Scholarlink

<p>We analysed the spatio-temporal dynamics of <i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> (date palm) agrobiodiversity in the Negev desert, southern Levant, from the 3rd c. <span>bce</span> to the 10th c. <span>ce</span>. We applied linear measurements and Elliptic Fourier Descriptors to 2294 archaeological seeds from nine sites, and compared them with a modern reference collection of wild and cultivated <i>Phoenix</i> and previously published archaeological assemblages from Egypt and Libya. Seeds from the best-preserved assemblages were statistically indistinguishable in size from modern cultivated varieties and significantly larger than wild specimens. Across the Negev, 71% of seeds were assigned to the domesticated-type morphology, and shape analysis revealed a progressive shift from more rounded morphologies in the Hellenistic–Early Roman period (57% domesticated-type at Mezad Rahel) toward predominantly elongated forms in the Early Islamic period (&gt; 75%). This shift did not narrow overall diversity: all 12 morphotypes defined from the modern reference were present in both the earliest and latest large assemblages. Regional differences were also marked: Arabah Valley sites showed broad morphotype diversity and exceptionally large seeds, consistent with active local cultivation. Negev Highlands sites, by contrast, showed reduced diversity and a concentration of highly elongated morphotypes associated with African cultivars, more consistent with the circulation of selected date types through trade networks. The Negev record forms part of a supraregional trajectory of morphological change also documented in Egypt and Libya, reflecting the progressive reshaping of cultivated date palm diversity under human management long after initial domestication.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Ancient date palm cultivation in the southern Levant: a morphometric analysis of archaeological seeds from the Negev desert

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月4日

查看全文
  • Ernesto Testé,
  • Guy Bar-Oz,
  • Roy Galili,
  • Daniel Fuks,
  • Roee Shafir,
  • Nofar Shafir-Shamir,
  • Sarah Ivorra,
  • Tali Erickson-Gini,
  • Yotam Tepper,
  • Davida Degen-Eisenberg,
  • Jean-Frédéric Terral,
  • Meirav Meiri,
  • Muriel Gros-Balthazard

摘要

We analysed the spatio-temporal dynamics of Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) agrobiodiversity in the Negev desert, southern Levant, from the 3rd c. bce to the 10th c. ce. We applied linear measurements and Elliptic Fourier Descriptors to 2294 archaeological seeds from nine sites, and compared them with a modern reference collection of wild and cultivated Phoenix and previously published archaeological assemblages from Egypt and Libya. Seeds from the best-preserved assemblages were statistically indistinguishable in size from modern cultivated varieties and significantly larger than wild specimens. Across the Negev, 71% of seeds were assigned to the domesticated-type morphology, and shape analysis revealed a progressive shift from more rounded morphologies in the Hellenistic–Early Roman period (57% domesticated-type at Mezad Rahel) toward predominantly elongated forms in the Early Islamic period (> 75%). This shift did not narrow overall diversity: all 12 morphotypes defined from the modern reference were present in both the earliest and latest large assemblages. Regional differences were also marked: Arabah Valley sites showed broad morphotype diversity and exceptionally large seeds, consistent with active local cultivation. Negev Highlands sites, by contrast, showed reduced diversity and a concentration of highly elongated morphotypes associated with African cultivars, more consistent with the circulation of selected date types through trade networks. The Negev record forms part of a supraregional trajectory of morphological change also documented in Egypt and Libya, reflecting the progressive reshaping of cultivated date palm diversity under human management long after initial domestication.