Palynology of archaeological sites: the example of economy and human impact of the Metaponto area (6th-1st century BC)

Most of the biological archives, including pollen, upon which past environmental reconstructions are based, responds to both climate change and human impact. The latter is clear and visible by definition in layers from archaeological sites thanks to the plant remains trapped in sediments. The Metaponto area has been investigated by the Institute of Classical Archaeology of the University of Texas, under the direction of Prof. J.C. Carter. Grazing / breeding and agricultural activities practised around the farmhouses of the Greek colonial system shaped the landscape. Open grasslands were surrounded by shrubby grasslands and a maquis, probably more extended than today, characterised this territory in the past.