Changes in crop cultivation during the last five centuries before the Roman conquest: archaeobotanical investigation in the Clermont-Ferrand basin, Massif Central, France

Cabanis, Manon; Deberge, Yann; Bouby, Laurent; Hajnalová, Mária; Marinval, Philippe; Mennesssier-Jouannet, Christine; Vermeulen, Christine; Vernet, Gérard

doi:10.1007/s12520-015-0260-5

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Millet grains were stored with their protecting envelopes (husks) for better preservation within the buried silos -like those found at Obernai -or in vases (Marinval, 1995). Following the conquest of Gaul, the Romans imported new varieties of cereals, mainly from the Mediterranean Basin, resulting in enhanced diversification of foodstuffs (Cabanis et al, 2015). This resulted in the progressive replacement of millet by other cereal species (e.g.…”

Section: Timing Of Millet Cropping At the Site Of Obernaimentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular, isotopic and radiocarbon evidence for broomcorn millet cropping in Northeast France since the Bronze Age

Courel

Schaeffer

Adam

et al. 2017

Organic Geochemistry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Molecular and isotopic investigation of lipids from soils filling several structures from an archaeological site located at Obernai (Alsace, NE France) has revealed the presence of miliacin, a triterpenoid marker from Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet), indicating that this cereal was cultivated at the site. The concentration profiles of miliacin within silos and its detection in other archaeological structures (e.g. Gaulish pit) suggest that miliacin did not originate from cereals stored in the silos but rather came from remains of millet from cultivated soils which filled the silos after they were abandoned. Furthermore, the 14 C age of miliacin isolated from a silo of the Second Iron Age was shown to be considerably older (Bronze Age) than the structure itself, revealing that the soil filling the silo therefore archived the molecular signature from past millet cropping, predating the digging of the silo. Thus, radiocarbon dating of the isolated miliacin allowed the timing of millet cropping to be determined, showing that it was established during the Bronze Age and the Roman Gaul period at Obernai. This is the first evidence of millet cultivation in Alsace dating back to the Bronze Age, bringing new perspectives on agricultural and past dietary practices in Eastern France. The combination of molecular studies and radiocarbon dating of individual lipids highlights the potential of hollow structures like silos and pits to act as "pedological traps", recording information on past vegetation cover or agricultural practices from the surface horizons of surrounding soils that filled these structures after abandonment.

show abstract

Section: Timing Of Millet Cropping At the Site Of Obernaimentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular, isotopic and radiocarbon evidence for broomcorn millet cropping in Northeast France since the Bronze Age

Courel

Schaeffer

Adam

et al. 2017

Organic Geochemistry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…: Marguerie, 1991), la carpologie et l'anthracologie (par ex. : Salavert, 2010 ;Cabanis et al, 2017 ;Figueiral et al, 2015), les analyses phytolithiques, pédoanthracologiques et archéo-anthracologiques (Delhon et al, 2009).…”

Section: L'archéo-anthracologie En France Depuis La Fin Des Années 1970unclassified

40 ans d’archéobotanique en France (1977-2017)

Leroyer¹,

Marguerie²,

Zech-Matterne³

2018

archeosciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Changes in crop cultivation during the last five centuries before the Roman conquest: archaeobotanical investigation in the Clermont-Ferrand basin, Massif Central, France

Cited by 2 publications

References 9 publications

Molecular, isotopic and radiocarbon evidence for broomcorn millet cropping in Northeast France since the Bronze Age

Molecular, isotopic and radiocarbon evidence for broomcorn millet cropping in Northeast France since the Bronze Age

40 ans d’archéobotanique en France (1977-2017)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About