husbandry.(5) Population replacement after a harsh arid hiatus is the most likely explanation for the occupational sequence at Gobero.(6) We are just beginning

2008 - MUSEI DA GUSTARE: ORTO BOTANICOaprile 2008Orto Botanico [Esposizione]
Mazzanti, Marta; Dallai, Daniele; Barbieri, Giovanna; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Giardini delle fattorie estive norvegesi e Orti dei fari - prof. Dagfinn Moe (Università di Bergen - Norvegia) con A.M. MercuriFoglie per tutti i gusti - laboratorio scientifico-creativo - dott.ssa G. Barbieri in collaborazione con Istituto Statale d'Arte A. Venturi di ModenaIl mirtillo (Vaccinium myrtillus L.); lo gustiamo, ma lo conosciamo davvero? - prof. M. Bandini Mazzanti

2008 - On-site pollen data from Takarkori rockshelter: inferences on the Holocene landscape of the Central Sahara [Abstract in Rivista]
Olmi, Linda; Mercuri, Anna Maria; S., Biagetti; S., DI LERNIA
abstract

Archaeobotanical studies on pollen and macro-remains, carried out within a multidisciplinary research framework, provided information on the past human-environment relationships and on the Holocene landscape evolution of Central Sahara. This has been repetitively obtained by the studies on rockshelters and caves which are widely distributed in this desert region. The site of Takarkori is a large rockshelter with a well preserved stratigraphic series located in the Acacus Mts. (south-western Libya, central Sahara), not far from the Algerian border. The excavations were carried out from 2003 to 2006 over a surface of ca. 120 square metres, and brought to light occupation levels radiocarbon dated between ca. 4500 and 8900 uncal. years bp. A sounding was done in the northern part of the site, in order to check the entire sequence. Here, around 140 cm of sandy sediment were excavated, testifying for a human occupation related to Late Acacus (“Mesolithic”), and to Early and Middle Pastoral Neolithic contexts. The palynological sequence has been mainly sampled on the southern wall of the sounding. There are 5 units, from the top containing different quantities of undecomposed straw, coprolites and hearths (Units I and II, Middle Pastoral), and then humified and loose layers (from Unit III-Early Pastoral, to Unit IV-V-Late Acacus). As the Early Pastoral and the Late Pastoral layers are not well preserved in this part of the site, other sediment samples have been collected in specific contexts, in order to balance this bias. The on-site pollen series consists of 30 samples. Pollen was common and better preserved in the bottom samples, from 80 to 140 cm deep, than in others. Pollen clusters, especially of Poaceae, phytoliths and microcharcoals were common. The pollen list includes about 90 taxa, representing a fairly high biodiversity. Obviously, most pollen was transported and accumulated into the shelter by humans. Nevertheless, the anthropogenic pollen accumulation is well distinguishable as generally concentrations are very high. In the different samples, main changes in the pollen list match changes in the local flora. Moreover, pollen curves of Poaceae and Chenopodiaceae clearly mark the decrease of savanna and the increase of desert communities in this region of Central Sahara, at the passage from the early Holocene towards the latest part of the middle Holocene. Studies on seeds/fruits, wood/charcoal, coprolites, plant ropes and baskets support the landscape reconstructions obtained by pollen spectra.

2008 - Palynology applied to Forensic Sciences: principles and examples [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Forensic Palynology is still often considered a quite new discipline but its first applications go back to the ’50s (Erdtman, 1969). Since then, and particularly in the last years, the study of pollen and spores from crime scenes and in criminalistic cases has known an endless development (Bryant et al., 1996; Mildhenhall et al., 2006a). Pollen evidence was frequently reported as an important witness to criminalistic case solving, and a versatile investigation tool in many offences such as homicides (Milne, 1998), human remain concealment (Szibor et al., 1998), kidnapping (Mariotti Lippi and Mercuri, in press), robbing (Mildenhall, 1998), drug enforcement (Mildhenhall et al., 2006b). "Pollen fingerprint" is specific for every kind of crime and obtainable by both sampling on the body and in the environment. Forensic Palynology is part of Forensic Botany, and would be managed by a botanist (Miller Coyle, 2005). It has roots in Palynology, with which it shares both the object of study (pollen, spores plus other palynomorphs), and the basic principles for sampling, and sample processing, analysis and interpretation. However, sampling procedure and processing may require specific behavioural rules and different treatments to isolate and fix pollen from diverse substrata and in different situations. Main aim of Forensic Palynology is to answer the questions of “where?” and “when?” a crime has been made.Records reflect the environment where the parent plants and fungi live, and more various and abundant are the pollen records, more precise and unambiguous will be the environmental picture. If a significant number of records is found, the palynologist is able to assess the pollen spectra of the case. Pollen types with their percentage (or concentration) values can be grouped in groupings useful for interpretation (for example, trees, shrubs, herbs, aquatics, exotics, cultivated plants, etc.). The pollen spectrum, obtained for example from the body of a suspected or victim, will bring pollen marks of the environment where the person has passed through, thus giving useful and sometimes key information for crime investigation. Less frequently, it also reveals the season of death.At the state of the art, the interest of police forces and investigators for this science is rapidly increasing, and interdisciplinary workshops and conferences dealing with Forensic Palynology are more frequent. But the search for pollen evidence in criminal cases is still far to be routinely applied. Some problems are main obstacle to the real development of this science: 1) Palynologists would be involved in police investigations since the first phase, but actually they were commonly excluded by key procedures such as the inspection of the crime scene. 2) It should be give more possibility to experts to disseminate the sampling and treatment modalities, and the results obtained from pollen analyses in cases that were resolved; also, scientific papers must be published. 3) Specific experimental studies should be made to simulate and reproduce false-criminal events, and to observe the pollen spectra obtained. Scientific papers on actual and experimental cases will encourage more scientists to carry out these analyses, and will improve the set of reference data useful for reasonable comparative interpretations.Some recent meetings on Forensic Palynology have notably improved the interest of experts and the exchange of experiences. The continuative involving in forensic cases for pollen sampling and analysis could drive interpretation to finer levels. In this paper, some examples of pollen clues which had helped the investigations are reported, such as the strange case of the ‘yellow rains’, the silent marker of displacements and travels, the invisible witness of aggressions and robberies. Moreover, how the method assessed from other applicative fields of palynology, such as archaeobotany and melissopalynology, is

2008 - Plant exploitation and ethnopalynological evidence from the Wadi Teshuinat area (Tadrart Acacus, Libyan Sahara) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Pollen analyses of 13 archaeological sites in the Wadi Teshuinat area, in southwestern Fezzan, Libya, were synthesised to explore the potentialcontribution of palynological investigation to archaeological research in this area. During the Holocene, the sites were occupied by pre-Pastoral (hunteregatherers) and Pastoral (pastoralists) cultures. Different pollen stratigraphies and floras characterised the diverse sites and therelevant cultural phases. Pollen data were reported by discussing the sites separately, and by combining them to interpret the regional data set.Emphasis was made on the anthropogenic pollen indicators and grasses, including large grass pollen grains (>40 mm), which were consideredevidence of plant transport into the site. These were ethnobotanical markers, human-made evidence of plant harvesting by hunteregatherers, orof animal breeding by pastoralists. The disappearance of some wild cereals was also observed, consistent with increasing climate dryness andland exploitation. Macroremains were used as a parallel tool to better understand plant exploitation in the region.

2008 - Plants and Culture in the history of Europe8-30 Novembre 2008Foro Boario - Modena [Esposizione]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C., Ferrarini; F., Cepelli; Bosi, Giovanna; Olmi, Linda; Mazzanti, Marta; Serventi, Paolo; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Rinaldi, Rossella; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Torri, Paola
abstract

2008 - Pollen as indicator of food consumption from the archaeological sites of the Wadi Teshuinat area (Tadrart Acacus, Libyan Sahara) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Olmi, Linda; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella
abstract

Palynology applied to archaeological sciences puts particular emphasis on the pollen produced by plants handled during human activities. In fact, the palynology of archaeological sites (on-site spectra) helps to recognize anthropogenic pollen, and to investigate the human role in exploiting or changing the plant cover near the site. As pollen is mainly transported into the site by humans, and in general only a minor part arrives by air or water, high percentages or concentrations of pollen are indicative of transport of organic matter, including both collections of plants and faeces containing pollen from eaten plants. This poster presents the list of pollen from archaeological sites, and related to food consumption by humans and their domestic animals. 13 archaeological sites were investigated, all of which are located in the Tadrart Acacus, a mountainous area of the Fezzan, in South-Western Libya, and date to the early and middle Holocene. A relationship between pollen accumulation and food plants is evident from the pollen spectra. Emphasis was made on the anthropogenic pollen indicators and grasses. Macroremains of wild cereals (mainly millets such Brachiaria, Urochloa, Panicum, etc.) are particularly abundant in the deposits, and were used as a parallel tool to better understand plant exploitation in this region. During the Holocene, the sites were occupied by pre-Pastoral (hunter-gatherers) and Pastoral (pastoralists) cultures. Different pollen stratigraphies and floras characterised the diverse sites and the relevant cultural phases. At the early Holocene, hunter-gatherers harvested plants for food and, less commonly, for fodder (mainly Panicum type, Artemisia and Typha); at the middle Holocene, pastoralists occupied the sites, and a large part of the deposits were filled with a few wild cereals and many domestic animal excrements (therefore, pollen of grasses, including wild cereals, and Echium were frequent in the spectra).

2008 - Pollen high-resolution record of Dansgaard-Oeschger variability in the Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean) [Abstract in Rivista]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria; A., Piva; F., Trincardi; R. R., Schneider
abstract

Long ice and marine cores reveal a more complete view of the range of climate variability and associated biotic responses, allowing the monitoring of long term trends in the character of this variability. Oxygen isotope records from Greenland ice cores indicate numerous rapid climate fluctuations during the last glacial period: there was first defined the record of high frequency Daansgard-Oeschger climate variability. More recently, evidence of these short-term oscillations was found also in the Western Mediterranean (Alboran Sea and Gulf of Lions) marine records. The multi-proxy study of very expanded successions of marine sediments within EC-EUROSTRATAFORM project allows, for the first time in the Adriatic basin the recognition of high frequency oscillations during the last 70 ka. The semi-enclosed, land-locked nature of the Adriatic Sea plays a key role in amplifying the intensity of the climate variations, making them evident in different cores. The paleoenvironmental meaning of these Adriatic oscillations is particularly significant, considering the important role of this basin in ventilating the eastern Mediterranean through the production of dense water masses. The pollen evidence of these high resolution climate variability records found good results mainly in continental lacustrine contests. This study presents a pollen dataset reflecting the climate changes in Central Mediterranean marine records, placing emphasis on the moisture and temperature variation effects on the pollen represented vegetation. In the studied cores, Artemisia is one of the most representative taxa to monitor the cold and dry oscillations during the last glaciation. The study of Daansgard-Oeschger cyclicity in Adriatic cores located in different water depths is investigated with an integrated approach: as pollen, other independent proxies are studied and correlated, like planktic and benthic foraminifera and oxygen stable isotopes; moreover, the chronology is constrained by several 14C AMS dates and by tephro-stratigraphic and oxygen stable isotopes indications.

2008 - Prime analisi polliniche a San Marino - Poggio Castellano (Età del Bronzo finale) [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Trevisan, Giuliana; Bosi, Giovanna
abstract

Primi dati su analisi polliniche da Poggio Castellano (San Marino), Età del Bronzo

2008 - Primi risultati dell’analisi speleopalinologica nella “Grotta delle Vacche” - Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
M., Loreti; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Gli autori riportano i primi risultati di un’analisi palinologica condotta nella Grotta delle Vacche (L’Aquila), sita all’interno del Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo a 1520 m s.l.m. (coordinate di Monte Mario-Roma: Long. 1° 15’ 29,4’’, Lat. 41° 52’ 10,8’’). Tale ricerca ha avuto come obiettivo l’individuazione di materiale pollinico depositato all’interno dei sedimenti presenti nella cavità, allo scopo di raccogliere elementi utili alla ricostruzione delle vicende paleofloristiche e paleoambientali nelle vicinanze del sito. Sono stati esaminati tre campioni – basso, intermedio e alto - provenienti da altrettanti strati rinvenuti in sequenza verticale nella Sala del Lago. I campioni basso e alto sono risultati sterili. Il campione intermedio ha presentato un contenuto pollinico sufficiente ad ottenere i primi dati qui presentati. Il polline ha permesso di ottenere una lista floristica piuttosto ricca e diversificata che include una prevalenza di taxa erbacei (24), quasi doppia rispetto a quelli legnosi (14). Si tratta di generi appartenenti a varie comunità boschive (querceto, faggeta, bosco igrofilo), a praterie, a specchi e corsi d’acqua. Queste comunità dovevano essere distribuite attorno al sito studiato, probabilmente in fasce vegetazionali diverse esistenti nell’area della Grotta.

2008 - Reconstruction of past cultural landscapes and human-related environmental changes using palynological and archaeobotanical records [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori
abstract

presentazione del simposio n° 39, organizzato dalle autrici su due girnate (e 61 contributi) al 12th International Palynological Congress and 8th International Organisation of Palaeobotany ConferenceCultural landscape reconstruction based on integrated micro- and macro-remains studies is one of the last challenges for palynologists and archaeobotanists. The knowledge of past environments is of crucial help for archaeologists and historians. A correct and adapted sampling strategy is at the base of every scientific investigation in archaeological sites, but a univocal protocol cannot be assessed. Recent studies point out that archaeobotanical sampling has to be not only carried out in the case of visible records, but should be carefully searched in “anthropic” layers. It appears clear that all known techniques for past plants recovery and analysis should be applied on the same samples. Distinguishing signs of anthropic action, influence and impact by means of not-intentional or intentional plant management can be achieved not only by approaching the problem within a multidisciplinary framework, but also by parallel studies carried out both on pollen and macro-remains. The two data sets supply in fact a more complete picture of past green landscapes. Pollen, micro-charcoal, and other palynomorph records from the archaeological sites are an invaluable tool to follow the diachronical succession of events, and for studying the onset and evolution of cultural landscapes. The palynology of archaeological sites offers detailed studies, which can be very useful in environmental archaeology, to assess the relevance of the human influence on different environments and the extent of land use. Plant macroremains often allow specific determinations and both palaeoecological and ethnobotanical inferences. Besides being a useful local reference, they are fundamental in disentangling, at least on a regional scale, if environmental changes are human or climate induced. Studies from archaeological layers (on-site), and sediment cores (off-site) close to archaeological sites, recording human-related environmental changes, have repetitively revealed that human-induced environmental changes are quite clearly visible at least from the Neolithic onwards. Many examples from European and extra-European countries are reported, one time more testifying that the sampling and analytic methodology goes besides the geographical boundaries.

2008 - Symposium n. 39 'Reconstruction of past cultural landscapes and human-related environmental changes using palynological and archeobotanical records'of the 12th International Palynological Congress and 8th International Organisation of Palaeobotany Conference (30 August-5 September 2008, Bonn, Germany) [Esposizione]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori
abstract

Conveners of Symposium n° 39: MERCURI and SADORI; coordinator and organizations of the 12th IPC: THOMAS LITT.This symposium aims to strengthen the importance of parallel studies both on pollen and macroremains; the two data sets supply in fact a more complete picture of past green landscapes. The session will deal with archaeobotanical studies related to archaeological sites focusing on the evolution of the cultural landscape, and strengthening the importance of parallel studies both on microremains (mainly pollen, but also micro-charcoals, phytolits and diatoms), and macroremains (seeds/fruits, wood/charcoal, leaves) to obtain a more complete picture of past green landscapes. Studies from archaeological layers (on-site), and sediment cores (off-site) close to archaeological sites, recording human-related environmental changes are included. The proposed time period ranges from the Early to the Late Holocene, but key-contributions of different ages are welcome as well. Contributions are urged from all countries, searching for human behaviour similarities and dissimilarities in different environments. Archaeobotany strongly calls for the cooperative research of palynologists and palaeobotanists to enhance and enforce the potentialities of the two approaches. In fact, pollen, micro-charcoal, and other palynomorph records from the archaeological sites are an invaluable tool to follow the diachronical succession of events, and for studying the onset and evolution of cultural landscapes. Plant macroremains offer details on specific determinations and palaeoecological/ethnobotanical inferences. Besides being a useful local reference, they are fundamental in disentangling, at least on a regional scale, if environmental changes are human or climate induced. The palynology of archaeological sites offers detailed studies, which can be very useful in environmental archaeology, to assess the relevance of the human influence on different environments and the extension of land use.

