Human-environment interactions in Sicilian inland during the Early Middle Ages (8th-11th c. AD): the case of Contrada Castro (C-W Sicily)

Abstract

Within the project "Harvesting memories: ecology and archaeology of Monti Sicani landscapes" this paper aims to reconstruct human-environment relationship in the inland of Central-Western Sicily during the Early Middle Ages through a comparative analysis between archaeological data and vegetation dynamics in current landscape. The environmental archaeological record (faunal remains and anthracological/ carpological finds) has been analysed from different layers of the rural settlement (Contrada Castro, Corleone, Palermo) -excavated in 2017, 2018 and 2019- mainly occupied during Byzantine age and Islamic period (8th-11th c. AD). The first examination of charcoals provided the identification of the plant species selected and exploited in the surrounding landscape of the site for each chronological phase. The archaeobotanical data indicates punctual and qualitative picture on the historical vegetation of this area. The phytosociological data allowed the spatial arrangements of archaeobotanical finds within plant communities and its ecological distribution. The archaeozoological data added more information on the reconstruction of rural economy, husbandry management and its ecological environment. An integrated comparison between the structure and composition of current phytocoenoses with archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data allowed to interpret the dynamics of interaction between a rural community and its environment.