NATIONAL PHD IN HERITAGE SCIENCE

Thesis title: L’ARCHEOBOTANICA PER UNO STUDIO PALEOAMBIENTALE INNOVATIVO. IL CASO DI MONTE CROCE-GUARDIA (ARCEVIA).

This research presents the results of an integrated and multidisciplinary archaeobotanical study conducted for the Final Bronze Age site of Monte Croce-Guardia (Arcevia (Ancona), Central Italy). Active between the 12th and 10th centuries BC - a chronological window during which several Mediterranean regions experienced reduced precipitation leading to societal collapses and migrations - this site represents a key case study for understanding the transformation of vegetation and landscapes under the interplay of climatic and anthropogenic factors in the Italian Peninsula. Anthracological and carpological remains were recovered from diverse sectors of the settlement, located across the summits and the connecting saddle of two twin hills in the Marche Pre-Apennines. By integrating traditional archaeobotanical methods with stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis, variations in plant resource exploitation strategies and paleoenvironmental growth conditions were reconstructed throughout the entire occupational sequence. The seed and fruits analysis reveals a progressive shift in preference toward glume wheats over barley. Notably, the high frequency of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) highlights the significance of this drought-resistant and recently introduced cereal, particularly during the initial phases of occupation. Isotopic data suggest differentiated crop management: greater agricultural investment was directed toward emmer wheat, cultivated in naturally well-watered and nutrient-rich soils, whereas barley was relegated to marginal and less fertile fields. Charcoal remains reveal a landscape significantly shaped by human activity. Alongside typical thermo-mesophilous mixed forest species, a substantial presence of sclerophyllous vegetation suggests environmental conditions distinct from those of the present day. This interpretation is corroborated by palynological data and the comparison of isotopic signals from archaeological charcoal with the ones from modern wood samples, confirming more arid climatic conditions in the past. In conclusion, this research provides new data for the reconstruction of the environment and climate in Central Italy at the end of the Bronze Age. Moreover, it contributes to the broader understanding of plant exploitation patterns and the organization of agricultural production in an under-investigated region from an archaeobotanical perspective.