Vers une approche bio-archéologique de l'histoire de la vigne cultivée et de la viticulture : problématique, choix méthodologiques et premiers résultats

Abstract

The shape and size of grape pips have long been used as criteria in archaeobotany to discriminate wild from cultivated vines. This research is now being conducted so as to extend the set of references to the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean basin on the one hand and to improve morphometrical analysis methods to obtain a characterization going well beyond the simple wild/ cultivated dichotomy on the other hand. Among the cultivated section, the classical morphological approach might allow to distinguish at least two groups of cultivated vine species which have been more or less selected. The first group, which is also the most primitive, appears in Southern France at least as early as the First Iron Age. The soaring of the second group, which is the most productive, is not perceptible before the Modern times at the moment. The integration of carbonized archaeological grape pips in this scheme is backed on an experimental program the aim of which is modelling and correcting the deformation of pips during carbonization. The first results of a new geometrical analysis make us expect a more precise characterization of the genetic and geographic origins of archaeological pips.

Archaeobotany, vine growing and wine producing in Roman Southern France: the site of Gasquinoy (Béziers, Hérault)

“…The high proportion pips with shape characteristics of wild pips is not believed to have resulted from taphonomic biases, as waterlogged pips do not suffer the same degree of deformation, as seen in charred material (Smith and Jones, 1990). This may indicate that wild grapes were locally cultivated, as already observed at other sites (Bouby et al, 2006; al, submitted for publication). …”

“…units 3407 and 5150) were selected and measured. Measurements carried out include: total length (L), length of stalk (LS), breadth (B), chalaza position (PCH) (according to Kislev, 1988;Mangafa and Kotsakis, 1996;Jacquat and Martinoli, 1999;Bouby and Marinval, 2001;Bouby et al, 2006); data obtained were submitted to Multivariate Analysis. On the basis of the reference collection used by Bouby et al (2006), the archaeological grape pips were assigned to both compartments (Fig.…”

Beginning of viniculture in France

“…Large numbers of grape remains, including seeds, pedicels, and grape skins, are also reported from fifth century B.C. Coudounèu (24), a site within the economic sphere of Massalia, 75 km to the northwest. At the same time at Roquepertuse (25), even closer to Massalia, pips of the domesticated Eurasian grape have been reported.…”

Never Mind the Bottle. Archaeobotanical Evidence of Beer-brewing in Mediterranean France and the Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages During the 5th Century BC

“…Grape is mentioned in all samples. Morphometric analysis of the pips (see method in Bouby et al 2006) allows identification of at least seven specimens as cultivated morphotype and three as wild morphotype. The cultivated subspecies is already present during the fifth century BC (sample A).…”

“…The most striking innovation concerns the diffusion of viticulture, at least from the beginning of the fifth century BC onwards. This can be inferred from the increasing frequency of grape pips and from the presence of the domesticated morphotype at most sites, particularly in the Etang de Berre area (Marinval 1988;Bouby and Marinval 2001;Bouby et al 2006). Relations with Phoceans from Massalia and with other Mediterranean agents probably had an influence on the rapidity of the spread of cultivated grapes, but little is known concerning the other species and how they were culturally employed.…”