The archaeo-environmental reconstruction from the Roman-Gothic site Fiorina di Domagnano (Repubblica di San Marino, 1st cent. BC - 6th cent. AD) based on pollen and macroremains.

Pollen, seeds/fruits and woods/charcoals for archaeoenvironment recostruction in Fiorina di Domagnano site (Repubblica di San Marino, 3th cent. BC - 6th cent. AD)A multidisciplinary archaeobotanical investigation (pollen, seeds/fruits, woods/charcoals – EU PaCE project) has been carried out for reconstructing the landscape of Fiorina di Domagnano (260 m asl) renown for its Ostrogothic Treasure (late 5th-early 6th cent.AD). 13 pollen samples belonging to 5 layers cover the phases preceding the onset of the site (before the 3rd cent. BC), and the time it was inhabited (till the 6th cent.AD). Seeds/fruits and most of woods (including hand-made objects)/charcoals were collected from a Roman well secondarily used by Gothic people (6th cent.AD). Pollen data showed that, prior to the onset of the settlement, a conifer forest grew in the area. Traces of cultivations were absent. At the establishment of a Roman rustic-productive settlement (1st cent.BC), forest cover drastically reduced, pollen of Olea, Juglans and Vitis was recorded, and cereal pollen was found in notable amount (>13%). A clear impact of the Roman settlement on the plant landscape, with cultivations in the area and possibly cereal processing in the site, is shown by pollen. Later, a residential house was built (1st cent.AD), and accordingly cultivated trees increased and cereals decreased. When the Roman residential house declined (approximately 3rd cent.AD), cereals increased again. At the last phase, there was a rural Gothic building (6th cent.AD) in the site. The recovering of macroremains provided more detailed environmental reconstruction from this phase. The cultural landscape included grazing open areas, and cultivations of cereals (Hordeum vulgare and Triticum), Olea europaea, Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera. The high presence of cereal pollen, and the pips and olive endocarps broken by pressing suggest that agricultural products were processed in the site. Anthemis tinctoria (about 9% of the carpological record) was perhaps used for dye works. Other useful plants were grown around the building (e.g., Ficus carica, Juglans regia, Pinus pinea, Taxus baccata). There were kitchen gardens (e.g., Coriandrum sativum, Fragaria vesca, Melissa officinalis, Papaver somniferum, Portulaca oleracea, Vicia faba) with some fruit trees (e.g., Malus domestica, Pyrus communis, Prunus domestica subsp. insititia). Also, there were wet environments with Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lemna, Najas minor, Nymphaea alba, Phragmites, Zannichellia palustris, etc. Woods were in the background, not far from the site, including hygrophilous or deciduous oak wood, and beach wood with conifers.