The transition of chestnut (<i>Castanea sativa</i> Miller) from timber to fruit tree: Cultural and economic inferences in the Italian peninsula
Mauro Paolo Buonincontri|Antonio Saracino|Gaetano Di Pasquale
Anthracological analysis has been carried out in the Medieval site of Miranduolo, a rural settlement southern Tuscany with sequence occupation between 7th and 14th century AD. Between mid-9th AD, during phase Lombard farming village, strong presence Castanea sativa as timber for building showed that chestnut was preferred species carpentry fuelwood, suggesting coppice management woods production. The Miranduolo data, set against archaeobotanical data literature, rejected hypothesis cultivation fruit tree corroborated plant initially used production Early Middle Ages, continuing woodworking tradition Roman period. From Carolingian feudal system, estate ceased to be firewood, while deciduous Quercus preferred. At same time, fruits began picked kept warehouses at disposal lord, Comparison existing revealed this period other Italian regions also, encouraged by different economic systems. 10th century, exploited both abundance resource high managed stands. coeval archaeological sources, pollen records suggested from expansion gradually took place throughout central Italy, becoming ‘multifunctional’ high-forest. current forest landscape Italy is thus human origin, expanding changing over about 1000 years cultivation.
The Holocene