The Domestication and Dispersal of Large-Fruiting <i>Prunus</i> spp.: A Metadata Analysis of Archaeobotanical Material
Rita Dal Martello,
Madelynn von Baeyer,
Mark Hudson,
Rasmus G. Bjorn,
Christian Leipe,
Barbara Zach,
Basira Mir-Makhamad,
Traci N. Billings,
Irene M. Muñoz Fernández,
Barbara Huber,
Kseniia Boxleitner,
Jou-Chun Lu,
Ko-An Chi,
Hsiao-Lei Liu,
Logan Kistler,
Robert N. Spengler
Affiliations
Rita Dal Martello
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Madelynn von Baeyer
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Mark Hudson
Archaeolinguistic Research Group, Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Rasmus G. Bjorn
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Christian Leipe
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Barbara Zach
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Basira Mir-Makhamad
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Traci N. Billings
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Irene M. Muñoz Fernández
East Asian Studies Area, Faculty of Philology (Building A), Complutense University of Madrid, Pl. Menéndez Pelayo, s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Barbara Huber
Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Kseniia Boxleitner
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Jou-Chun Lu
Department of Anthropology, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 106, Taiwan
Ko-An Chi
Department of Anthropology, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 106, Taiwan
Hsiao-Lei Liu
Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560, USA
Logan Kistler
Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560, USA
Robert N. Spengler
Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
The Prunus genus contains many of the most economically significant arboreal crops, cultivated globally, today. Despite the economic significance of these domesticated species, the pre-cultivation ranges, processes of domestication, and routes of prehistoric dispersal for all of the economically significant species remain unresolved. Among the European plums, even the taxonomic classification has been heavily debated over the past several decades. In this manuscript, we compile archaeobotanical evidence for the most prominent large-fruiting members of Prunus, including peach, apricot, almonds, sloes, and the main plum types. By mapping out the chronology and geographic distributions of these species, we are able to discuss aspects of their domestication and dispersal more clearly, as well as identify gaps in the data and unanswered questions. We suggest that a clearer understanding of these processes will say a lot about ancient peoples, as the cultivation of delayed return crops is an indicator of a strong concept of land tenure and the specialization of these cultivation strategies seems to be tied to urbanism and reliable markets. Likewise, the evolution of domestication traits in long-generation perennials, especially within Rosaceae, represents awareness of grafting and cloning practices.