2008 - The Mid - Holocene climate oscillations and cultural trajectories in Mediterranean and Saharan areas [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

climate change and cultural trakectories in Italian and Libyan Sahara arcaheological sites

2008 - 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. [Abstract in Rivista]
Bosi, Giovanna; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Marchesini, Marco; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; P., Bigi; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Pollen, seeds/fruits and woods/charcoals for archaeoenvironment recostruction in Fiorina di Domagnano site (Repubblica di San Marino, 3th cent. BC - 6th cent. AD)A multidisciplinary archaeobotanical investigation (pollen, seeds/fruits, woods/charcoals – EU PaCE project) has been carried out for reconstructing the landscape of Fiorina di Domagnano (260 m asl) renown for its Ostrogothic Treasure (late 5th-early 6th cent.AD). 13 pollen samples belonging to 5 layers cover the phases preceding the onset of the site (before the 3rd cent. BC), and the time it was inhabited (till the 6th cent.AD). Seeds/fruits and most of woods (including hand-made objects)/charcoals were collected from a Roman well secondarily used by Gothic people (6th cent.AD). Pollen data showed that, prior to the onset of the settlement, a conifer forest grew in the area. Traces of cultivations were absent. At the establishment of a Roman rustic-productive settlement (1st cent.BC), forest cover drastically reduced, pollen of Olea, Juglans and Vitis was recorded, and cereal pollen was found in notable amount (>13%). A clear impact of the Roman settlement on the plant landscape, with cultivations in the area and possibly cereal processing in the site, is shown by pollen. Later, a residential house was built (1st cent.AD), and accordingly cultivated trees increased and cereals decreased. When the Roman residential house declined (approximately 3rd cent.AD), cereals increased again. At the last phase, there was a rural Gothic building (6th cent.AD) in the site. The recovering of macroremains provided more detailed environmental reconstruction from this phase. The cultural landscape included grazing open areas, and cultivations of cereals (Hordeum vulgare and Triticum), Olea europaea, Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera. The high presence of cereal pollen, and the pips and olive endocarps broken by pressing suggest that agricultural products were processed in the site. Anthemis tinctoria (about 9% of the carpological record) was perhaps used for dye works. Other useful plants were grown around the building (e.g., Ficus carica, Juglans regia, Pinus pinea, Taxus baccata). There were kitchen gardens (e.g., Coriandrum sativum, Fragaria vesca, Melissa officinalis, Papaver somniferum, Portulaca oleracea, Vicia faba) with some fruit trees (e.g., Malus domestica, Pyrus communis, Prunus domestica subsp. insititia). Also, there were wet environments with Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lemna, Najas minor, Nymphaea alba, Phragmites, Zannichellia palustris, etc. Woods were in the background, not far from the site, including hygrophilous or deciduous oak wood, and beach wood with conifers.

2008 - Vegetation and Plant Use at Gobero (Central Niger) inferred from Pollen [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella
abstract

Pollen is generally known to be an effective tool to reconstruct plant landscape evolution, as it permits to study diachronically environmental changes. Within the multidisciplinary studies carried out at the archaeological site of Gobero, palynological analyses can help to reconstruct past environments giving details on the flora and vegetation cover of this Saharan region during the early and middle Holocene. Moreover, in archaeological contexts, as in the case of Gobero, pollen can provide information on the past relationships between human populations and the environment. During the 2006 field season, pollen samples were collected from spot areas in the burials in the G1 and G3 cemeteries, and from a short sequence in the Gobero Paleolake (GO1), a desiccated lake near the burial sites. Pollen spectra reflect low biodiversity and were dominated by Sahelian taxa (Poaceae + Cyperaceae), whereas Saharan taxa (Chenopodiaceae + Asteraceae) were less represented. Data from the burials give fairly concordant information on the Gobero plant landscape which, at the time of use of the cemetery, was largely an open environment, herb-dominated by grassland or shrubland vegetation. Several hydrophytes and algal elements (Concentrycistes) testify to the presence of permanent water, such as ponds or lakes, and the presence of fresh water environments in the area.

2007 - African pollen database inventory of tree and shrub pollen types [Articolo su rivista]
A., Vincens; A. M., Lézine; G., Bucheta; D., Lewden; A., LE THOMAS; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

African pollen data have been used in many empirical or quantitative palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. However, the pollen types used in these studies were not controlled and standardised, preventing the precise understanding of pollen–plant and pollen–climate relation that is necessary for the accurate quantification of continental scale climate change or ecological processes in the past. This paper presents a summary of the progress made with the African Pollen Database (APD) inventory of plant diversity from pollen data extracted from 276 fossil sites and more than 1500 modern samples, with a focus on tropical tree pollen types. This inventory (1145 taxa) gives, for each pollen taxon whose nomenclature is discussed, information on the habit, habitat and phytogeographical distribution of the plants they come from. Special attention has been paid to pollen types with similar morphology, which include several plant species or genera, whose biological or environmental parameters can differ considerably.

2007 - Archaopalynological investigations in Sicily (at Taormina, Piazza Armerina and Mozia) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; F., Terranova; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Dallai, Daniele; E., Manicardi; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; A., Valenti
abstract

The abstract refers on archaeopalynological researches carried out in Sicily thank to a collaboration between the CRPR and the Palynological Laboratory of Modena and Reggio Emilia University. Three sites were studied for pollen (the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, the submerged road of Mozia and the Medieval settlement of Piazza Armerina). The main features of the Natural and cultural vegetal landscape revealed by pollen so far are described.

2007 - Archeobotanica e alimentazione. Atti dell’Workshop di Firenze (18 dicembre, 2006) [Curatela]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Baroni, Roberta; M., MARIOTTI LIPPI
abstract

Nel dicembre del 2006, nel Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale dell’Università di Firenze, si è svolto l'incontro “Archeobotanica ealimentazione”, promosso e organizzato dal Gruppo di lavoro per la Paleobotanica (coordinatore Prof.ssa Marta Bandini Mazzanti – Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia), con l’adesione dal Gruppo di lavoro per la Palinologia (coordinatore Laura Sadori dell’Università di Roma ‘La Sapienza’) della Società Botanica Italiana.L’Archeobotanica, lo studio dei reperti botanici nei siti archeologici, lancia un ponte tra la prospettiva scientifica e quella umanistica, in una moderna visione non parcellata del sapere. La disciplina ha avuto una notevole crescita soprattutto negli ultimi anni, evidente nell’incremento della letteratura scientificae degli spazi ad essa dedicati nell’ambito di congressi/convegni nazionali e internazionali. Lo sviluppo dell’Archeobotanica, in particolare della Paletnobotanica, che più strettamente tende alla ricostruzione delle relazioni dinamiche tra uomo e vegetali, ha portato con sè un ampio interesse da un lato per la etnobotanica, e dall’altro per la prospezione botanica delle fonti scritte, dalperiodo classico a quello medievale/rinascimentale, e per la fitoiconologia. Le ricerche su queste tematiche forniscono spunti validi a chi studia e interpreta gli assemblaggi di micro- e macroreperti botanici, in particolare per tempi storici.Infatti oggi gli archeobotanici mirano ad una interpretazione sempre più articolata dei reperti, fondata sul concorso di varie discipline e di varie tecniche, per accertare l’impiego presunto delle piante e i processi che esse possono avere subito, per precisare i risvolti socio-economici e il livello culturale dicoloro a cui si deve, in toto o in parte, la “costruzione” dell’assemblaggio archeobotanico.E indiscutibilmente l’Archeobotanica dà un apporto informativo che, se è insostituibile per i tempi preistorici, resta sostanziale anche per i tempi storici, per risalire alle tradizioni culturali di un certo gruppo umano.L’incontro di Firenze, che ha riunito i ricercatori italiani, è stato unmomento proficuo di scambio di ricerche condotte sotto varie prospettive e in contesti diversi. La giornata ha toccato i seguenti temi: Rassegna di studi archeobotanici in Italia; Aspetti etnobotanici; Metodologie integrative; Ricerchearcheobotaniche in zone aride.

2007 - Cereali selvatici a Takarkori, sito del Tadrart Acacus - Sahara Libico: schede di alcuni macroresti da uno spot dell’Olocene Medio. [Articolo su rivista]
Olmi, Linda; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Buldrini, Fabrizio; Mariotti Lippi, M.; Di Lernia, S.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il lavoro presenta una serie di tavole descrittive di alcuni reperti mummificati di Paniceae provenienti dal riparo sotto roccia di Takarkori. Il sito archeologico è ubicato nell’area più meridionale del Tadrart Acacus libico, un massiccio montuoso del Sahara Centrale, al confine tra Libia e Algeria sud-occidentale. Le schede realizzate, utili per le determinazioni nelle future analisi archeobotaniche nell’area, si riferiscono a 6 generi/specie di Paniceae, che includono tra l’altro cereali selvatici ancor oggi raccolti in aree sahariane e saheliane: Echinochloa colona, Panicum sp., Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Urochloa panicoides, Brachiaria sp., e B. leersioides.

2007 - Human-plant relationships in the Garamantian culture (Fezzan, Libya, Central Sahara) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna
abstract

2007 - Il paesaggio vegetale di Jure Vetere prima e durante la vita del monastero medievale sulla base dei primi dati pollinici [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Ricostruzione dell'ambiente vegetale nel sito di Jure Vetere prima e durante la vita del monastero medievale attraverso le analisi polliniche

2007 - Immagine pollinica dell’Orto botanico di Modena: primi dati (piante legnose). [Abstract in Rivista]
Torri, Paola; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Dallai, Daniele; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Casini, C.; Vanzini, E.
abstract

Il progetto Scientifico/Didattico/Museale “Polline all’Orto Botanico di Modena”, già pianificato e in atto (1) include varie linee palinologiche tra cui la Briopalinologia. Per questa linea, è iniziata la fase scientifica con lo studio della pioggia pollinica deposta in cuscinetti muscinali, per valutare l’immagine pollinica della copertura legnosa dell’Orto. Su 59 campioni di muschio prelevati il 18.01.2005, è stata studiata una scelta di 20 campioni (ca 500 pollini = p/camp., identificazioni a livello di genere, spettri pollinici percentuali, calcolo di concentrazioni = p/g e di influsso = p/cm2/anno-ipotizzando l’età dei muschi in 5 anni). In parallelo è stato effettuato il censimento delle piante legnose presenti a tale data. Il confronto tra la realtà e l’immagine pollinica è stato basato sul rapporto “R-rel”(% del Genere nello spettro pollinico/sua % nel censimento delle piante).La copertura legnosa reale – Le piante legnose danno l’impronta all’Orto Botanico con un alto numero di piante (702) e un alta fitodiversità (66 famiglie, 147 generi) su meno di un ettaro di superficie. Le Angiosperme dominano con 607 piante (86,5% delle legnose) appartenenti a 60 famiglie e 132 Generi. I generi più rappresentati sono: Rosa con 66 piante, Quercus (31), Aucuba (26), Hibiscus (20), Acer (19), Aesculus (14), Ligustrum e Celtis (11). Le Gimnosperme sono in sottordine, con 95 piante (13,5% delle legnose) appartenenti a 6 famiglie e 15 generi. I generi più rappresentati sono Taxus (48), Cephalotaxus (8), Pinus (7) e Gingko (6, non polliniferi). Un aspetto caratteristico è la prevalenza delle Autoctone sulle Esotiche (404 piante contro 298). L’ immagine pollinica – Le concentrazioni totali (Legnose+Erbacee) sono mediamente dell’ordine di 106 p/g e l’influsso totale medio è di ca 4000 p/cm2/anno. Le legnose rappresentano 82% nello spettro pollinico medio, con 44 Generi. Le Gimnosperme rappresentano il 26%, con 7 generi. Cedrus e Pinus sono presenti in tutti i campioni. Le Angiosperme coprono il 56% con 37 generi. Carpinus, Castanea, Celtis e Quercus sono presenti in tutti i campioni. Negli spettri pollinici percentuali, le Angiosperme sono sempre dominanti sulle Gimnosperme, eccetto che in due campioni. Come accumulo pollinico medio, Cedrus emerge con ca 1000 p/cm2/anno seguito da Celtis (ca 600 p/cm2/anno ) e Quercus (ca 500 p /cm2/anno).Confronto Orto Reale - Orto Pollinico ¬- Nel confronto tra la realtà e l’immagine pollinica, il segnale pollinico varia su 5 classi: fedele (R-rel=0,5-2), molto forte (>10), forte (10-2,1), debole (0,5-0,1) molto debole (<0,1). Il quadro dell’Orto Botanico delineato dai pollini, che costituisce la memoria dell’Orto per il futuro, ne da un’immagine per alcuni aspetti fedele: forte impronta delle Legnose, prevalenza delle Angiosperme sulle Gimnosperme, prevalenza delle Autoctone sulle Esotiche. Tra le infedeltà ricordiamo: diminuzione della fitodiversità (44 Generi contro 147), assenza di alcune piante sensibilmente rappresentate in Orto (ad es. Aesculus e Taxus) e sovrappresentazione di altre (ad es. Cedrus, Pinus, Celtis e Quercus), presenza di pollini provenienti sicuramente da aree esterne all’Orto Botanico, vicine o distanti (Castanea, Ginkgo, Erica, Populus).

2007 - Indagini archeopalinologiche in Sicilia promosse dal CRPR di Palermo [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; F., Terranova; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Dallai, Daniele; E., Manicardi; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Olmi, Linda; Rinaldi, Rossella
abstract

Nel lavoro sono illustrate le analisi archeobotaniche del sito di Taormina, e del sito di Mozia

2007 - La ricostruzione del paleoambiente attorno alla Grotta delle Vacche - Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo: un’ipotesi su base speleopalinologica. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Loreti, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Introduzione slla palinologia di grotta, e dati sul polline trovato in questa grotta localizzata nel Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo

2007 - Lo studio archeobotanico di un villaggio garamantico e osservazioni floristiche nell’oasi di Fewet, in Fezzan – Libia sud-occidentale [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; I., Massamba N’siala; Olmi, Linda; L., Mori
abstract

Lo studio archeobotanico di un villaggio garamantico e osservazioni floristiche nell’oasi di Fewet, in Fezzan – Libia sud-occidentale

2007 - L’Archeobotanica arriva a scuola. Progetto didattico per la scuola secondaria di secondo grado [Abstract in Rivista]
Olmi, Linda; Bosi, Giovanna; I., Massamba N’siala; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Progetto multidisciplinare sull'Archeobotanica realizzato con/per la Scuola Media Superiore

2007 - Mutina and the plant remains of Roman Age in Emilia Romagna (Italy) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Mutina and the plant remains of Roman Age in Emilia Romagna (Italy)

2007 - Osservazioni etnobotaniche come supporto alle ricostruzioni archeobotaniche [Articolo su rivista]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Nel presente lavoro sono riportati esempi di osservazioni etnobotaniche svolte nel quadro di ricerche archeobotaniche su siti archeologici olocenici del Sahara Centrale. Nonostante il riferimento all’etnobotanica non sia ancora oggi sistematico, l’interpretazione dei resti archeobotanici come risultato di attività umane richiede il ricorso ai modelli etnografici. Questi ultimi aprono lo scenario dei comportamenti umani, inclusi quelli relativi alla conoscenza, collezione e lavorazione delle piante. Le informazioni sulle piante usate da popolazioni locali Tuareg sono state raccolte con lo scopo di avere materiale di confronto per l’interpretazione paletnobotanica di contesti archeologici studiati nell’area. Lo spettro di piante usato oggi, però, è spesso diverso da quello legato solo a specie autoctone, sia per presenza di coltivazioni, sia per importazione attraverso i commerci di nuove specie da sfruttare.

2007 - Plants and man in the urban environment: the history of the city of Ferrara (9th-16th cent. AD) through its archaeobotanical records [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

2007 - Polline e alimentazione attraverso le analisi polliniche nel Sahara libico. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan Grandi, G.; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda
abstract

Il lavoro presenta un esempio di palinologia applicata allo studio delle piante che, per vari scopi, sono state raccolte e accumulate in siti del Tadrart Acacus, area montuosa nella regione del Fezzàn, in Libia sud-occidentale. Le alte quantità di polline di piante di interesse economico sono indicatrici di raccolta e trasporto antropico. Un ruolo particolarmente significativo è rivestito dalle piante utilizzate per alimentazione dall’uomo e dagli animali domestici. I diversi contesti culturali che si sono succeduti nell’area in esame permettono di distinguere tre tipologie principali di piante alimentari, relative a tre fasi di occupazione diverse dei siti dell’area. Nell’Olocene Iniziale, prevalgono piante accumulate da cacciatori-raccoglitori per scopo alimentare umano e, in minor misura, per foraggio (soprattutto Panicum tipo); nell’Olocene Medio, sono abbondanti prima di tutto le piante depositate da animali domestici con i loro escrementi, e poi quelle portate nel sito per alimentazione umana da pastori (rispettivamente, Echium e cereali selvatici); nell’Olocene Tardo prevalgono piante trasportate nel sito dalle coltivazioni circostanti la cittadella ad opera dei Garamanti (Phoenix dactylifera e cereali).

