Archaeobotanical and chemical investigations on wine amphorae from San Felice Circeo (Italy) shed light on grape beverages at the Roman time

Chassouant, Louise; Celant, Alessandra; Delpino, Chiara; Rita, Federico Di; Vieillescazes, Catherine; Mathe, Carole; Magri, Donatella

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0267129

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Subsequently, archaeobotanical records increasingly include grape pips as a major part of plant macroremains from the Roman era onwards, demonstrating the key role of domesticated plants in the diet of the peninsula (e.g., [50,51]). However, Vitis pollen retrieved from the Roman amphorae of San Felice Circeo was interpreted by Chassouant et al [52] as a possible 'intermediary stage of domestication, being characterised by thick exine, absence of germinative pores, and presence of colpi'.…”

Section: Past and Present Role Of The Wild Grapevinementioning

confidence: 99%

A Multidisciplinary Study of Wild Grapevines in the River Crati Natural Reserve, South Italy (Calabria): Implications in Conservation Biology and Palaeoecological Reconstructions

et al. 2023

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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.

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Section: Past and Present Role Of The Wild Grapevinementioning

confidence: 99%

A Multidisciplinary Study of Wild Grapevines in the River Crati Natural Reserve, South Italy (Calabria): Implications in Conservation Biology and Palaeoecological Reconstructions

et al. 2023

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Grapevine origin and diversity

Vignani,

Scali

2024

Advances in Botanical Research

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Unearthing Grape Heritage: Morphological Relationships between Late Bronze–Iron Age Grape Pips and Modern Cultivars

Ucchesu,

Depalmas,

Sarigu

et al. 2024

Plants

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The grapevine was one of the earliest domesticated fruit crops and has been cultivated since ancient times. It is considered one of the most important fruit crops worldwide for wine and table grape production. The current grape varieties are the outcome of prolonged selection initiated during the domestication process of their wild relative. Recent genetic studies have shed light on the origins of the modern domestic grapevine in western Europe, suggesting that its origin stems from the introgression between eastern domestic grapes and western wild grapes. However, the origin of ancient grapevines remains largely unexplored. In this study, we conducted an extensive analysis of 2228 well-preserved waterlogged archaeological grape pips from two sites in Sardinia (Italy), dated to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1300–1100 BC) and the Iron Age (4th and 3rd centuries BC). Using morphometrics and linear discriminant analyses, we compared the archaeological grape pips with modern reference collections to differentiate between wild and domestic grape types and to investigate similarities with 330 modern cultivars. Grape pips from the Late Bronze Age displayed a high percentage of similarity with domesticated grapevines, with a small percentage assigned to wild ones, while the majority of grape pips from the Iron Age were classified as domestic. Discriminant analyses revealed that both white and red grape varieties were cultivated during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages, suggesting a high level of diversification in grape cultivation. Furthermore, a high percentage of archaeological grape pips from both periods showed strong similarities with modern cultivars from the Caucasus and Balkans. This suggests that the great diversity of grapevines present in Sardinia could result from interbreeding between western Asian cultivars and local grapevines that began in the Late Bronze Age. Additionally, a substantial proportion of archaeological grape pips exhibited similar morphometric characteristics to two important Mediterranean grape cultivars: “Muscat à petits grains blancs” and “Garnacha”.

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Archaeobotanical and chemical investigations on wine amphorae from San Felice Circeo (Italy) shed light on grape beverages at the Roman time

Cited by 3 publications

References 93 publications

A Multidisciplinary Study of Wild Grapevines in the River Crati Natural Reserve, South Italy (Calabria): Implications in Conservation Biology and Palaeoecological Reconstructions

A Multidisciplinary Study of Wild Grapevines in the River Crati Natural Reserve, South Italy (Calabria): Implications in Conservation Biology and Palaeoecological Reconstructions

Grapevine origin and diversity

Unearthing Grape Heritage: Morphological Relationships between Late Bronze–Iron Age Grape Pips and Modern Cultivars

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