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Study of ancient plant remains and their role in reconstructing past environments and socio-economic dynamics, with particular focus on the Mediterranean area. Morphological analysis of seeds, fruits, wood, and pollen. Interpretation of archaeobotanical data in relation to their archaeological contexts. Introduction to dendrochronology as a dating method based on the analysis of tree-ring growth. A specific focus is dedicated to the origins of agriculture, plant domestication, and the spread of farming practices. The course examines Holocene climate trends and their impact on the environment and ancient societies, promoting an integrated approach that combines environmental, archaeological, and historical data, including the critical analysis of case studies.

Basic knowledge of biology

The main teaching materials are available on the course page on Sapienza’s Moodle platform. The texts listed below provide additional resources for individual in-depth study. Pearsall, D.M. (2016). Paleoethnobotany: a handbook of procedures. Routledge. Cappers, R.T., & Neef, R. (2021). Handbook of plant palaeoecology. Barkhuis. Abbo, S., Gopher, A., & Bar-Gal, G. K. (2022). The origins of agriculture in the ancient near East. Cambridge University Press.

Assessment is based on an oral examination covering the main topics discussed during the course. Students are also required to present and critically discuss a scientific article selected from a provided list, demonstrating synthesis skills and content understanding,