2007 - René T.J. Cappers. Roman Foodprints at Berenike:Archaeobotanical Evidence of Subsistence and Trade in the Eastern Desert of Egypt (Berenike Report 6) [Recensione in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2007 - Resti carpologici da un canale d'età romana (15-40 d.C.) del centro storico di Mutina; primi dati di nuove analisi [Abstract in Rivista]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Olmi, Linda
abstract

Primi dati di nuove analisi carpologiche di materiale proveniente da un canale d'età romana (15-40 d.C.) del centro storico di Modena (Emilia Romagna)

2007 - Ricostruzione ambientale e climatica dei siti archeologici olocenici del Tadrart Acacus (Sahara Centrale, Libia) basata sui reperti botanici [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Olmi, Linda
abstract

Central Sahara rock shelters and caves offer the possibility to work on a fairly detailed archaeobotanical reconstruction, giving a coherent picture of plant cover during the early and middle Holocene and helping the investigation of past landscape evolution towards the present desert condition. This paper summarises palynological research carried out within a multidisciplinary archaeological research on the Wadi Teshuinat area (Tadrart Acacus Mts., in South-Western Fezzan, Libya). The sites were occupied by hunter-gatherer and pastoralist cultures. On-site pollen data, treated as a single ‘regional site’, showed that different pollen stratigraphies and flora characterised the different past phases. Plant macro-remains also helped to understand local plant exploitation and landscape evolution. Pollen spectra showed that some climate oscillations had occurred in the Wadi Teshuinat area in the early and middle Holocene: wet and cool (approx. 8800-8250 cal.BC), dry and warm (approx. 7920-7520 cal. BC), wet (approx. 7550-7200 cal.BC), dry (6340-6210 cal.BC - geoarchaeological evidence), wet and warm (approx. 6250-4300 cal.BC, including a wetter and warmer phase at approx. 5500-4600 cal.BC); dry and warm (4250-2900 cal.BC); drier and warm (2900-1600 cal.BC, up to the present). Since the early Holocene, both climatic and anthropic factors have played an important and strictly interconnected role in transforming the environment. Thus, while subsistence strategies were adjusting to climatic and environmental changes, the plant landscape was also being slowly and continuously shaped by humans.

2007 - Semi e frutti dallo spot R33 A2908-L266: primi dati archeobotanici dal sito di Takarkori (Sahara Centrale, Libia – Olocene Medio) [Abstract in Rivista]
Olmi, Linda; Buldrini, Fabrizio; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; M., MARIOTTI LIPPI; S., DI LERNIA; S., Biagetti; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Sono presentati i risultati dellesame dei macroresti di semi e frutti, in particolare diverse tipologie di cereali selvatici, trovati in uno spot del sito di Takarkori - Libia

2007 - The Terramara di Montale (Emilia Romagna, Northern Italy): archaeobotanical-museological reconstruction of the fields in the Middle and Late Bronze Age. [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Cardarelli, A.; Labate, D.; Marchesini, M.; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

2007 - The impact of hunter/gatherers in the Central Sahara during the Early Holocene [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; E. A., Garcea
abstract

The Uan Tabu rockshelter is located in the Wadi Teshuinat, the largest wadi of the central Tadrart Acacus mountains in south-western Libya. This paper reports carpological and pollen data from the Early Holocene sequence of Uan Tabu. Data were integrated and compared with other sites of the area in order to draw a general picture on plant exploitation and landscape in the Early Holocene. Three main 'plant assemblage zones', corresponding to different concentrations and floristic lists of seed/fruit and pollen, show main synchronous botanical changes which are correlated with the archaeological record. Since the beginnings of the Holocene, firstly the changing climate and then humans influenced the development of the environment in the Tadrart Acacus. In the cultural sequence, from the Early to the Late Acacus phases, behavioural changes towards increased plant harvesting and processing were observed. During the Late Acacus (ca. 8300-7490 BC; 8800-8600 uncal. years bp) plants were accumulated not only for food, but also for other uses. Fodder, bedding, colouring, building, crafting, medical, and possibly votive purposes could be inferred. As already accepted elsewhere, it is clear that plants must have played a crucial role in the cultural evolution of these human groups, as well.

2006 - Cerchiamo il polline nei fiori [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Scheda didattica sulla morfologia fiorale

2006 - Cereal fields from the Middle-Recent Bronze Age, as found inthe Terramara di Montale, in the Po Plain (Emilia Romagna,Northern Italy), based on pollen, seeds/fruits and microcharchoals [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; G., Trevisan Grandi; Cardarelli, Andrea; D., Labate; M., Marchesini; Olmi, Linda; Torri, Paola
abstract

Nell’ambito del Progetto Europeo ‘Cultural Landscapes of the Past: recovering crop fields and gardens in archaeologicalparks of Europe’ (coord. Jordi Juan Tresserras), lo studio archeobotanico della Terramara di Montale è statoportato avanti con lo scopo di giungere a una ricostruzione dei campi di cereali. Il sito è uno dei più importanti per lostudio delle terramare, una società che caratterizzò la Pianura Padana durante il Bronzo Medio e Recente. Il lavoroqui presentato mostra una sintesi dei dati archeobotanici relativi alla ricostruzione dei campi. I campioni(pollinici/microantracologici e di semi/frutti) sono stati raccolti in diversi punti: a) all’interno del villaggio (Profilo1, campionato nel 1996, e unità stratigrafiche delle fasi di vita del villaggio), b) nel fossato che circondava l’abitato(Trincea Ovest, campionata nel 1994), c) in un punto a circa 50 m all’esterno del fossato (Profilo 3, campionato nel2002). I risultati mostrano una presenza molto alta di cereali nel villaggio, mentre all’esterno i cereali sono più scarsi.Nel Profilo 1, dentro il villaggio, polline di Avena/Triticum gruppo, Hordeum gr., Panicum cf. e Secale cereale èin media ca. 20%, mentre le cariossidi carbonizzate di T. aestivum/durum, Triticum dicoccum, T. monococcum,Hordeum vulgare, Panicum miliaceum, Avena sp. e Secale cereale sono il 98% dei semi/frutti studiati. I microcarbonidocumentano episodi di incendio o presenza di focolari, in parte connessi alle attività antropiche. I campi, puressendo presenti nell’area di influenza della Terramara, non dovevano trovarsi in stretta vicinanza dei punti campionatialla periferia (Trincea Ovest) e vicino al villaggio (Profilo 3). Nell’area, i campi di cereali erano alternati apascoli, probabilmente anche soggetti a ignicoltura.

2006 - Economy and Environment of Bronze Age settlements - Terramaras - on the Po Plain (Northern Italy): first results from the archaeobotanical research at the Terramara di Montale [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; A., Cardarelli; D., Labate; M., Marchesini; G., Trevisan Grandi
abstract

The paper presents a synthesis of the on-site archaeobotanical investigations of the Terramara di Montale, one of the most important sites of the Terramara cultural system which characterised the Po Plain in the Middle-Late Bronze Age (1650-1200 B.C.). Samples for pollen analysis and macroremains, including seed/fruit and wood/charcoal records, were collected from stratigraphic sequences and occupation levels during the excavations 1996-2001. The results permitted the reconstruction of the main characteristics of the landscape which at the onset of the Terramara rapidly passed from a natural, more forested landscape with mixed oak wood and conifers to a more open and anthropic landscape characterised by cereal fields, pastures and meadows. People felled oaks and other trees such as Populus/Salix and Fraxinus to make piles or walls for houses. Wood from these species was also recorded as charcoal in the hearths. Palynological and carpological data show that the inhabitants of the Terramara largely founded their economy on cereals (mainly Triticum aestivum/durum, T. dicoccum and Hordeum vulgare). They also grew a few legumes (Vicia faba var. minor, Vicia sp. and Lens culinaris ). There was also grazing by domestic animals, mainly ovicaprines but also pigs and cattle, and these were fed exploiting wild plants such as Carpinus. In the paper the four main steps of the history of the Terramara are described (before the Terramara, the onset, the Terramara phase, the decline) during which both human influence and climatic changes were important. At the onset of the Terramara (around 1600 B.C.) a warm and possibly dry phase occurred. The intense use of the territory and a climatic deterioration at around 1300 B.C. might have triggered the decline of the Terramara di Montale.

2006 - I cacciatori–raccoglitori di Uan Tabu nel paesaggio vegetale del Tadrart Acacus (Sahara Centrale, Libia, Olocene Iniziale) [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

The hunter-gatherers of Uan Tabu in the plant landscape of the Tadrart Acacus (Central Sahara, Libya, Early Holocene) - Pollen and seed/fruit data from 34 samples of the Early Holocene sequence of the Uan Tabu rock shelter are reported. The site is one of the most important in the Wadi Teshuinat, located on the Tadrart Acacus massif - south-western Libya. In the sequence, different concentrations (and floristic lists) of pollen and seeds/fruits show main synchronous changes which correlate well with the archaeological record. They are evidence of important floristic, vegetational, climatic and palaeoethnobotanical changes. Since the beginning of the Holocene, first the changing climate and then humans have influenced the development of the environment of mountains. Plant cover changed from a grassland, showing a continuous cover, to sparser shrubby vegetation. In the cultural sequence, from the Early to the Late Acacus phases, behavioural changes towards increased plant harvesting and processing were observed. Together with data from other sites such as the Uan Afuda Cave, the archaeobotanical research let to draw a general picture on plant exploitation and landscape in the Early Holocene of Central Sahara. In particular, during the Late Acacus (8800-8600 uncal. years BPBP) not only food, but also fodder, bedding, colouring, building, medical and votive purposes are inferred from plant accumulations.

2006 - Il Giardino delle Duchesse del Palazzo Ducale Estense di Ferrara da Ercole I (XV sec.) ad oggi: basi archeobotaniche e storico-archeologiche per la ricostruzione del giardino [Capitolo/Saggio]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; G., Trevisan Grandi; C. A., Accorsi; C., Guarnieri; C., Vallini; F., Scafuri
abstract

Il Giardino delle Duchesse a Ferrara, realizzato tra il 1473 ed il 1481 da Ercole I d’Este, veniva descritto come un luogo paradisiaco. Alla fine del ‘400 il giardino era caratterizzato da piante da frutto, ornamentali e siepi di bosso in figure geometriche. Agli inizi del ‘600 il giardino ospitava fruttiferi, cipressi, erbe medicinali, bosso scolpito, un pozzo marmoreo e un percorso pavimentato che suddivideva il giardino in quattro parti uguali. A partire dal ‘600 per il giardino cominciò un lento degrado e nel ‘700 non ne rimaneva che il ricordo. Il Comune di Ferrara, oggi, ha rilevato l’area per ricreare un giardino estense fruibile dal pubblico. A tale scopo sono stati analizzati campioni pollinici e carpologici (collocabili tra fine ‘400 – fine ’600) dagli scavi archeologici del sito e campioni carpologici dal riempimento di una vasca di scarico del Palazzo Ducale, vicina e coeva alla fase iniziale del Giardino. Gli spettri pollinici presentano una buona ricchezza floristica (quasi 200 tipi) e comprendono taxa arboreo/arbustivi riconducibili ad arredo verde e numerose erbacee con possibile utilizzo ornamentale. Un sostegno alle analisi polliniche viene da quelle carpologiche; diverse entità polliniche sono testimoniate da semi/frutti, talora da foglie.

2006 - Il contributo dell’Aerobiologia alla Criminopalinologia: approccio a un ‘calendario pollinico da corpi’ [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; G., Trevisan Grandi; E., Montali
abstract

La buona corrispondenza tra il polline su cadaveri e quello in aria mostra la costruttiva interazione tra studi aerobiologici e indagini criminalistiche, suggerendo l’impiego di calendari pollinici del luogo del delitto per una verifica della data di decesso.

2006 - Il polline diffuso in aria: costruiamo una trappola pollinica [Capitolo/Saggio]
W., Palandri; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Scheda didattica sulla preparazione di una trappola per polline in aria

2006 - Il polline: un mondo di microscopiche forme [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Forlani
abstract

Scheda sulla morfologia pollinica

2006 - La 'simulazione' come strumento per l’interpretazione in Palinologia forense [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
E., Montali; C. A., Accorsi; G., Trevisan Grandi; Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Garofano; A., Cervi; A., Pagani
abstract

Sono presentate due simulazioni che, ispirandosi a un caso di crimine avvenuto in prossimità di un campo di mais e oggetto di perizia palinologica, sono state ambientate in un campo di mais e in un castagneto, ben caratterizzati pollinicamente.

2006 - La Ricerca Paleobotanica/ Paleopalinologica in Italia: stato dell’arte e spunti di interesse (Atti del Convegno Interdisciplinare di Modena, 20-21 novembre 2003) [Curatela]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Sadori
abstract

Si tratta degli atti dei lavori presentati in due giornate di studio svolte a Modena nel 2003 (organizzate da Marta Mazzanti, coordinatore del Gruppo per la Paleobotanica) che , dopo molti anni, hanno visto riuniti esperti di Paleobotanica e Palinologia italiani in un unico meeting. Le giornate si sono rivelate un nuovo inizio per queste materie in Italia, riallacciando rapporti e avviandone nuove, permettendo agli studiosi italiani di conoscersi, confrontarsi e avviarsi verso un panorama internazionale. Dopo quegli incontri, infatti, il Gruppo Italiano di Palinologia e quello di Paleobotanica della SOcietà Botanica Italiana si sono sempre più proposti in ambito internazionale.

2006 - La stazione MO2 di Vignola: 15 anni di monitoraggio aerobiologico per ricerca e servizio pubblico [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Torri, Paola; C. A., Accorsi; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

La stazione aeropollinica di Vignola MO2, in funzione dal Maggio 1989, è parte della Rete Italiana di Monitoraggio dal 1990 e della Rete Europea dal 1992. Fin dall'avvio, il monitoraggio è stato condotto in modo da combinare finalità di ricerca e di servizio pubblico. La stazione di monitoraggio MO2 identifica tutti i tipi pollinici più tre funghi su tutto l’anno. I dati costituiscono una serie storica di 15 anni utile per studi sulle variazioni quali-quantitative della flora pollinica aerodiffuse a Vignola e dintorni.

2006 - Laboratorio di Botanica. Esperienze pratiche guidate per gli alunni delle Scuole Medie di Primo e Secondo Grado [Curatela]
M., Giardini; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

PREFAZIONE DI DONATO CHIATANTE (PRESIDENTE SOCIETA' BOTANICA ITALIANA)La pubblicazione del libro “Laboratorio di Botanica: esperienze pratiche guidate per gli Alunni delle Scuole Medie di Primo e Secondo grado I. Palinologia-Paleobotanica-Bioritmi vegetali e Fenologia.” a cura di Marco Giardini e Anna Maria Mercuri avviene in un momento particolare della vita della scuola italiana che è caratterizzato da importanti riforme. Quest’ultime toccano non solo l’assetto organizzativo dei cicli scolastici ma anche l’assetto formativo per quanto riguarda sia l’aspetto metodologico che l’aspetto dei contenuti. A proposito dei contenuti è chiara una tendenza ad una forte penalizzazione dello sviluppo della cultura scientifica in generale e di quella botanica in particolare. Simili problematiche sono riscontrate anche nei sistemi scolastici di altri paesi europei e questo stato di cose complessivamente contrasta, ed in modo netto, con l’attuale necessità di spingere fortemente in avanti in quei settori della produttività europea ad alta connotazione scientifico-tecnologica. Per quanto concerne il piano dei contenuti della scuola italiana occorre dire allora che sarebbe auspicabile una netta inversione di tendenza per riportare la cultura scientifica italiana ed europea a raggiungere quel livello di eccellenza che potrebbe nuovamente porla in condizione di competere con quella di altri continenti. Alla luce di queste contraddizioni saluto con grande soddisfazione l’iniziativa di alcuni miei colleghi che si sono cimentati nella realizzazione di questa opera. Essa si distanzia notevolmente dalla solita verbosa traduzione in italiano di un simile testo prodotto dalla cultura anglosassone ma propone in modo nuovo ed originale un approccio alla cultura botanica diretto e basato su semplici esperienze didattiche facili da proporre agli alunni e facili da eseguire. Emergono aspetti molto forti della tradizione botanica italiana. Inoltre, l’insieme delle esperienze pratiche di laboratorio è proposto con l’aspetto di un manuale di laboratorio che vuole essere utile in tutte le fasi sperimentali sia all’insegnante che agli alunni. Dal punto di vista dei contenuti, la botanica proposta emerge con alcuni aspetti fondamentali di base ma anche con numerosi aspetti applicativi. Sono interessanti i cenni alle basi di biologia vegetale, ma anche con le proposte di studio di aspetti spesso trascurati del regno vegetale quali quelli della paleo-botanica e della palinologia. Gli autori delle schede proposte mostrano una grande competenza negli argomenti trattati e calibrano le esperienze tenendo in debito conto il contesto dell’aula didattica tipica di una scuola media di primo o di secondo grado. Apprezzabile è l’intenzione che si evince in tutta l’opera di far convergere l’attenzione degli alunni sugli aspetti della botanica che sono presenti nella vita di tutti i giorni e che spesso sono dagli alunni palesemente ignorati. E’ auspicabile che questa opera possa, in futuro, essere ulteriormente ampliata con l’inserimento di altri aspetti della botanica.

2006 - Le pallottole delle api: i colori e le specie botaniche [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Scheda sul riconoscimento pollinico delle pallottole delle api

2006 - Quanti tipi di miele "sentiamo"? L'analisi sensoriale del miele [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; W., Palandri
abstract

Scheda sul riconoscimento organolettico di mieli di diversa origine botanica

2006 - Rilascio di Polline e Temperaura: il caso di Taxus [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
E., Casini; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; C. A., Accorsi
abstract

Prime osservazioni su polline di Taxus hanno mostrato significativi cambiamenti nella sua presenza in aria con tendenza al calo della concentrazione. Questo lavoro presenta i principali cambiamenti, nel corso di 15 anni di monitoraggio aerobiologico, osservati sull'andamento del polline di Taxus alla ricerca di possibili collegamenticon i cambiamenti climatici in atto.

