Roman plant remains from Veli Brijun (island of Brioni), Croatia

Abstract

41 archaeobotanical samples were analysed, which had been collected from the seabed at uvula Verige (Verige bay) on the island of Veli Brijun, Croatia, the site of a Roman villa which was settled from the 1st to the 5th century A. D. From the analysis of plant macrofos-sils it is evident that the eu-Mediterranean evergreen woodland, today described as Quercion ilicis in the phyto-sociological system, already existed in the Roman period. During this period it became degraded as a result of human activities to other vegetation types such as maquis and garrigue scrub, and grassland. The remains of Vitis vinifera (grapevine), Olea europaea (olive), Ficus carica (fig), and Pinus pinea (stone pine) were most frequently recorded; they all derive from very important and characteristic Mediterranean foods. Prunus avium (sweet cherry) and P. persica (peach), some vegetables and spices were probably cultivated, too, as well as some cereals, most probably Panicum miliaceum (millet). Juglans regia (walnut), Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut), and Corylus avellana (hazel) were possibly cultivated on the island or imported from neighbouring Istia. The records of some fresh water plants show that there was fresh water in uvala Verige and its surroundings in Roman times, much more than today.