Historical Suitability and Sustainability of Sicani Mountains Landscape (Western Sicily): An Integrated Approach of Phytosociology and Archaeobotany

Giuseppe Bazan, Claudia Speciale, Angelo Castrorao Barba, Salvatore Cambria, Roberto Miccichè and Pasquale Marino
Additional contact information
Giuseppe Bazan: Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy
Claudia Speciale: National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, 80124 Napoli, Italy
Angelo Castrorao Barba: CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Spanish National Research Council), EEA Escuela de Estudios Árabes, 18010 Granada, Spain
Salvatore Cambria: Department of Geological, Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Roberto Miccichè: Institute for Digital Exploration (IDEx)—History Department, South Florida University, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Pasquale Marino: Bona Furtuna LLC, Los Gatos, CA 95030, USA

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-23

Abstract: Since 2015, the ongoing project “Harvesting Memories” has been focused on long-term landscape dynamics in Sicani Mountains (Western Sicily). Archaeological excavations in the case study site of Contrada Castro (Corleone) have investigated a settlement which was mainly occupied during the Early Middle Ages (late 8th–11th century AD). This paper aims to understand the historical suitability and sustainability of this area analysing the correlation between the current dynamics of plant communities and the historical use of woods detected by the archaeobotanical record. An integrated approach between phytosociology and archaeobotany has been applied. The vegetation series of the study area has been used as a model to understand the ecological meaning and spatial distribution of archaeobotanical data on charcoals from the Medieval layers of the Contrada Castro site. The intersection between the frequency data of the archaeobotanical record and the phytosociological analysis have confirmed the maintenance of the same plant communities during the last millennium due to the sustainable exploitation of wood resources. An integrated comparison between the structure and composition of current phytocoenoses with archaeobotanical data allowed us to confirm that this landscape is High Nature Value (HNV) farmland and to interpret the historical vegetation dynamics linked to the activities and economy of a rural community.

Keywords: historical ecology; landscape archaeology; vegetation science; anthracology; vegetation series; Mediterranean woods; high nature value (HNV) farmlands; historical landscapes; early middle ages (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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