2006 - 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. [Poster]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Accorsi, C. A.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; Guarnieri, C.; Vallini, C.
abstract

2006 - The Greek-Roman Theatre of Taormina:pollen and microanthracological data for the proposalof an ‘Historical Green Park’ [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; F., Terranova; Torri, Paola; G., Trevisan Grandi; Montecchi, Maria Chiara; Olmi, Linda
abstract

Sono presentati i dati relativi alle analisi polliniche e microantracologiche delle carote TaOr-orchestra e TaSc-scaenacampionate all’interno del Teatro Greco-Romano di Taormina che fu probabilmente costruito nel III sec. a.C., inepoca greca, e poi ristrutturato in epoca romana. Le analisi hanno lo scopo di migliorare le conoscenze sulla florache caratterizzò il sito e i suoi dintorni in passato, e di offrire la base scientifica per la realizzazione di un parco con‘verde storico’ all’interno e in vicinanza del teatro. Purtroppo, le carote non hanno fornito sequenze indisturbate perchécostituite in gran parte da materiale di riporto. Ciononostante, le analisi relative ai due punti di campionamentohanno permesso di ottenere una lista floristica coerente, realistica e verosimile. Il confronto con spettri recenti dasuoli superficiali e cuscinetti di muschio raccolti attorno al teatro ha mostrato che la pioggia pollinica attuale registrataè molto diversa da quella registrata nelle carote, soprattutto per la presenza di piante esotiche. Le analisi pollinichesuggeriscono per il parco di Taormina l’utilizzo di siepi di bosso, mirto, rosa e biancospino, e inoltre ginepri ecipressi, piante con frutti eduli come pruni, castagno, noce, vite e olivo, alberi ornamentali quali platano, pini, pioppi,leccio, altre querce, e acanto nelle aiuole.

2006 - The archaeobotanical remains (pollen, seeds/fruits and charcoals) [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Bosi, Giovanna; L., Forlani; Buldrini, Fabrizio
abstract

The Cultural Landscape of the Garamantes through the lens of Archaeobotanical Data (pollen, seeds/fruits and charcoals)

2006 - Towards a “crime pollen calendar” - Pollen analysis on corpses throughout one year [Articolo su rivista]
E., Montali; Mercuri, Anna Maria; G., Trevisan Grandi; C. A., Accorsi
abstract

A palynological study was carried out on 28 corpses brought in one year (June 2003–May 2004) to the morgue of the Institute of Legal Medicine of Parma (Northern Italy). This preliminary research focuses on the date of death, which was known for all corpses examined. Pollen sampling and analyses were made with the first aim of comparing the pollen grains found on corpses with those diffused in the atmosphere in the region in the same season as the known date of death. Eyebrows, hair-line near the forehead, facial skin and nasal cavities were sampled. Most of the corpses had trapped pollen grains, with the exception of two December corpses. All pollen grains were found with cytoplasm and in a good state of preservation. In this way, a series of reference data was collected for the area where the deaths occurred, and we examined whether pollen grains on corpses could be an index of the season of death. To verify this hypothesis, the pollen analyses were compared with data reported in the airborne pollen calendars of Parma and the region around. Pollen calendars record pollen types and their concentrations in the air, month by month. The quantity of pollen recorded on corpses did not prove to be directly related to the quantity of pollen in the air. But qualitatively, many pollen types which are seasonal markers were found on corpses. Main corpse/air discrepancies were also observed due to the great influence that the local environmental conditions of the death scene have in determining the pollen trapped by a corpse. Qualitative plus quantitative pollen data from corpses appeared helpful in indicating the season of death. A preliminary sketch of a “crime pollen calendar” in a synthetic graphic form was made by grouping the corpse pollen records into three main seasons: A, winter/spring; B, spring/summer; C, summer/autumn. Trends match the general seasonal trend of pollen types in the air.

2006 - Un manuale di esperienze di laboratorio in Palinologia, Paleobotanica, Bioritmi vegetali e Fenologia per ampliare la didattica della Botanica nelle scuole medie [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
M., Giardini; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il manuale Laboratorio di Botanica raccoglie 39 esperienze ideate da 28 autori per esercitazioni di palinologia, paleobotanica e fenologia nelle scuole medie. Le esperienze sono semplici da realizzare e integrabili tra loro, come contributo alla didattica di queste materie.

2006 - Una collezione da specialisti: la palinoteca [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Scheda tecnica sulla preparazione di una collezione di confronto

2005 - Fireplaces as a key for understanding Holocene Saharans. Preliminary results of a cross-disciplinary study at Takarkori rock shelter (Acacus Mts., Libya) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
S., Biagetti; R., Castelli; Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria; G., Poggi; W., VAN NEER; S., DI LERNIA
abstract

Ricostruzione archeologica/archeoambientale del sito di Takarkori centrata sulla problematica dei focolari. L'archeobotanica ha preso in considerazione l'analisi di alcuni spot di semi/frutti trovati duranti gli scavi.

2005 - Il paesaggio culturale modellato dai Garamanti nel Sahara Centrale [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Lungo i fiumi disseccati Uadi el-Agial e Uadi Tanezzúft, vicino alle oasi di Ghat e Barkat, nella regione sud-occidentale della Libia che ha nome Fezzàn, pochi metri di sabbia coprono le vestigia dell’antico regno dei Garamanti. Ancora in buona parte sconosciuta, in posizione strategica lungo vie carovaniere tra le coste a settentrione e le regioni desertiche più meridionali, questa civiltà si sviluppò a cavallo dell’anno zero, tra la 2° metà del I millennio a.C. e la 1° metà del I millennio d.C. (LIVERANI, 2004). Oggi, gli scavi archeologici e gli studi multidisciplinari condotti sui piccoli insediamenti permettono di assemblare ogni anno nuovi pezzi di questa storia e, più in generale, della storia del Fezzàn. Questa regione sahariana, forse più di altre, mostra chiaramente quanto la ricostruzione dei tratti di una civiltà non possa prescindere dal contesto ambientale nel quale essa si sviluppò.

2005 - Il paesaggio sahariano tra 10.000 e 3.000 anni fa sul massiccio del Tadrart Acacus - Libia sud-occidentale: la ricostruzione archeobotanica [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Nell'ambito della Missione Congiunta Italo-Libica nei siti archeologici della Libia sud-occidentale, sin dai primi anni '90 sono condotte ricerche sugli aspetti archeobotanici (MERCURI et al., 1992; TREVISAN GRANDI, MERCURI, 1992). L'obiettivo principale è effettuare ricognizione, campionamento, isolamento e determinazione dei reperti botanici, microscopici e macroscopici, presenti in tali contesti archeologici al fine di migliorare: a) la conoscenza della flora e vegetazione sahariana olocenica, per la ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale e delle oscillazioni climatiche avvenute nel Sahara Centrale, b) la comprensione dell'evoluzione del paesaggio culturale e delle complesse relazioni esistite tra esseri umani e ambiente nella regione. Gli studi archeobotanici fin qui condotti permettono di concludere che l'evoluzione del paesaggio vegetale olocenico nel Tadrart Acacus sia stata influenzata sia dal clima sia dall’attività antropica: a)da un lato, le oscillazioni climatiche modificarono la flora locale e la sua copertura vegetale; questo stimolò 'scoperte botaniche' e indusse modifiche nelle strategie adattative delle popolazioni insediate; b)dall'altro, allo stesso tempo, l'influenza antropica sul territorio, sensibile prima attraverso la raccolta e selezione di piante, e poi più incisiva attraverso l'allevamento, modificò l'ambiente. L'azione combinata dei due fattori, climatico e antropico, può essere letta nel paesaggio vegetale attuale presente nell'area, ma ancora molto deve essere fatto per riconoscerne esattamente i segni.

2005 - Il polline e l’archeopalinologia [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; L., Forlani; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Caratteri di descrizione e riconoscimento dei granuli pollinici, prelievo e preparazione dei campioni nell'archeopalinologia con un'ottica di didattica rivolta agli studenti dei Beni Culturali

2005 - L'UNIVERSITA' INCONTRA LA CITTA'ciclo di serate tra scienza e conoscenzaUniversità e Musei Civici Reggio Emiliaottobre 2005 [Esposizione]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

III annoSerate scientifiche organizzate, in autunno, in collaborazione con i Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia; il ciclo di conferenze ha previsto 3 conferenze e distribuzione di dispense agli ascoltatori. Nel complesso il triennio si conclude con 10 conferenze:1) I fossili di Bolca: istantanee di 50 milioni di anni fa - dott. Andrea Cesare Papazzoni2) Le piante nell'alimentazione della Ferrara Basso Medievale - prof.ssa Marta Bandini Mazzanti e dott.ssa Giovanna Bosi3) Andar per isole: divagazioni botaniche mediterranee - prof. Carlo Del Prete

2005 - L’analisi pollinica [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Il lavoro presenta l'analisi pollinica di una resina (mastice di Chio) rinvenuta in un sarcofago scavato nel cortile dell'Università Cattolica di Milano. L’analisi pollinica è uno strumento utile per l’individuazione dell’origine botanica e geografica di sostanze resinose vegetali, perché tali resine generalmente inglobano e conservano polline e spore in buono stato e in quantità sufficiente ad eseguire l’analisi microscopica . Gli esempi in letteratura, piuttosto rari nel panorama degli studi palinologici, si riferiscono per lo più a campioni provenienti da sarcofagi o sepolture dove resine e materiali affini sono stati deposti per scopi rituali o legati alla conservazione del defunto . La resina deposta nel sarcofago dell’Università Cattolica avvolgeva parte del cranio ed era tra i femori della defunta; al momento del rinvenimento, si presentava di colore giallo intenso, consistenza spugnosa, ormai priva delle componenti più volatili e spesso intrisa di sedimento limoso penetrato nel sarcofago in periodo presumibilmente di poco successivo al momento della sepoltura . Al momento di avvio delle analisi polliniche, gran parte dello studio, incluse analisi su macroresti vegetali presenti nel sarcofago3, era stato completato. Le analisi chimiche sulla sostanza in esame avevano già individuato con chiarezza la sua natura di resina vegetale e la sua origine da Pistacia , probabilmente Mastice di Chio. L’analisi microscopica è stata dunque orientata da un lato alla verifica palinologica di questa attribuzione chimica e dall’altro alla ricerca di ogni altro elemento che potesse essere utile alla ricostruzione della storia del sarcofago.

2005 - Oscillazioni oloceniche in curve polliniche da carote continentali e marine: un confronto est-ovest attraverso il Mediterraneo [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
L., Sadori; Mercuri, Anna Maria; R., Pérez Obiol
abstract

Le ricerche sulle oscillazioni climatiche e le ricostruzioni paleoambientali dell’Olocene sono sempre più raffinate e spesso si avvalgono dell’analisi pollinica per mettere in luce eventi locali, regionali o globali. Sotto la lente degli studiosi è soprattutto la consapevolezza che gli eventi registrati nei diagrammi pollinici, almeno dall’Olocene Medio in poi, possono essere stati originati a un tempo da cause naturali e da influenza antropica.

2005 - Paleoeconomia vegetale: origine dell'agricoltura e delle specie coltivate [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

La storia e le metodiche dell'archeocarpologia in un testo didattico-scientifico rivolto a docenti, studenti ed operatori nell'ambito dei Beni Culturali

2005 - Plant use in a city in Northern Italy during the Late Medieval and Reinaissance periods: results of the archaeobotanical investigation of "The Mirror Pit" (14th - 15 th century A.D.) in Ferrara [Articolo su rivista]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; C., Guarnieri
abstract

Results are presented from archaeocarpological analyses carried out in ‘The Mirror Pit’, a rectangular pit, situated in the city of Ferrara, in Emilia Romagna - Northern Italy. The study is part of wider research focused on the Mediaeval period of this city. The pit belongs to a building which was in use from the second half of 14th to the end of 15th century A.D. The pit itself was filled with domestic rubbish during a few years in the middle of the 15th century. The layers were preserved by waterlogging and are therefore extraordinarily rich in organic remains and artifacts, among which was the beautiful spherical mirror which gave its name to the pit. Approximately 256,000 well-preserved seeds and fruits belonging to 98 species or carpological types were identified in 12 litres of sediment from the different layers. Ficus carica, Brassica rapa subsp. rapa/subsp. sylvestris and Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera prevailed. Many cultivated plants and weeds were present, together with a smaller number of wild plants of wet environments and woodlands. Altogether they provided much new information on the diet (cultivated and wild fruits, cereals and pulses, vegetables, spices and medicinal/fibre/oil plants) of the middle to upper class inhabitants of a city in Northern Italy during the Renaissance period. The records also yielded evidence of domestic activities such as winemaking, oil making, mustard making and other kitchen practices.

2005 - Semi, frutti e annessi fiorali: l'archeocarpologia [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

La storia e le metodiche dell'archeocarpologia in un testo didattico-scientifico rivolto a docenti, studenti ed operatori nell'ambito dei Beni Culturali

2004 - A “crime pollen calendar” from pollen on corpses [Abstract in Rivista]
E., Montali; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; N., Cucurachi; G., Lanzi
abstract

Presentazione di un calendario pollinico ottenuto da prelievi su cadaveri, deceduti in Parma, ricerca eseguita in collaborazione con la medicina legale.

2004 - Airborne Cedrus pollen in the “BO-OG” pollen calendar of Modena [Abstract in Rivista]
Olmi, Linda; Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi
abstract

Andamento di polline di Cedrus in aria, e suoi caratteri morfologici

2004 - Analisi polliniche e microantracologiche al Teatro Antico di Taormina: primi dati [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; F., Terranova; Torri, Paola; Trevisan, Giuliana; A., Valenti
abstract

Primi dati sui pollini e i microcarboni da saggi effettuati nel teatro antico di Taormina

2004 - Genesis and evolution of the cultural landscape in Italy as suggested by central adriatic pollen diagrams (Paliclas project) [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Clima e cambiamenti vegetazionali del tardo quaternario su base palinologica (carote marine dell'Adriatico centrale, Progetto PALICLAS). In particolare si fa riferimento alla genesi della comparsa di polline di cereali.

2004 - Holocene forest vegetation (pollen) of the Emilia-Romagna plain - Northeastern Italy [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Forlani, Luisa; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

An up to date synthesis of the pollen data concerning Holocene forest vegetation of the Emilia Romagna Plain is presented. Past pollen spectra were joined by recent pollen spectra to link past woody pollen assemblages to today's woody vegetation. It deals only with woody flora and vegetation and not climate reconstruction, which we will consider only when the synthesis has been extended to woody and herb pollen flora /vegetation all over the region.Available pollen data concerned 52 sites and were elaborated with criteria partially inspired by phytosociological methods. Some Indexes which seemed helpful to evidence the human influence on pollen assemblages were tested. Holocene woody pollen flora of the investigated area consisted of 111 AP pollen types (AP = Trees + Shrubs + Lianas + woody Epiphytes) belonging to 57 Families and 107 Genera. The number of pollen types increased from the Preboreal onwards with the maximum in the recent pollen spectra.This synthesis enlightened certain aspects, such as the consistence of forest, the role of Silver Fir and Beech in the Plain, the composition of Mixed Oak wood and the influence of Humans on flora/vegetation. The addition of the recent pollen spectra and an airborne pollen example spectrum, was helpful both in reconstructing the past and looking at what is happening in the pollen rain.The main points which emerged can be summarised as follows:1) Holocene forest consistence decreased significantly in time, with a certain reincrease in the Recent Phase (mean AP sums = 70; 57; 55; 50; 40; 44% from the Preboreal to the Recent Phase); 2) Humans progressively influenced the vegetal landscape; this influence was hinted at in the Preboreal, evident in the Subboreal and significant in the Subatlantic-Recent pollen rain. The human influence, suggested by woody pollen, concerned mainly 4 types of activity: a) forest clearance; b) precultivation and cultivation; c) “urban afforestation”; d) crowding of the pollen flora; 3) the cultural landscape spread from the settlements, and Humans: a) settled in open areas; b) preferred to settle near woods of deciduous broadleaves than conifers; c) grew woody plants in their settlement; d) possibly used Tilia, Ulmus and Acer for animal fodder;4) the forest landscape of the Region underwent some changes in the Holocene; the key points were: a) the dominance of Pinus in the Preboreal; b) the sudden spread of the broadleaves since the Boreal; c) the significant diffusion of Abies in the Atlantic; d) the notable spread of hygrophilous woods in the Atlantic - Subboreal - Subatlantic; e) the presence of Fagus stations in the Plain till the Subatlantic; f) the renewal of the Mixed Oak wood; g) the evident human influence since the Subboreal; h) the explosion of the Exotics in the Recent pollen rain. The originality of the Recent pollen landscape was the trend toward reafforestation whose most striking features were the “Urban Pollen Forest” (urban Parks sites, with high mean AP sums = 75%), and above all the “Town Woods” which had moderate mean AP sums (55%) with a significant amount of Exotics, including many entomophilous low pollen producing plants. In the future, this evident pollution of the pollen flora we have produced will be an useful chronological marker for the end of the second millennium A.D.

