Advancing Archaeobotanical Methods: Morphometry, Bayesian Analysis and AMS Dating of Rose Prickles from Monteagudo Almunia, Spain (12th Century-Present).

ABSTRACT:

Background

While archaeological evidence is crucial for understanding the origins of ancient rose varieties in Western Europe, the botanical composition of medieval Islamic gardens remains largely unknown. This study focuses on the rose cultivation at the 12th-century Almunia del Castillejo de Monteagudo in Murcia, Spain, a key Islamic site in al-Andalus.

Methods

Morphometric analysis and Bayesian hypothesis testing were applied to characterize rose prickle remains recovered from the site. The prickles were found in stratigraphic contexts above the original garden and yielded post-medieval radiocarbon dates (18th-19th centuries AD). The morphological parameters of the archaeological specimens were statistically compared against reference collections of known rose species to

SUBMITTER: Rivera D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12736896 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature