Fonti archeobotaniche e documentarie per l’archeologia e la storia ambientale

This dissertation investigates the historical management of environmental resources, focusing mainly on agro-silvo-pastoral systems in the mountainous regions of northwest Italy. The research builds on interdisciplinary studies initiated in the 1970s, encompassing agrarian, forest, and rural settlement history, and involves collaborations with experts in fields such as palynology, anthracology, and ethnobotany. Furthermore, the dissertation contributes to the ERC ANTIGONE project, which investigates the decline of shared resource management practices in southern European mountain areas since the 18th century and how these changes have contributed to the depopulation of these regions. A key case study is that of Perlezzi, a village in the Ligurian Apennines where traditional land management practices have persisted, in contrast to the widespread abandonment seen in surrounding areas. This case is analyzed through a microhistorical lens, using various sources to trace small-scale environmental changes over time. Palynological data from the analysis of sediment cores in the wetlands of Perlezzi, as well as from the Monte Ramaceto area, reveal the continuity of land management practices over the past centuries, with only minor changes observed in vegetation, which attests to the long-term preservation of these practices. The interpretation of the palynological data is further supported by the study of pollen rain in the Ligurian Apennines and historical statistical documentation on the wooded lands surrounding Perlezzi, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the region's environmental history. This thesis also explores the use of environmental resources in earlier periods, focusing on the analysis of lithic tools from two key archaeological sites, Riparo Bombrini and Grotta di Castelcivita, through a multidisciplinary approach. These tools offer important insights into how prehistoric human populations interacted with their environments, revealing resource utilization techniques. The study of Musterian and Protoaurignacian stone tools has uncovered the earliest evidence of flour processing at Italian sites occupied by Homo sapiens, while also demonstrating that Neanderthals employed similar technologies. These findings are crucial for understanding the interactions between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens in a region that played a pivotal role in their coexistence.