2004 - Il Parco Archeologico della Terramara di Montale (1650 - 1200 a.C. - Nord Italia): il contributo delle ricerche archeobotaniche [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Il Parco Archeologico della Terramara di Montale (1650 - 1200 a.C. - Nord Italia): il contributo delle ricerche archeobotaniche

2004 - L'UNIVERSITA' INCONTRA LA CITTA'ciclo di serate tra scienza e conoscenzaUniversità e Musei Civici Reggio Emilianovembre 2004 [Esposizione]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

II annoSerate scientifiche organizzate, in autunno, in collaborazione con i Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia; il ciclo di conferenze ha previsto 3 conferenze e distribuzione di dispense agli ascoltatori.a) Dal Precambriano al Miocene. Il viaggio di un geologo nei Parchi Nazionali dell'Arizona e dello Utah - prof. E. Serpaglib) La biodiversità vegetale locale e la sua conservazione - dott. D. Dallaic) Cambiamenti climatici del passato: come il polline ci aiuta a scoprirli - dott.ssa A.M. Mercuri

2004 - Le evidenze archeobotaniche [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; M., Marchesini; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

I dati archeobotanici provenienti dagli scavi della Terramara di Montale utilizzati per la realizzazione del Museo e Parco Archeologico nella medesima area ed esposti nella guida

2004 - Pollen-project “from atmosphere to allergies” diffusion models of pollen aerobiological bulletin in the plain of Bologna (Northern Italy) [Abstract in Rivista]
Marchesini, Marco; S., Marvelli; Olmi, Linda; Barbieri, Giovanna; R., Santini; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Progetto di diffusione bollettini aerobiologici con calendari pollinici in Emilia Romagna

2004 - Preliminary pollen diagram of Terramara di Montale - profile 1 (Bronze Age - Emilia Romagna, Italy) and 3 models for museological exhibition [Abstract in Rivista]
Bosi, Giovanna; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Marchesini, Marco; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Preliminary pollen diagram of Terramara di Montale - profile 1 (Bronze Age - Emilia Romagna, Italy) and 3 models for museological exhibition

2004 - Takarkori rock-shelter – Central Sahara (Libya): archaeobotanical sampling and preliminary results [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; R., Morini
abstract

Primi dati e metodi di campionamento nel sito di Takarkori, Libia, al rientro dalla missione di scavo del 2004.

2004 - The archaeobotanical research at the Terramara di Montale (1650 - 1200 B.C. - Northern Italy) and its contribution to the Archaeological Park [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

The archaeobotanical research at the Terramara di Montale (1650 - 1200 B.C. - Northern Italy) and its contribution to the Archaeological Park

2003 - A high resolution late Holocene palaeoenvironmental record from the central Adriatic Sea. [Articolo su rivista]
F., Oldfield; A., Asioli; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; S., Juggins; L., Langone; T., Rolph; F., Trincardi; G., Wolff; Z., Gibbs; L., Vigliotti; M., Frignani; K., VAN DER POST; N., Branch
abstract

A multi-proxy study of a Holocene sediment core (RF 93-30) from the western flank of the central Adriatic, in 77 m of water, reveals a sequence of changes in terrestrial vegetation, terrigenous sediment input and benthic fauna, as well as evidence for variations in sea surface temperature spanning most of the last 7000 yr. The chronology of sedimentation is based on several lines of evidence, including AMS 14C dates of foraminifera extracted from the core, palaeomagnetic secular variation, pollen indicators and dated tephra. The temporal resolution increases towards the surface and, for some of the properties measured, is sub-decadal for the last few centuries.The main changes recorded in vegetation, sedimentation and benthic foraminiferal assemblages appear to be directly related to human activity in the sediment source area, which includes the Po valley and the eastern flanks of the central and northern Appenines. The most striking episodes of deforestation and expanding human impact begin around 3600 BP (Late Bronze Age) and 700 BP (Medieval) and each leads to an acceleration in mass sedimentation and an increase in the proportion of terrigenous material, reflecting the response of surface processes to widespread forest clearance and cultivation. Although human impact appears to be the proximal cause of these changes, climatic effects may also have been important. During these periods, signs of stress are detectable in the benthic foram morphotype assemblages. Between these two periods of increased terrigeneous sedimentation there is smaller peak in sedimentation rate around 2400BP which is not associated with evidence for deforestation, shifts in the balance between terrigenous and authigenic sedimentation, or changes in benthic foraminifera.The mineral magnetic record provides a sensitive indicator of changing sediment sources: during forested periods of reduced terrigenous input it is dominated by authigenic bacterial magnetite, whereas during periods of increased erosion, anti-ferromagetic minerals (haematite and/or goethite) become more important, as well as both paramagnetic minerals and super-paramagnetic magnetite. Analysis of the alkenone, U37k′, record provides an indication of possible changes in sea surface temperature during the period, but it is premature to place too much reliance on these inferred changes until the indirect effects of past changes in the depth of the halocline and in circulation have been more fully evaluated.The combination of methods used and the results obtained illustrate the potential value of such high resolution near-shore marine sedimentary sequences for recording wide-scale human impact, documenting the effects of this on marine sedimentation and fauna and, potentially, disentangling evidence for human activities from that for past changes in climate.

2003 - L'UNIVERSITA' INCONTRA LA CITTA'ciclo di serate tra scienza e conoscenzaUniversità e Musei Civici Reggio Emiliaottobre 2003 [Esposizione]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

I annoSerate scientifiche organizzate, in autunno, in collaborazione con i Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia; il ciclo di conferenze ha previsto 4 conferenze e distribuzione di dispense agli ascoltatori.a) Orchidee: gioielli nascosti attorno a noi - dott.ssa Elisabetta Sgarbib) Polline: tempo di allergia e altre stagioni - dott.ssa Anna Maria Mercuric) Comparsa ed evoluzione delle prime forme di vita - prof. Enrico Serpaglid) I Musei Anatomici e delle Terracotte Ostretiche dell'Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia - prof. Bernardo Fratello

2003 - La collezione museale archeobotanica della Terramara di Montale (Bronzo Medio - Bronzo recente). Sezione I - I modelli di tipi pollinici di cereali [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Barberini, Ercole; Bosi, Giovanna; C., Gianaroli; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

La collezione museale archeobotanica della Terramara di Montale (Bronzo Medio - Bronzo recente). Sezione I - I modelli di tipi pollinici di cereali

2003 - Lo studio dei semi e dei frutti nei siti archeologici [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco
abstract

Storia, metodiche di recupero e di studio dell'Archeocarpologia in un volume destinato principalmente a studenti dei Corsi in beni Culturali

2003 - Plant exploitation and landscape at Uan Tabu. [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Garcea, E. A. A.
abstract

Presentazione dati Uan Tabu

2003 - “Rifiuti vegetali” e costumi alimentari nella Ferrara del XIV-XV secolo (semi e frutti dalla Cisterna dello Specchio e prime analisi delle cisterne di Palazzo Ducale) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

“Rifiuti vegetali” e costumi alimentari nella Ferrara del XIV-XV secolo (semi e frutti dalla Cisterna dello Specchio e prime analisi delle cisterne di Palazzo Ducale)

2002 - A high resolution pollen record of the Younger Dryas cold event from core RF95-13, Central Adriatic shelf. [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Asioli, A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Calzolari, A.; Trincardi, F.
abstract

Studio sulla carota ad alta risoluzione RF95-13

2002 - Archeobotanica a San Marino: pollini, semi e frutti, legni e carboni dell'insediamento goto di Fiorina di Domagnano (VI sec. d.C.) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mazzanti, Marta; Trevisan, Giuliana; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Archeobotanica a San Marino: pollini, semi e frutti, legni e carboni dell'insediamento goto di Fiorina di Domagnano (VI sec. d.C.)

2002 - Archeopalinologia e contesti di culto. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

2002 - Aumento del polline di piante legnose nell'aria di Vignola (115m s.l.m., Modena, Nord Italia) nel periodo 1990 - 2001 [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Barbieri, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Trevisan, Giuliana; Venturi, L.; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Andamento polline di legnose in aria

2002 - Cupressaceae/ Taxaceae: 3- Il polline di Cupressaceae negli anni 1990 - 2001 a Vignola. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Barbieri, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Storci, M. C.; Trevisan, Giuliana; Venturi, L.
abstract

Andamento polline di Cupressaceae in aria

2002 - Cupressaceae/Taxaceae: 1 - Il polline di Taxaceae (Taxus) nel 2001 a Modena. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Barbieri, Giovanna; Storci, Maria Chiara; E., Reggiani
abstract

Andamento del polline

2002 - Cupressaceae/Taxaceae: 2 - Il polline di Cupressaceae e dettaglio su Calocedrus nel 2000 a Modena [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Barbieri, Giovanna; Storci, M. C.
abstract

Andamento del polline

2002 - La carota marina RF95-13: un diagramma pollinico ad alta riusoluzione per lo Younger Dryas in Adriatico Centrale. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Asioli, A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Trincardi, F.
abstract

Questa carota ad alta risoluzione è un unicum per le possibilità di dettaglio sulle fasi paleoclimatiche interne allo Younger Dryas

2002 - Semi e frutti del pozzo di Cognento (Modena) dal periodo tardo romano all'età moderna [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, Marta; Marchesini, Marco; S., Marvelli; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Dati archeocarpologici da un pozzo deposito di Cognento (MO) dal periodo tardo romano all'età modena

2002 - Semi e frutti rinvenuti in buche medievali a Parma (XI - XIII sec. d.C.) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Semi e frutti rinvenuti in buche medievali a Parma (XI - XIII sec. d.C.)

2002 - The long history of Cannabis and its cultivation by the Romans in central Italy, shown by pollen records from Lago Albano and Lago di Nemi. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

The cores from the Albano and Nemi lakes, near Rome, were studied within the European Union funded PALICLAS project and provided high resolution records of the Late-glacial and Holocene. Pollen evidence of increasing human influence on vegetation was recorded in the Holocene parts of both diagrams, and the Cannabis (hemp) curve was one of the major signs. In this paper we present unambiguous pollen evidence from the Cannabaceae records for the cultivation of hemp in central Italy by the Romans. The oldest records of Cannabis and Humulus (hop) date from to the Late-glacial. Hop pollen values rise during the mid Holocene, while hemp pollen becomes more abundant from ca. 3000 cal B.P. onwards. The highest earliest hemp peak (21%) is dated to the 1st century A.D. This ‘Cannabis phase’, with the abrupt rise of hemp pollen soon after the rise of cultivated trees (Castanea, Juglans and Olea) is associated with the increase in cereals and ruderal plants. This unambiguous proof of cultivation by Romans around 2000 B.P. occurs as well as a long lasting pre-Roman presence of hemp in the area, which is natural and possibly also anthropogenic. Subsequent clear episodes of cultivation in the medieval period were found.

2001 - "The archaeobotanical archive: plants used by man (which, where, how, when?)" - What fruits did Romans eat in Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)? Some responses from seeds and fruits [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Marchesini, Marco; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

SIntesi di dati archeobotanici su semi e frutti da numerosi siti archeologici dell'Emilia Romagna

2001 - 2000 Pollen Calendar - 2-hourly Airborne Pollen Monitoring Station - University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Botanical Garden/ Geophysical Observatory). [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; MASSAMBA N'SIALA, Isabella; Barbieri, Giovanna
abstract

The paper reports the “Yearly Airborne Pollen Calendar” of 2000. The monitoring station is the “2-hourly Airborne Pollen Monitoring Station” of the Botanical Garden/Geophysical Observatory of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.In 2000 the Total pollen yearly sum was approx. 33,000 p/m3 /24h (Trees = 55%; Herbs = 45%; p= pollen grains). The months with the most pollen were February and April, all “3 Star” months (around 5000 – 6000 p/m3/24h-monthly sum); the daily maximum was recorded on February 24 (1314 p/m3/24h) and the 2-hourly maximum on February 24 (4950 p/m3/2h). Altogether 90 pollen types (8 - 58 per month) belonging to 47 Families were identified. The most abundant pollen types, which reached a monthly sum higher than 500 p/m3 (Classes IV, V, VI) were 10: Ulmus (February), Populus (February, March), Cupressaceae (February, March, April), Ostrya/Carpinus orientalis (April), Platanus (April), Quercus (April), Gramineae (April, May, June, July), Plantago (July), Castanea (June, July) and Urticaceae (July, August, September).

2001 - A high resolution pollen record of the Younger Dryas cold event from core RF95-13, Central Adriatic shelf [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; A., Asioli; Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; A., Calzolari; F., Trincardi
abstract

A high resolution pollen record of the Younger Dryas cold event from core RF95-13, Central Adriatic shelf

2001 - I depositi quaternari del Bacino di Norcia. [Articolo su rivista]
Fazzini, P; Loschi, Anna Giustina; Maffei, M; Parea, Gian Clemente; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G; Mazzanti, Marta; Manconi, D; Turchetti, M. A.
abstract

Dati dlla ricerca multidisciplinare nei depositi quaternari del Bacino di Norcia.

2001 - Il polline di Fagus nell'aria di Vignola (115 m s.l.m., Modena, Nord Italia) negli anni 1990 - 2000. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Barbieri, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Venturi; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Andamento del polline in aria

2001 - Palynological analyses of the Late Pleistocene, Early Holocene and Middle Holocene layers [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

The palynological study of the Uan Tabu rock shelter performed a large spectrum of information on the environment that had characterised the Wadi Teshuinat in the Late Quaternary. In particular, pollen enlightened past changes of flora, vegetation, ecology, climate, ethnobotany and human influence in the area at the different times of the occupation of the site. The archaeological deposit of the rock shelter covered a range of about 60,000 years, from the Late Pleistocene to the Early and Middle Holocene, and was accumulated respectively during the Aterian, the Early/Late Acacus and the Late Pastoral different cultural phases. Twenty-one pollen samples were examined including twenty samples collected from the archaeological sequence and one dung sample collected from a niche of the wall of the rock shelter. A total of 4580 identified pollen grains were counted belonging to 105 pollen types. Based on pollen preservation, list and assemblages of taxa, we distinguished three main Pollen Zones corresponding well to the three chronological phases. The Late Pleistocene pollen spectra evidenced a wet climatic phase that occurred during the Late Glacial, possibly at around 14,000-11,000 years bp. At that time, in the area, the flora has already had the elements that will be characteristics of the Holocene and an open grassland or savannah-like vegetation was widespread. The Early Holocene pollen spectra showed that a gradual change from wet to relatively drier conditions characterised the phase from 9800 to 8600 years bp, and a main abrupt change towards dryness was evidenced at the end of the Early Holocene. All these factors certainly influenced human lifestyle of hunter-gatherers that should have been greatly conditioned by climate which changed environment and availability of plants in the area. The ensamble of pollen data, particularly those of the Holocene phases, testified that the flora of the area had been more various than today’s in the past, characterised by a mixture of tropical and Mediterranean-Saharan-linking plants. Certainly, vegetation should have been distributed at different belts, with Mediterranean forest-like vegetation standing in the upper belts, followed by a Saharo-montane vegetation. The latter, enriched by wet environment places, probably surrounded Uan Tabu. Desert dunes, when present, were more spread in the lowlands than in the Tadrart Acacus. In this context, the inhabitants of the rock shelter used a large spectrum of plants in different ways. The evidence was unquestionable for the Late Acacus phase because the maximum values of Anthropogenic Pollen grains were found there. Finally, the late Middle Holocene pollen spectrum of dung showed that a xerophilous vegetation, mainly a shrubby desert vegetation, was well-diffused in the area during a dry climatic phase. The process of aridification of the area was already evident probably enforced by human impact that at that time was mainly due to the grazing of domesticated animals of pastoralists.

2001 - Penned Barbary sheep at the Uan Afuda Cave (Central Sahara), around 8000 yrs bp. Suggestion from pollen in dung. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
DI LERNIA, S.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

This work focuses on a dung layer mixed to plant remains dated 8000 ± 100 bp (cal. 7070-6750 BC), discovered in the inner part of the Uan Afuda cave.

2001 - Pollini e spore fungine. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Barbieri, Giovanna; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Venturi, L.; Natali, P.
abstract

Nell’area di Vignola è collocato un campionatore di pollini e spore posto a 125 m s.l.m.. Si tratta della stazione MO2 in funzione dal maggio 1989 gestita dall’Orto Botanico dell’Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia in collaborazione con Arpa di Modena. Dal 1990 è inserita nella rete italiana di monitoraggio aerosporologico (Associazione Italiana di Aerobiologia), dal 1992 fa parte della rete europea (International Aerobiological Association).I dati raccolti dai singoli centri di monitoraggio vengono elaborati e utilizzati per la redazione e la diffusione e la diffusione di un Bollettino settimanale dei pollini allergenici.Il campionamento pollinico assolve allo scopo di:- fornire dati di natura prettamente palinologica e sporologica e fornire informazioni d’interesse clinico. Settimanalmente viene redatto un “Bollettino di Pollini” diffuso nei principali punti di ritrovo della cittadinanza (CUP, Ospedale, Igiene Pubblica, Comune, ecc.) in cui vengono evidenziate le specie vegetali fiorite nel periodo. Questo si è rivelato un utile strumento tanto per pazienti allergopatici quanto per medici allergologi. Il Bollettino è inoltre reperibile presso il sito web di Arpa alla pagina www.arpa.emr.it/modena. Ogni settimana attraverso lo studio combinato dei dati osservati e delle previsioni metereologiche, vengono previste le concentrazioni polliniche per i primi tre giorni della settimana successiva e la tendenza per gli ultimi quattro giorni del periodo. Il TG3 regionale della RAI delle ore 14.30 dedica nell'edizione del giovedì ampio spazio alle previsioni dei pollini allergenici. Informazioni più complete sono disponibili nel sito web del Servizio meteorologico regionale di Arpa Emilia Romagna.

