PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Broomcorn millet cultivation in the SW East European Plain since the second millennium BC

Science China Earth Sciences, ISSN: 1869-1897, Vol: 68, Issue: 2, Page: 487-497
2024
  • 0
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 0
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Article Description

The early trans-Eurasian exchange and its influence on the dynamics of human-land relationships is an emerging topic involving multiple disciplines. The southwestern part of the Eastern European Plain was a key hub for early East-West interaction. Broomcorn millet, a crop domesticated in China, was introduced into the region about 3,600 years ago, significantly earlier than in other parts of Europe. This research employs systematic archaeobotanical flotation and AMS radiocarbon dating at two sites in Romania: Baia-În Muchie and Dobrovăţ. The findings demonstrate that broomcorn millet cultivation in this region has persisted for over 2,000 years, exhibiting significant diachronic fluctuations. Millet was most intensively utilized during the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age (1200–800 BC) and the Late Roman Empire (AD 250–400), periods which were characterized by rapid climatic changes. It may have been cultivated as a “disaster relief” crop to mitigate the challenges posed by extreme drought and cold. The millet grains from the study area are similar in dimensions to those reported in East Asia; however, grains from the Romanian sites are thinner and longer. The route traversing the Caucasus and the northern Black Sea likely served as a key passage through which millet entered Europe from West Asia. This research provides valuable data on the chronology of millet cultivation in the SW Eastern European Plain and enhances our understanding of early East-West exchanges and their impact on human-environment interactions in critical regions.

Bibliographic Details

Ting An; Luoya Zhu; Jie Tian; Chenghao Wen; Meng Yang; Hongxing Hao; Magda Lazarovici; Gheorghe Lazarovici

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Earth and Planetary Sciences

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know