Plant husbandry and vegetation of early medieval Douai, northern France

Abstract

This paper describes the results of the archaeobotanical examination of early medieval occupation deposits (8th to 11th centuries A.D.) at Douai, northern France. Carbonized as well as waterlogged seeds and fruits were recovered in great numbers. In addition to the macrofossil analyses, a palynological examination of occupation deposits was carried out. Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) was the most common cereal, followed by rye (Secale cereale). Common oat (Avena sativa) and hulled barley (Hordeum vulgare) must have played a fairly modest role. In addition to cereals, field pea (Pisum sativum) was an important crop plant. Four types of plum (Prunus domestica) fruitstones are distinguished. Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) as well as sour cherry (P. cerasus) were cultivated. Other cultivated fruit trees included peach (Prunus persica) and medlar (Mespilus germanica). Sloe (Prunus spinosa) fruits, including those of the var. macrocarpa, were gathered from the wild. The palynological data suggest that the Douai area had virtually been cleared of forest. A comparison between pollen and seed proportions points to serious discrepancies between the macrofossil and microfossil plant records. Weeds of arable land (Secalietea, Polygono-Chenopodietalia) and vegetations of ruderal habitats (Sisymbrietalia, Artemisietalia vulgaris) are well represented. Molinietalia vegetations in the valley of the Scarpe river were probably exploited as hay meadows; good pasture land was provided by the Arrhenateretalia grasslands.