2001 - Pollinosi: l'analisi pollinica personalizzata è utile per la diagnosi e la prevenzione ? Studio pollinico e clinico di 10 pazienti (Modena, 1999). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
E., Martinelli; Trevisan, Giuliana; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cf, Marchioni; Rivasi, Francesco; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Campionamento personalizzato di poline diffuso in aria per pollinosici

2001 - Preliminary analyses of fruits, seeds and few plant macrofossils from the Early Holocene sequence. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Large amounts of well-preserved seeds and fruits, together with other macrofossils, were found in the archaeological layers of the Uan Tabu rock shelter. They gave interesting information on the human behaviour and the cultural knowledge on plants by the hunter-gatherers who inhabited the Tadrart Acacus mountains during the Early Holocene. Twenty soil samples of known volume were dry sieved, and seeds and fruits were studied. A total of 9218 records, among which Gramineae were 88%, were counted. Altogether, Paniceae, mainly Brachiaria and Urochloa, and Boraginaceae characterized carpological spectra. Seed and fruit concentrations ranged from a minimum of 2 records per 6 liters, found in sample MS19/Layer 21, to a maximum of 3337 sf/6l = 557 sf/l (3647 records / 6l if twigs of tamerices were included), found in sample MS1/Layer 3. Combining floristic list and concentrations, four carpological zones were distinguished. The earlier zone dated back to the Pleistocene and do not include plant accumulations. The other three zones dated to the Early Holocene (9800-8600 years bp) and corresponded to different environmental and cultural contexts, in which the hunter-gatherers lived. In particular, an extensive and diversified use of plants was observed in the Late Acacus cultural phase (8800-8600 years bp) during which not only food, but also medicinal and votive uses, could be inferred from plant accumulations. Evidence of both a cultural knowledge of plants in the area and the transmission of this knowledge to next generations was inferred on the basis of the distribution of plant material in the deposit of Uan Tabu, and by comparing plant macrofossils from other sites in the Tadrart Acacus.

2001 - Primi dati archeobotanici (pollini e semi/frutti) sul sito romano (I sec. a.C. - VI sec. d.C.) di Luogo Pozzo - Medicina (Bologna, Nord Italia) [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Marchesini, Marco; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Ricostruzione archeoambientale del sito romano di Luogo Pozzo-Bologna

2001 - Primi dati archeobotanici a Domagnano: I pollini (I- VI sec. d.C.) [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco; Mazzanti, Marta; Trevisan, Giuliana; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Primi dati pollinici da campioni provenienti dal sito romano-goto di Domagnano (San Marino)

2001 - Primi dati archeobotanici a Domagnano: I semi e i frutti (prima metà del VI sec. d.C.). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Primi dati sui semi e frutti provenienti da un pozzo del sito romano-goto di Domagnano a San Marino.

2001 - Quale frutta circolava sulle tavole emiliano-romagnole nel periodo romano? Suggerimenti dai semi e frutti rinvenuti in siti archeologici. [Articolo su rivista]
Mazzanti, Marta; Bosi, Giovanna; M., Marchesini; Mercuri, Anna Maria; C. A., Accorsi
abstract

Le ricerche archeocarpologiche condotte in siti archeologici emiliano-romagnoli di età romana hanno fornito reperti in gran numero e assai diversificati dal punto di vista floristico. Viene qui presentata una breve rassegna dei reperti di "frutta?, che rappresentano una parte non trascurabile tra i reperti (semi/frutti) studiati. I reperti provengono da 11 siti (dati editi e inediti), collocati in 6 provincie, in area planiziale. La cronologia, su basi archeologiche e datazioni radiometriche, va dal II sec. a.C. al VII sec. d. C. I reperti sono stati ripartiti in tre fasi: 1) repubblicana (2 siti; II-I sec. a.C.); 2) imperiale (6 siti; I-IV sec. d.C.); 3) tardo antica (4 siti; V-VII sec. d.C.). Globalmente sono stati identificati 23 taxa specifici o infraspecifici (22 specie più un tipo carpologico corrispondente a un gruppo di specie), appartenenti a 15 generi e 9 famiglie, che rappresentano ca. 1/10 dell?intera lista floristica carpologica del periodo romano. In maggioranza si tratta di frutta coltivata o di probabile coltura in qualche momento del periodo romano (16 tipi: ciliegia, corniola, cocomero, fico, fragola, mandorla, mela ,mirabolana, noce, pera, pesca, pinolo, sorba del Sorbo comune, susina, susina damascena, uva), accompagnati da alcuni frutti spontanei (7 tipi: ciliegia canina, frutto del Biancospino, frutto del Sambuco nero, mora del Rovo, nocciola, prugnola, sorba del Ciavardello). Nel periodo repubblicano sono presenti 11 tipi di frutta (7 di frutta coltivata o di probabile coltura, 4 di frutta spontanea), fra le quali prevalgono quantitativamente uva e fichi, seguiti da fragole, mele, pere, ciliegie dolci, ecc., tutte specie native, con dubbi per il Fico. Nella fase imperiale aumenta la varietà (18 tipi di frutta: 14 di frutta coltivata o di probabile coltura e 4 di frutta spontanea), soprattutto si diversificano le Prunoideae e compaiono alcune esotiche (cocomero, mandorla, mirabolana, pesca). Nella fase tardo antica la varietà della frutta cala (13 tipi: 8 di frutta coltivata o di probabile coltura e 5 spontanei) e fra le Prunoideae restano solo la susina damascena e la pesca. I reperti suggeriscono che nel periodo romano possono essere trovate le radici di alcuni tratti della nostra alimentazione e anche dell'attuale paesaggio colturale planiziario della nostra regione, in particolare quelle dei vigneti e dei frutteti a prunoidee.

2001 - The Archaeobotanical Archive: plants used by man (which, where, how, when?) - The web-site for the Green Cultural Heritage in Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; DE BIASI, Bruno; TREVISAN GRANDI, G; Mazzanti, Marta; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

This history is reconstructed throughout the study of Holocene pollen, recorded in a variety of deposits (stratigraphic sequences, archaeological layers and moss polsters) as well as macroremains (seeds/fruits and wood/charcoal) mainly recorded in archaeological sites. This research began with a general census of pollen of woody plants surely or probably used by man, and was based on published and unpublished studies [1, 2, 3]. The Holocene records from more than 150 sites were subdivided into six chronological phases (Preboreal, Boreal, Atlantic, Subboreal, Subatlantic and Recent = the last fifty years) and three altitudinal belts (Plain, Hills, Mountains; see Fig.1). The anthropic woody pollen types (cultivated /cultivable = CC) were 70 (=52% of all woody pollen types) and were grouped into 15 categories according to their vegetational, ecological and anthropic significance (Tables 1,2,3). Then the history of single CC species or groups was studied, based on pollen and macroremains.This paper describes the web site presenting updated results of the research.

2001 - “The archaeobotanical archive: plants used by man (which, were, how, when?)”. What fruits did Romans eat in Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)? Some responses from seeds and fruits [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Bosi, Giovanna; Marchesini, Marco; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

In the last ten years, an increasing number of studies concerning seeds and fruits recorded in archaeological sites of the Emilia Romagna region were carried out thanks to the co-operation between our laboratory and the Soprintendenza Archeologica. The archaeological sites involved dated from the Neolithic to the Modern Age. On the whole, the seeds and fruits studied were several hundred thousands and their floristic list includes hundreds of species/carpological types. Many of them belong to plants producing ‘fruits’ (in the common – not strictly botanical - sense of the word). In the Roman times, these records increased suggesting that fruit became an important and habitual food on the tables of Emilia Romagna, during that period. This paper presents a brief review of the ‘fruit’ records found in 11 archaeological sites of the region dated in the Roman period, based on published and unpublished data. Other information and references can be found in a more detailed paper

2000 - La Stazione Aeropollinica Bioraria di Modena - Orto Botanico/ Osservatorio Geofisico - Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia (Nord Italia). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Trevisan, Giuliana; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Barbieri, Giovanna; Storci, C.; Mazzanti, Marta; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

La Stazione Aeropollinica Bioraria di Modena

2000 - La frutta sulle tavole dell'Emilia Romagna nel Periodo Romano in base alle ricerche carpologiche [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bosi, Giovanna; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Marchesini, Marco; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

La frutta sulle tavole dell'Emilia Romagna nel Periodo Romano in base alle ricerche carpologiche

2000 - Le vicende oloceniche di Castanea in Emilia Romagna (Nord Italia) in base ai documenti pollinici. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; Accorsi, C. A.
abstract

2000 - Palaeoclimate and the formation of sapropel S1: inferences from Late Quaternary lacustrine and marine sequences in the central Mediterranean region [Articolo su rivista]
D., Ariztegui; A., Asioli; J. J., Lowe; F., Trincardi; L., Vigliotti; F., Tamburini; C., Chondrogianni; C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; S., Van der Kaars; J. A., Mckenzie; F., Oldfield
abstract

Synchronous responses to climatic changes during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene transition are inferred from marine and lacustrine stratigraphic records in the central Mediterranean region, New stratigraphic data are presented from well-dated sequences in the Meso-Adriatic Depression (MAD), two crater lakes in the Lazio region, and in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The sequences all span the last termination and the Holocene, but we focus here on the evidence in each record for the time period during which sapropel S1 formed in the Mediterranean (ca, 9.0 to 6.8 cal kyr B.P.). The new records provide evidence of palaeoenvironmental changes on land and sea that can be reconstructed at a high temporal resolution, and which throw some light on the processes which led to the formation of S1. The collective evidence indicates that: (i) organic-rich sediments occurred in both the marine and the crater lake sites during the time of formation of the S1 sapropel; (ii) there is evidence of increased stratification and anoxia in the sea-water column during the period of S1 formation; (iii) the S1 period in the study area is divisible into two subphases (S1a and S1b), which reflect short-term variations in oceanographic conditions (stratification and anoxia); (iv) changes in stratification in the marine column were contemporaneous with regional climate variations that are inferred from the terrestrial records. We conclude that the key factor that initiated the formation of S1 was increased discharge of freshwater into the Mediterranean following a change post-9.0 cal kyr B.P. to a warmer and wetter climate. Furthermore, the period of S1 formation was interrupted by a short-lived episode (ca. 500 years) of comparatively cooler and drier conditions during the Early-Middle Holocene transition (EMHT). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.

2000 - Palynological research in archaeological sites of the Tadrart Acacus massif (Central Sahara, Libya). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

First international report on palynological analyse of the Saharan archaeological sites in Libya

2000 - The Holocene pollen history of Castanea in Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, C. . A.; Mazzanti, Marta; DE BIASI, B.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

2000 - The two - hourly pollen monitoring Station of the Botanical Garden - Geophysical Observatory of Modena (Northern Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Torri, Paola; Storci, Maria Chiara; Mazzanti, Marta; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Monitoraggio aerobiologico biorario

1999 - 1998 Pollen Calendar - 2-hourly Airborne Pollen Monitoring Station – University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Botanical Garden/ Geophysical Observatory). [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Barbieri, Giovanna; Storci, M. C.
abstract

Calendar of the pollen rain from one years - Monitoring Station of Vignola (Modena-Italy)

1999 - An overview of Holocene Forest Pollen Flora/Vegetation of the Emilia Romagna Region – Northern Italy. [Articolo su rivista]
ACCORSI C., A; Mazzanti, Marta; Forlani, L; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a brief overview on the Holocene Forest Pollen Flora/vegetation of the Emialia ROmagna Region, based on the synthesis of the available data, updated to 1999. Data concerned 1342 samples in 156 sites: mean forest spectra per Holocene phases (Preboreal, Boreal, Atlantic, Subboreal, Subatlantic, Recent - the last 50 years) and altitudinal belt (Plain, Hills, Mountains) were calculated as well as some Indexes. The regional Holocene forest pollen flora consisted of 134 taxa belonging to 61 Families and 125 Genera. The main features of the Holocene forest pollen landscape were: 1)forest consistency decreased significantly over time, with a certain revival in the Recent; 2)in the Plain, Pinus dominated the Preboreal and broadleaves suddenly spread from the Boreal onward; 3)mixed broadleaf woods always prevailed in the Hills, with refuge stations for castanea and Juglans in the Preboreal-Boreal; 4)conifers were prevalent in the mountains from the Preboreal to the Atlantic; 5)in the Atlantic, the landscape was the most monotonous, with Abies, Pinus, Quercus, Tilia, Alnus, Corylus spread throughout the Region; 6)Abies was notably spread throughout the Region from the Subboreal; 7)hygrophilous woods were very widespread and abundant from the Atlantic to the Subatlantic; 8)Abies and Fagus maintained some stations in the Plain even up to the Subatlantic; 9)the mixed Oak wood continuously renewed throughout the Holocene: Tilia was abundant in the Boral-Atlantic, carpinus emerged at different times in each altitudinal belt, Ulmus in the Subboreal, Fraxinus and especially Ostrya in the Recent; 10)humans progressively influenced the vegetal landscape. This influence was increasingly suggested from Preboreal to the Atlantic, more visible in the Subboreal and even more evident in the Subatlantic-Recent. The human influence testified by woody pollen concerned mainly 4 types of activity: a)forest clearance; b)protection, care, precultivation-cultivation; c)crowding of the pollen flora; d)"urban afforestation"; 11)the data of the Plain suggested that the cultural vegetal landscape spread from the settlements: hmans settled in open areas; preferred to settle near woods of deciduous broadleaves rather than conifers; grew useful native trees in their settlement; possibly used Tilia, Ulmus and Acer for animal fodder, since the Subboreal have had the habit of polluting the flora by growing "Exotic" trees. This habit has exploded in the Recent and will be a useful chronological marker for the end of the second millennium AD, in the future.

1999 - Anthropic pollen and seeds/fruits from the archaeological site of Monte Castellaccio (Imola - Bologna, Northern Italy) - Eneolithic and Bronze Age human influence on vegetal landscape. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Trevisan, Giuliana; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Monte Castellaccio is a hillhock, 76 m a.s.l., located in Imola (44°21’N, 11°42’E; Northern Italy). In the 2nd half of the past century, an archaeological site was excavated and studied by G.Scarabelli who collected large amount of materials, seeds/fruits and a stratigraphic sequence of the site, currently kept in the Civic Museum of Imola. The sequence was recently submitted to new studies: a) archaeological studies established that the site mainly dates back to the Bronze Age (from BM1-2 and BM3? to BR), but Eneolithic records of 2600-2400 B.C. have also been found in the oldest layer; b) radiocarbon dates referred the Bronze Age settlement to 3340±50 uncal. bp (cal. from 1680-1524 to 1619-1435 B.C.); c) stratigraphic and micromorphogical analyses evidenced the presence of a forest soil during the Eneolithic, and a next series of layers with hearths and coprolites, straw and organic matter, closed by a surface of trampling, during the Bronze Age; d) pollen data suggested that the Eneolithic occupation occurred in a middle forested environment, characterised by a mixed oak wood that grew in the area during a cool and wet climatic phase of the Early Subboreal. Subsequently, a more open vegetation dominated by Compositae and Gramineae, and a more dry and hot climatic phase occurred during the first step of the Bronze Age settlement (BM 1-2). Only at the end of the Subboreal, Bronze Age 3?, a slight climatic cooling was evident in the simultaneous rise of pine and decline of oak wood. Pollen samples from the youngest occupational phase, BR, were sterile.We focused here on the anthropogenic pollen indicators, i.e. witness of human presence and activities, which are useful to evaluate the human influence on the landscape and the role of plants in human economy and culture. We considered also carpological macroremains of the site as they were essentially cultivated wheat, barley, oat and rye, and few other records of wild plants linked again to human presence in the site. They were attributed by G. Scarabelli to the Bronze Age settlement, without any more information on their stratigraphic position.

1999 - Archeologia e paesaggio. Indagini archeologiche, botaniche e zoologiche integrate applicate ai sondaggi geognostici in un settore urbano di Mutina. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Farello, P; Pellegrini, S.
abstract

Ricerca multidisciplinare per la ricostruzione del paesaggio di Modena antica

1999 - I semi/frutti della latrina del Monastero di S.Caterina. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Mazzanti, Marta; Barbi, M; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Ricostruzione archeoambientale ed etnobotanica medievale.

