AGRUMED: Archaeology and history of citrus fruit in the Mediterranean

The book brings together 16 contributions on the ancient and recent history of
citrus fruits. Although they represent the main fruit production on a
worldwide scale, very little is known about their original domestication and
routes of introduction into the Mediterranean and temperate Europe: few
organic remains identified as citrus have been found on archaeological sites.
Nevertheless, evidence has been retrieved for various periods in the form of
pollen grains, seeds, rind fragments, and occasionally wood and whole fruits
in areas of primo-domestication, Asian, and from sites along the potential
routes of diffusion. Iconographic figurations and textual references also
exist. The contributions presented here – written by researchers specializing
in phylogeny, taxonomy, morphometry, archaeobotany, history, iconography, the
study of classical letters, and curators of collections – present the latest
knowledge relating to the taxonomy of the Citrus genus and the methods used in
attempting to identify ancient specimens. Analysis of botanical remains and a
variety of other sources, has allowed the citrus diversity in China, India,
Israel, Egypt, Italy, and North-West Europe to be described. Greek, Latin and
medieval texts have been explored in order to identify recognized species,
cultivation methods, modes of consumption, uses, and virtues attributed to
citrus fruits since their first occurrences. The conservatories and germplasm
collections of citrus are presented from a historical point of view, as are
the important role they play in genetic research to improve cultivars, the
conservation of rare and ancient varieties, and the role of informing the
general public is also emphasized. The symbolic representation of citrus
fruits in the arts, literature, and philosophy completes this overview, and
fills a gap concerning these emblematic Mediterranean fruit.