Palynological approach to reconstruct pastoral activities: case studies from Basilicata, South Italy

A palynological approach to the study of Mediterranean landscapes is ideally suited for detecting the land-use history and environmental changes that gave rise to the present-day Mediterranean landscape. In particular, the combined evidence of pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs, such as fungal spores and algal elements) from archaeological sites is useful for tracing the impact of past human activities on the environment, and also to discriminate past land uses and pastoral practices. In Italy, an outstanding number of studies that include pollen or other plant remains from archaeological contexts (BRAIN database: brainplants.successoterra.net; [1]) have testified to the widespread occurrence of pastoral activities on the peninsula over the last few millennia. This contribution reports on palynological evidence for the impact of centuries of grazing on the vegetation of Basilicata, a region of southern Italy where animal breeding and pastoralism have a long tradition. The integrated analyses of microscopic records from eight archaeological sites (dated from the 6th century BC to the 15th century AD) indicate wide and continuous pastoral activities practiced in the region [2]. The combined evidence from pollen pasture indicators and NPP markers of grazing (mainly coprophilous fungal spores) point out that pastures were the main type of land-use in the territory surrounding each of the eight study sites. As evidenced by the pollen records, this region has long been a grazed area, with more intense pastoral activities documented from the end of the Hellenistic age to the Medieval and Renaissance periods. This research confirms the economic importance of pastoralism in the past communities and its prominent role in shaping the Italian landscape.