1999 - Il fossato di Argenta (Ferrara) e la sua bonifica in età medievale: contributo alla ricostruzione della storia del sito in base ai semi e frutti del riempimento. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Barbi, M; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Ricostruzione della storia del paesaggio, con elementi di etnobotanica, del sito di Argenta in base ai semi e frutti del riempimento. La ricerca si inseisce nelle ricerhe decennali portate avanti su Ferrara e i suoi dintorni dal gruppo di ricerca, con speciale dettaglio sui resti di semi/frutti.

1999 - Il paesaggio vegetale tra il X e il XII sec. d.C. a Ferrara (Emilia Romagna, Nord Italia) attraverso l’indagine archeo-carpologica. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; E., Gasparini; C., Guarnieri; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

prime analisi dei macroresti da Ferrara

1999 - Palynological analysis of the Early Holocene sequence. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Uan Afuda Cave was occupied by humans during the Late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene. This paper presents pollen data obtained from 6 samples taken from the stratigraphic sequence in the atrial part of the cave plus 2 dung samples. Based on archaeological, stratigraphical and radiocarbon data, samples were dated to the Early Holocene, mainly in the “Mesolithic” phase. Altogether, 160 pollen types belonging to 60 Families were recorded, out of 8,572 identified pollen grains. Percentage pollen spectra were reported as well as the values of some categories of taxa significant to characterise flora, vegetation and relationships between plants and human life. Information about distribution, ecology and uses of the plants recorded was added. Three local pollen zones were identified. They were consistent with the archaeological chronology. Pollen suggested that in the Early Holocene Uan Afuda Cave faced a varied vegetal landscape: a patchwork of savannah and wooded grassland with a quite rich and diversified flora. A number of tree species grew scattered throughout the area, some thicker near the wet biotopes which were widespread at that time. Pollen flora and vegetation indicated, in general, a climate considerably wetter than the present. However, some changes occurred: in the older phase, around 9500 bp (Pollen zone UAF1, “Epipalaeolithic”) the landscape was more open, with wider mesophilous grassland and fresh-water environments, and with a flora more requiring periodical rains than in the younger phase. The occupation of the cave was less intense at that time. In the latter phase, around 8500 bp (Pollen zone UAF2, “Mesolithic”) the climate became slightly dryer and the occupation of the cave became more intense: probably the climatic change obliged humans to concentrate in the mountains. The high variety and amount of anthropogenic pollen types, belonging to plants useful for food, fodder, fibre, drugs, colours etc., were a notable source of information concerning the lifestyle and the cognitive development of Uan Afuda’s inhabitants. In particular the accumulation of specific pollen provided keys to investigate how much and in which way they used plants, and the value of plants in their culture. Concerning this topic one of the most exciting suggestion came from the dung, produced by wild Barbary sheep controlled by humans, collected in the inner part of the cave. The uncommonly high amount of pollen of Echium, a toxic plant, suggested that these ruminants could have been consciously poisoned, in a context of complex, unsuspected, and not yet well explainable liaisons between humans and wild animals. On the whole, pollen clearly indicates that Uan Afuda inhabitants had a great capacity to discriminate plant properties for different uses and that not only ‘biological’ but also ‘cultural’ needs were at the base of their harvesting.

1999 - Plant exploitation during the Early and Middle Holocene in the Tadrart Acacus (Central Sahara, Libya) - Pollen evidence of changes. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Palynological investigations carried out so far in the archaeological sites of the Tadrart Acacus have provided a great deal of information about Holocene pollen flora, vegetation and palaeoclimatic oscillations in the area, factors which significantly affect human behaviour. Anthropogenic pollen was important for investigating ethnological aspects. In fact it evidenced the exploitation of a variety of plants, testifying or suggesting that humans used them based on cultural knowledge.In this paper, the Uan Afuda Cave and Uan Muhuggiag Rockshelter, two sites of remarkable archaeological and artistic interest [6, 7], were selected as examples to discuss the relationships between environmental and cultural changes suggested by pollen spectra obtained from two reference sequences, and studied by archaeologists and various field archaeo-environmentalists. The Uan Afuda cave was occupied by hunter-gatherers groups during the Early Holocene, and the Uan Muhuggiag rockshelter was occupied by pastoralists during the Middle Holocene. On the whole their Holocene deposits dated from 10 to 3.5 kyrs bp.

1999 - Pollen and seeds/fruits from the archaeological site of Monte Castellaccio (Imola-Bologna, Northern Italy) - Eneolithic and Bronze Age. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Accorsi, C. A.
abstract

Archeobotanica di Monte Castellaccio - Imola

1999 - Seeds and fruits from the town of Ferrara (Emilia Romagna - Northern Italy) in the Middle Age (X - XII cent. A.D.) [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; E., Gasparini; Bosi, Giovanna; C., Guarnieri; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Dati archeobotanici (carpologici) dallo scavo di Porta Reno (Ferrara)

1999 - The Early Holocene dung from the Uan Afuda Cave (Tadrart Acacus, Central Sahara): Pollen evidence of unsuspected human behaviour. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

1999 - The exploitation of wild cereals during the Early and Middle Holocene in the Tadrart Acacus (Central Sahara, Libya): pollen evidence. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan Grandi, G.; Accorsi, C. A.
abstract

Plant exploitation during the Early and Middle Holocene in the Tadrart Acacus (Central Sahara, Libya): pollen evidence of changes.

1998 - Analisi pollinica di saggio per l’insediamento palafitticolo di Cànar-Rovigo, 6,80-7,00 m s.l.m. (Antica Età del Bronzo). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rivalenti, C; Torri, Paola
abstract

Ricostruzione archeoambientale del sito di Canàr-Rovigo

1998 - Archaeological and archaeobotanical data on the Mesolithic/Ancient- Medium Neolithic site of Terragne (Taranto, Southern Italy, 96 m a.s.l., 40° 24' N 17° 38' E). [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Fiorentino, G; GORGOGLIONE A., M; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Ricostruzione archeobotanica, in ricerca multidisciplinare, del sito di Terragne- Taranto.

1998 - Evidence of the cultivation of Cannabis in Roman Times in the Holocene diagrams of Albano and Nemi lakes (Central Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Presentazione dei dati inerenti il primo ritrovamento di polline di canapa in lazio, durante il periodo romano, che documenta la scoperta della lavorazione della canapa nei laghi laziali in assenza di fonti scritte

1998 - Holocene woody pollen spectra of the Emilia Romagna Plain (Northern Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Forlani, L.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

1998 - Il polline nei mieli di città’: stagionalita’ e ambiente urbano nei mieli di Modena (Emilia Romagna-Nord Italia; 1984-1991). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Studio melissopalinologico condotto nell'ambito di sviluppo della palinologia applicata a Modena.

1998 - L'insediamento palafitticolo di Canar-Rovigo 6,80-7,00 m s.l.m. (Antica Età del Bronzo). Conclusioni. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Balista, C; Castiglioni, E; Mazzanti, Marta; Bellintani, P; DE GROSSI MAZZORIN, J; FREZZA A., M; Martinelli, N; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Nisbet, R; Papafava, M; Riedel, A; Salzani, L; Mottella, S; Rivalenti, C; Tinazzi, O; Torri, Paola
abstract

Ricerca multidisciplinare sul sito palafitticolo di Canàr-Rovigo.

1998 - La stazione aerobiologica di Vignola, 125 m s.l.m. (Modena, Nord Italia, 44°29’N 11°00’E): qualche dato sul polline di piante legnose (anni 1990-1995). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Venturi, L.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Sintesi di dati da monitoraggio aerobiologico della stazione di Vignola

1998 - New pollen data from the Uan Muhuggiag rockshelter (Libyan Sahara, VII-IV millennia BP). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

The Uan Muhuggiag rockshelter (24°50'32''N 10°30'47''E; 900 m a.s.l.) is a pastoral site which provides primary archaeological evidence and a key series for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Central Sahara. Based on new systematic sampling, stratigraphical, micromorphological and palynological research was carried out on this series. This paper presents the pollen diagram obtained from 11 samples taken in the series. Based on 14C dates, the pollen sequence covers a time span ranging from VII to IV millennium BP. A total of 118 pollen types belonging to 48 Families were recorded, out of 5,600 identified pollen grains. Well-preserved pollen grains prevailed; only sample no.7, rich in charcoal fragments, had a few and badly preserved pollen grains. The pollen diagram was consistent with the 14C chronology and three main pollen zones were identified in it. The bottom Zone (UM1) showed that a savanna vegetation was spread in the area (Gramineae and Cyperaceae) and suggested a permanent water source near the rockshelter, testified by hydro/hygrophilous plants (Typha, Potamogeton, Phragmites, Scirpus ). In Zone UM2, the vegetation was still open, but shrub and tree cover increased. The water environment was reduced. In Zone UM3, shrubs and herbs prevailed and a desert savanna together with typical wady communities and psammophylous plants finally emerged. Pollen assemblages, mainly in zone UM3, testified that the mid-Holocene vegetation cover was larger than today's, and flora was more various, characterized by a mixture of tropical and Mediterranean-Saharan-linking pollen types. The pollen diagram was consistent with previous studies on the rockshelter which had concerned both pollen and macrofossils, and provided more information about the mid-Holocene vegetal landscape in the area. Throughout the diagram a disturbance produced by human occupation was observed, increasing in Zone UM3. It was due to the pressure of grazing from domestic animals which accentuated the changes in vegetation induced by the climate, and also to the overrepresentation of some pollen types which had been carried by coprolites and harvested plants inside the rockshelter. Among these plants, Panicum cf. (millet) and Cereal pollen-type I (sensu Bottema) were found, suggesting the harvesting of wild caryopses. The wild flora/vegetation of Uan Muhuggiag appeared to have well supported the food needs of neolithic people during the mid-Holocene, from VII millennium to IV BP, even in the latter period which was characterized by arid climatic conditions.

1998 - Palynological analyses in the Libyan Sahara Massifs: pollen preservation and palaeoecological implications. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
MARIOTTI LIPPI, M; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Ricerca palinologica sullo stato di conservazione del polline in siti archeologici del Sahra e relazioni paleoecologiche

1998 - Pollen in dung layers from rockshelters and caves of Wadi Teshuinat (Libyan Sahara). [Capitolo/Saggio]
TREVISAN GRANDI, G; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Pollen analysis from dung layers found in archaeological sites from the Wadi Teshuinat.

1998 - Pubblicazioni di Daria Bertolani Marchetti. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Forlani, Luisa; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Elenco delle pubblicazioni della Prof. Daria Bertolani Marchetti per la giornata della sua commemorazione a Formigine, 18 Maggio 1996

1998 - Qualche osservazione pollinica sulla stagione di raccolta di polline d’api 1995 a Fiesso di Castenaso, 42 m s.l.m., 44°30’N 11°29’E (Bologna-Emilia Romagna-Nord Italia). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Forlani, Luisa; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Folli, P.; Torri, Paola; Tosi, B.; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Studio melissopalinologico sulla raccolta di pallottole di polline da parte delle api

1998 - Semi e frutti dalla latrina di un monastero rinascimentale (XV-XVI sec.d.C.) ad Argenta (4m s.l.m., Ferrara - Nord Italia). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Barbi, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mazzanti, Marta; Guarnieri, C.
abstract

Studio per la ricostruzione archeoambientale ed etnobotanica del sito con una latrina di un monastero rinascimentale ad Argenta

1998 - The 2-hourly Airborne Pollen Monitoring Station - University of Modena (Botanical Garden/Geophysical Observatory) and the 1994 example Pollen Calendar. [Articolo su rivista]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Mazzanti, Marta; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

First pollen calendar from the monitoring station of Vignola (Modena-Northern Italy).

1998 - The Grotta Grande of Scario (Salerno - Southern Italy): stratigraphy, archaeological finds, pollen and mammals. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Ronchitelli, A; Abbazzi, L; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Bernardi, M; Masini, F; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mezzabotta, C; Rook, L.
abstract

Ricostruzione archeo-paleoambientale della Grotta Grande di Scario (Campania).

1998 - Tracce polliniche della savana di transizione sahariano-saheliana a 6825±90 BP nella Grotta Mathendoush (Messak Sattafet, 26°N 11°E Sahara Centrale). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Trevisan, Giuliana; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

Dati pollinici da un livello di deposito in grotta del Sahara Centrale, in Libia, utile testimonianza di una fase di riscaldamento climatico durante l'Olocene medio.

1997 - Aerobiologia 2.0: A software for Processing Aeropollen Data. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Ferrarini, S.; Venturi, L.
abstract

"Aerobiologia 2.0" is a simple computer program created to handle the pollen data collected every 2 hrs and daily by aerobiological monitoring stations equipped with Hirst-type spore traps. "Aerobiologia 2.0" runs on Windows 3.1 and is compatible with other programs that run on this operating system. The program was developed to store and process pollen data through a few straightforward operations. An unlimited calendar automatically calculates the day of the week. The pollen dictionary, which can hold up to 1216 different pollen types, may be modified or changed completely. Concentrations for every pollen type (in pollen grains/m3) are automatically recorded daily and every 2 hrs. 10-day and monthly sums are also calculated. The percentage of selected types, groups, or families of pollen collected each day, every 10 days, and monthly is quickly available. Pollen calendars and spectra in 24-hr, 10-day, monthly, tri-monthly, half-year, and yearly periods are readily produced. As soon as it is entered, the pollen data are saved on hard disk. A year's worth of data can be saved on a single 1.44 M byte floppy disk. Aerobiologia 2.0 is being used successfully to process the aeropollen data collected at the two monitoring stations managed by our Palynological Laboratory.

1997 - Pollen stratigraphy of sediment sequences from crater lakes (Lago Albano and Lago di Nemi) and the Central Adriatic spanning the interval from Oxygen isotope Stage 2 to the present day. [Articolo su rivista]
LOWE J., J; ACCORSI C., A; Mazzanti, Marta; Bishop, A; Forlani, L; KAARS VAN DER, S; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rivalenti, C; Torri, Paola; Watson, C.
abstract

Pollen-stratigraphic data are presented for sediment cores obtained from the floor of twocrater lakes situated close to Rome (Lake Albano and Lake Nemi) and from 4 sediment coresrecovered from the floor of the Central Adriatic Sea. Lake Albano sequence spans theinterval from OIS 2 to the present time, while that from the Lake Nemi provides a detailedrecord of the Holocene. The longest of the Central Adriatic cores probably extends back tobefore the last glacial maximum, though the precise age of the base of the sequence isunknown. Two other core sequences span the Lateglacial and Holocene, while the fourthprovides a high-resolution record of the mid- to late-Holocene. The results are comparedwith the recently-published pollen-stratigraphic data from Lago Grande di Monticchio(Watts et al. 1996) and also with a number of other published pollen records obtained fromsites in Italy and adjacent marine basins. It is shown that the new pollen data are not onlyinternally consistent, but also show strong resemblances to previously-published pollenrecords from both terrestrial and marine sites. Pollen stratigraphy thus provides a basis forthe correlation and relative dating of lake and marine sequences. For these purposes, anumber of very clear pollen-stratigraphic ‘marker’ horizons can be recognised. Theseinclude (i) a series of very abrupt fluctuations in pollen concentrations during the last(Würm) glacial maximum, (ii) the expansion of deciduous trees at the onset of the Lateglacialperiod, (iii) the revertance to steppic plant associations during the Younger Dryas coldoscillation, (iv) the marked expansion of a number of tree types at the start of the Holocene,(v) progressive deforestation, accompanied by the increasing importance of so-called‘anthropogenic indicator plants’ (e.g., cereal grasses, weeds of cultivated land), during themid-Holocene, (vi) the rising percentages of olive, chestnut and the vine from the Romanperiod onwards, and (vii) the appearance of Zea mays during the historical period.

1997 - The long history of Cannabis (PALICLAS project). [Poster]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Presentazione dei dati relativi agli alti valori di canapa nei laghi laziali - progetto PALICLAS

1997 - Trasformazioni del paesaggio padano con attenzione agli ambenti umidi (Emilia Romagna- Olocene). [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Forlani, L.
abstract

Studio palinologico sulle trasformazioni del paesaggio padano e riduzione delle zone umide.

1996 - AEROBIOLOGIA 2.0 [Software]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; S., Ferrarini
abstract

Programma sofware in BASIC, ultimo di una serie di tre versioni, progettato per archiviazione dati da letture di monitoraggio aerobiologico, per dati orari e biorari. Raccoglie ed elabora tutti i dati trasformandoli in concentrazioni e permettendo esportazione in excel.

1996 - Holocene forest pollen vegetation of the Po Plain - Northern Italy (Emilia Romagna Data). [Articolo su rivista]
C. A., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rivalenti, C; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

Holocene forest pollen vegetation of the Po Plain - Northern Italy (Emilia Romagna Data)Sintesi corposa dei dati palinologici delle specie forestali trovate in siti studiati in pianura padana

1996 - I semi/frutti dell’ insediamento di M.te Castellaccio (età del Bronzo; 76 m s.l.m., 44°21’N 11°42’E, Imola- Bologna; Nord Italia). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Barbi, M.
abstract

Ricostruzioni etnobotaniche e ambientali sul sito del Bronzo, a Imola, scoperto a fine '800 da Pacciarelli. Esame di resti oggi musealizzati.

