Direct dating reveals the early history of opium poppy in western Europe

Abstract

This paper aims to define the first chrono-cultural framework on the domestication and early diffusion of the opium poppy using small-sized botanical remains from archaeological sites, opening the way to directly date minute short-lived botanical samples. We produced the initial set of radiocarbon dates directly from the opium poppy remains of eleven Neolithic sites (5900–3500 cal BCE) in the central and western Mediterranean, northwestern temperate Europe, and the western Alps. When possible, we also dated the macrobotanical remains originating from the same sediment sample. In total, 22 samples were taken into account, including 12 dates directly obtained from opium poppy remains. The radiocarbon chronology ranges from 5622 to 4050 cal BCE. The results show that opium poppy is present from at least the middle of the sixth millennium in the Mediterranean, where it possibly grew naturally and was cultivated by pioneer Neolithic communities. Its dispersal outside of its native area was early, being found west of the Rhine in 5300–5200 cal BCE. It was introduced to the western Alps around 5000–4800 cal BCE, becoming widespread from the second half of the fifth millennium. This research evidences different rhythms in the introduction of opium poppy in western Europe.

A morphometric approach to track opium poppy domestication

“…There is evidence of the use and potential cultivation of opium poppy in the Western Mediterranean since ca. 5600 BC, according to the finds at the lake village of La Marmotta, Italy (ca.5620–5480 Cal BCE) 8 , 35 and in several other sites, for instance, at the pile-dwelling site of La Draga, Spain, ca. 5200 BC 3 , 8 .…”

“…5600 BC, according to the finds at the lake village of La Marmotta, Italy (ca.5620–5480 Cal BCE) 8 , 35 and in several other sites, for instance, at the pile-dwelling site of La Draga, Spain, ca. 5200 BC 3 , 8 . The authors of both archaeobotanical studies actually suggest that opium poppy was cultivated, based on the number of finds and their ubiquity 3 , 35 .…”

“…Early deposits found in Israel 37 but also in central Europe 38 , 39 lack radiocarbon dates on the seeds or on direct contexts where the seeds were found. New efforts on dating these seeds and their contexts should be made before interpreting the route of cultivation/domestication 5 , 8 . Future studies on poppy seeds should integrate the morphometric as well as the direct dating approaches 36 .…”

“…Papaver somniferum/setigerum seeds are reported in the archaeological record starting from the Neolithic period (6th-millennium cal. BC) 5 , 7 , 8 . Regrettably, these are not identified to subspecies/status level (i.e.…”

Insights into opium poppy (Papaver spp.) genetic diversity from genotyping-by-sequencing analysis

“…However, its origin and domestication history has remained unclear until recently. Several lines of evidence, based mainly on archaeological data and geographical distribution of cultivated and wild species, suggest the Mediterranean as the centre of poppy origin and domestication (Salavert et al ., 2020; Jesus et al ., 2021). Changes in capsule and seed sizes and capsule indehiscence, which is the retention of seed in the capsules, are believed to be among the domestication-related traits in poppy (Zohary et al ., 2012).…”