1996 - Palynological analyses in the Libyan Sahara Massifs: the state of preservation of pollen grains. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

1996 - Primi dati palinologici sul sito di M.te Castellaccio (76 m s.l.m., 44°21’N 11°42’E, Imola- Bologna; Nord Italia - Età del Bronzo). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

Studio palinologico del testimone stratigrafico raccolto da Scarabelli a Imola, e oggi conservato nel suo Museo

1996 - Qualche dato sul paesaggio dell'accampamento paleolitico di Isernia (Molise, Italia Centrale): dati litostratigrafici e spettri pollinici della serie "Isernia - Fiume Cavaliere". [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Studio palinologico e stratigrafico dell'importnte sito paleolitico di Isernia La Pineta con dati sul paesaggio dell'accampamento

1996 - Semi e frutti di età medievale (1275-1325 d.C.) da un fossato in Argenta (4m s.l.m., Ferrara - Nord Italia). [Articolo su rivista]
Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Barbi, M.; Accorsi, C. A.; Guarnieri, C.
abstract

1995 - A more advanced version of palynological software Aerobiologia (AEROBIOLOGIA. 2). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Ferrarini, S.; Venturi, L.; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

Presentazione di un software utile alla archiviazione ed elaborazione dati da monitoraggio pollinico

1995 - A specific study of airborne Betulaceae pollen (Vignola-Modena-Northern Italy-1990) [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Trevisan, Giuliana; Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Venturi, L; Digiuseppe, M.
abstract

Elaborazione dati su Betulacea da monitoraggio aerobiologico

1995 - Anthropogenic pollen in the Late Quaternary pollen diagrams from the central Adriatic Sea (part of the “PALICLAS” multidisciplinary project). [Altro]
Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Lowe, J.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rivalenti, C.; Torri, Paola; VAN DER KAARS, S.
abstract

1995 - Archaeological and archaeobotanical data on the Mesolithic/Ancient- Medium Neolithic site of Terragne (Taranto, Southern Italy, 96 m a.s.l., 40° 24' N 17° 38' E). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; di LERNIA, S.; Fiorentino, G.; Gorgoglione, A. M.
abstract

1995 - Expanded Younger Dryas deposits in the Late-Quaternary transgressive record of the Central Adriatic shelf. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Trincardi, F.; Asioli, A.; Cattaneo, A.; Correggiari, A.; Vigliotti, L.; Accorsi, C. A.; Lowe, J.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rivalenti, C.; Torri, Paola; KAARS van der, S.
abstract

1995 - La stagione di frequentazione dei ripari sotto roccia del Tadrart Acacus (Sahara libico) da parte di pastori nomadi del Neolitico (VI-IV millennio BP). [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.
abstract

1995 - Late quaternary pollen diagrams from the central Adriatic Sea (part of the “PALICLAS” multidisciplinary project). [Articolo su rivista]
Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Lowe, J.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Rivalenti, C.; Torri, Paola; VAN DER KAARS, S.
abstract

1995 - Late-Quaternary environmental history in the Central Adriatic Sea: core PAL94-8. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Frignani, M.; Accorsi, C. A.; Alvisi, F.; Asioli, A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Calanchi, N.; Dinelli, E.; Langone, L.; Lucchini, F.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Trincardi, F.; Vigliotti, L.
abstract

1995 - Le analisi palinologiche nel sito mesolitico/neolitico antico medio di Terragne (96 m s.l.m., 40°24'N 17°38'E, Manduria - Taranto; Sud Italia). [Capitolo/Saggio]
Accorsi, Carla Alberta; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Ricostruzione paleoambientale del sito mesolitico/neolitico antico medio di Terragne

1995 - Palinologia E Archeobotanica: ‘Aerobiologia 2.0’: A simple software to handle 24 hour and 2-hour aero-polle. Data [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, A.; Ferrarini, S.
abstract

1995 - Pollen stratigraphy of Late Quaternary successions from the North Adriatic and from two crater lakes near Rome (part of the “PALICLAS” multi-proxy investigation). [Abstract in Rivista]
VAN DER KAARS, S.; Lowe, J.; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola
abstract

1995 - Quaternary studies in Libyan Sahara Massifs: first palynological data on Messak Sattafet mts (VII-V millennia BP). [Articolo su rivista]
TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

irst palynological data on Messak Sattafet mts (VII-V millennia BP)

1995 - The Grotta Grande of Scario (Salerno - Southern Italy): stratigraphy, archaeological finds, pollen and mammals. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Ronchitelli, A.; Abbazzi, L.; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Bernardi, M.; Masini, F.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mezzabotta, C.; Rook, L.
abstract

1995 - ‘AEROBIOLOGIA 2.0’: a simple software to handle 24-hour and 2-hour aero-pollen data. [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Ferrarini, S.
abstract

1994 - Palynological diagram of the peat bog near Pavullo nel Frignano (Modena, Italy) in the framework of Tuscan/Emilian Apennines vegetation history. [Articolo su rivista]
BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D; C., Accorsi; Mazzanti, Marta; Dallai, Daniele; Forlani, L; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mori, M; Rivalenti, C; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

A pollen diagram drawn for a peat bog located at San Pellegrino, in a vast plain at 675 m a.s.1. near Pavullo nel Frignano (Modena, Italy), is of vegetation on the northern slope of the Tuscan/Emilian Apennines. This altitude is just below the lower limit of the Fagus‐Abies belt.The sequence, 20 m in depth, consists mostly of clayey sediments in its lower part, the upper part prevalently formed by peat. The upper complex is dated by 14C at 10,790 yr B.P. and 2590 yr B.P., the lower part of the sequence is dated by chronological comparison with Chiarugi's diagram (1950) and subsequent 14C updates (Bertolani Marchetti, 1985).The sequence apparently begins after 16,950 yr B.P., because its lower part does not reach the Salix tundra/Artemisia steppe located at the bottom of Chiarugi's diagram. The period of general dominance of Pinus over the existing Fagus and oak mixed forest runs from about 20 m and 12 m. The Lanscombe (?), Dryas I and Bölling phases fall here.After a hiatus that may contain the Dryas II from 10.9 m to 10.5 m, Pinus and Quercus alternate. The lateglacial seems to end here, with oscillation of the Alleröd and Dryas III, and the Postglacial (Preboreal and Boreal) begins.The Atlantic period consists of mixed oak forest, well represented and separated from the Subboreal by a strong contrast of Pinus/Abies peaks. The beginning of the Subatlantic is marked by a strong peak of Corylus.In the Subboreal, Tilia disappears from the oak mixed forest, that takes on the aspect of a Querceto‐carpinetum of the plain and increases in percentage notwithstanding a climatic involution.In the Subatlantic, vegetation conditions of the plain are wholly established.

1994 - Un programma semplice per l' elaborazione di dati aeropollinici dettagliati. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Ferrarini, S.; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta
abstract

1993 - A specific study of airborne Betulaceae pollen (Vignola - Modena - Northern Italy). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; Venturi, L.; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Digiuseppe, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

1993 - Palynology and Stratigraphy of Deposits from the Wadi Aramas Cave (Messak Sattafet - Libyan Sahara). [Articolo su rivista]
TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Cremaschi, Mauro
abstract

1993 - Pollen Spectra and Lead Levels in Honey from the Urban Area of Modena (Northern Italy, 1991). [Abstract in Rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; L., Gavioli; F., Corradini; Marchetti, Andrea; C. A., Accorsi; Preti, Carlo
abstract

The use of honey for monitoring air pollution, specifically heavy metal pollution, in urban areas involves melissopalynological and chemical research. The honey's pollen spectra provide information on the plants from which honey-bees have collected nectar. We can thus recognize the area through which they have flown and evaluate the corresponding heavy metal levels.

1992 - Aero and bryopalynological evidence of widespread Prunoideae and Maloideae orchards in Vignola (Modena, Northern Italy). [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Venturi, L; Accorsi, Carla Alberta
abstract

This paper presents data related to the role of pollen of Prunoideae/Maloideae orchards in the widely cultivated territory of Vignola in 1990. The daily aeropalynological patterns from a spore-trap during the fruit tree flowering season are presented together with yearly pollen spectra from the spore trap and from orchard sites. There are significant differences in the spectra, with increasing values from the spore trap site to orchards. This suggests a correspondingly higher atmospheric pollen concentration in the orchard.

1992 - Archeopalinologia del sito di Uan Tabu nello Uadi Teshuinat (Tadrart Acacus - Sahara Centrale). [Articolo su rivista]
MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

1992 - Censimenti aeropollinici dettagliati a Vignola (Modena - Nord Italia, anni 1990-1991). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Venturi, L.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Accorsi, C. A.
abstract

1992 - Il polline nell'aria in pianura e collina. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Dati di sintesi sulle piogge polliniche (cuscinetti muscinali) nella provincia.

1992 - Indagini palinologiche e mineralogico-petrografiche applicate ad un caso di sequestro di persona. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Vannucci, S.
abstract

1992 - La Flora Palinologica Italiana in edizione "macro". [Articolo su rivista]
Accorsi, C. A.; Arobba, D.; Mazzanti, Marta; Barberini, E.; Dallai, Daniele; Forlani, L.; Marchesini, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; Torri, Paola
abstract

1992 - La ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale nei siti neolitici del Tadrart Acacus. [Capitolo/Saggio]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Trevisan, Giuliana
abstract

Primi dati palinologici che saranno avvio di una ricerca pluriennale e di rilevanza internazionale per gli studi sull'evoluzione del paesaggi osahariano. La ricostruzione del paesaggio vegetale nei siti neolitici del Tadrart Acacus.

1992 - 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. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D.; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Dallai, Daniele; Forlani, L.; Marchesini, M.; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Mori, M.; Rivalenti, C.; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

1992 - Macrofossili vegetali a uan telocat ed a uan tabu (Tadrart acacus, sahara centrale) [Articolo su rivista]
Mariotti Lippi, M.; Mercuri, A.; Trevisan Grandi, G.
abstract

1992 - Palynology of a resin from an Egyptian coffin of the second century B.C. [Articolo su rivista]
M., Mariotti Lippi; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

A palynological analysis was carried out on a small amount of resin from the inside of an anthropoid Egyptian stone coffin from the second century B.C. Pinus halepensis Miller is the best represented resiniferous plant (5.3%) in the pollen spectrum and the botanical origin of the resin can be ascribed to it. The only group of pollen which is relatively abundant in the spectrum is Poaceae (29.6%). This high percentage suggests that grasses were in bloom during the period the resin was collected (late spring or summer). Pollen of Quercus ilex. Olea europaea, Ostrya carpinifolia, Castanea sativa were also found. Pollen grains of Hordeum and Avena/Triticum types together with those of Plantago, Urtica, Chenopodiaceae, Rumex and Artemisia represent anthropogenic indicators. A phytogeographical interpretation of the found pollen assemblage suggests the eastern part of the Mediterranean as the most probable area where the resin was collected. The presence of Cedrus libani pollen suggests an origin from south-eastern Turkey, north-western Syria or northern Lebanon. The flora of this area is in accordance with the pollen assemblage found in the studied resin.

1992 - Pollini "vuoti" in aerobiologia. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Torri, Paola; Venturi, L.
abstract

1992 - Proposta per un diagramma "sporo-ombrotermico". [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Venturi, L.
abstract

1992 - Ricerche geobotanico - paletnobotaniche nel Sahara libico: siti neolitici ed epipaleolitici nel Tadrart Acacus (Fezzan Sud-Occidentale). [Articolo su rivista]
TREVISAN GRANDI, G; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

ricerche palinologiche in Tadrart Acacus

1991 - Indagini palinologiche a Uan Telocat, sito neolitico del Sahara libico. [Abstract in Rivista]
MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

1991 - Melissopalynological analysis applied to air pollution studies in urban areas of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy). [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Porrini, C.
abstract

Monitoraggio della qualità dell'aria attraverso analisi mieli cittadini.

1991 - Presenza di Lemnaceae negli spettri pollinici del passato e fioriture attuali indotte. [Abstract in Rivista]
BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D.; Severi, A.; Dallai, Daniele; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

1991 - Ricerche archeometriche sulle fornaci romane di S.Antonio di Formigine (Modena). [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Bertolani, M; BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D; Gasperi, G; Giliberti, T; Giordani, N; Gorgoni, C; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Uno dei primi esempi di lavoro archeobotanico multidisciplinare, con analisi polliniche per ricostruzioni archeoambientali.

1991 - Ricerche archeometriche sulle fornaci romane di S.Antonio di Formigine (Modena). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Bertolani, M.; BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D.; Gasperi, G.; Giliberti, T.; Giordani, N.; Gorgoni, C.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

analisi palinologiche delle fornaci di Formigine

1990 - Considerazioni palinologiche su mieli italiani del 1986 in relazione a ricerche sulla radioattività nell'ambiente. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.
abstract

analisi polinica di mieli in relazione a inquinamento da piombo in città

1990 - Honey bees and their products as indicators of environmental radioactive pollution. [Articolo su rivista]
Tonelli, D; Gattavecchia, E; Ghini, S; Porrini, C; Celli, G; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Samples of honey, pollen and honey bees have been collected in some regions of Italy after the Chernobyl accident, and subjected to gamma spectrometry in order to assess their possible use as markers of the radioactive environmental contamination. Pollen has resulted in the best indicator, since it reflects exactly the air contamination and therefore it is suitable for obtaining a map of fallout. Also bees can be used for the purpose, even if their collection is more difficult, whereas honey gives only an indication.

1990 - Indagini ambientali e melisso palinologiche in un’area particolare: l’Orto Botanico di Modena (anni 1984-1988). [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

Analisi melissopalinologica di mieli prodotti in orto, e osservazioni sul comportamento apistico

1990 - Pollini e tecniche investigative - Studio palinologico e ambientazione dei reperti criminologici. [Articolo su rivista]
BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D; Dallai, Daniele; Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

SOno riportate tecniche di repertamento e interpretazione utili allo studio di palinologia forense. Sono illustrati i primi casi studio noti in Italia.

1990 - Reperti pollinici del deposito di fondo di un'anfora del III secolo d.C. (Isola del Giglio - Grosseto). [Articolo su rivista]
MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

analisi pollinica del fondo di anfore trovate nel mar Tirreno

1990 - Riflessi aero- e briopalinologici degli estesi frutteti a Prunoidee/Maloidee a Vignola (Modena, Nord Italia). [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Venturi, L.; Accorsi, C. A.
abstract

dati da monitoraggio aerobiologico effettuato nei frutteti di Vignola

1989 - Contributi alla palinologia del fondovalle padano. Analisi polliniche nella sequenza della Torre Ghirlandina di Modena. [Articolo su rivista]
BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D.; Dallai, Daniele; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Stefani, M.; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

analisi pollinica dei depositi sotto la Torre Ghirlandina

1989 - Inquinamenti dell’atmosfera e nuovi metodi di rilievo: le api e i pollini nei mieli. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Ricerche su monitoraggio della qualità dell'aria in relazione a miele e api usate come bioindicatori-accumulatori di metalli pesanti

1989 - Prime indagini palinologiche su una resina proveniente da un sarcofago egizio. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.
abstract

analisi di una resina prelevata da un sarcogafo egizio del II sec dC conservato nel museo di Modena

1988 - Il diagramma pollinico della torbiera di Pavullo nel Frignano (MO) nel quadro della storia della vegetazione dell’Appennino Tosco-Emiliano [Articolo su rivista]
Accorsi, C. A.; Mazzanti, Marta; BERTOLANI MARCHETTI, D.; Dallai, Daniele; Forlani, L.; Gambarelli, A.; MARIOTTI LIPPI, M.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Taroni, I.; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

analisi pollinica della torbiera di Pavullo, biotopo a rischio

1988 - Piogge polliniche nei mieli e inquinamento atmosferico: florula pollinica e presenza di Cesio in un miele del 1986. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

analisi pollinica miele in relazione al contenuto di Cesio radioattivo (fallout di Chernobyl)

1988 - Piogge polliniche nei mieli e inquinamento atmosferico: florula pollinica e presenza di Cesio in un miele del 1986. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Piogge polliniche nei mieli e inquinamento atmosferico - esempio di studio melissopalinologico applicato alla quantificazione di Cesio nel miele dopo il fallout di Chernobyl

1986 - Contributo alla conoscenza dei contenuti pollinici in resine naturali e tentativi di interpretazione. [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Trevisan, Giuliana; Dallai, Daniele; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

Analisi palinologiche di resine naturali raccolte da alberi a Reggio Emilia, lungo il Crostolo

1986 - Contributo alla conoscenza dei contenuti pollinici in resine naturali e tentativi di interpretazione. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
TREVISAN GRANDI, G.; Dallai, Daniele; Mercuri, Anna Maria
abstract

analisi pollinica resine

1986 - Contributo alla conoscenza dei mieli dell'Emilia Romagna. 1 Provincie di Modena, Reggio Emilia, Parma. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; Dallai, Daniele; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

Analisi palinologiche di mieli prodotti da apicoltori in Emilia Romagna - (Atti Simposio di Palinologia, Catania 30 - 31 Maggio 1986)

1985 - Ricerche melissopalinologiche e ambientali nell’Orto Botanico di Modena. [Articolo su rivista]
Mercuri, Anna Maria; TREVISAN GRANDI, G.
abstract

Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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