Diachronic reconstruction of the human-environmental relationship at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Butrint: a new archaeobotanical perspective in Albania

Butrint, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, is situated in the southern region of Albania, overlooking the Vivari Channel, and facing the Greek island of Corfu. Despite archaeological investigations having started in 1928, Butrint has been minimally explored from an archaeobotanical perspective. The present study represents the first in-depth archaeobotanical exploration of Butrint that seeks to reconstruct the diachronic human-environment relationships of this important archaeological site. Thanks to the extended occupation, spanning from the Archaic to Venetian period, Butrint offers a rich selection of different archaeological contexts across different epochs, containing abundant and well-preserved plant macroremains. The remains, sampled in 2022 and 2023, are mainly preserved through charring and waterlogging. Preliminary analyses were performed on materials from medieval contexts of the Western Defenses (10th century AD), and the Roman forum (3rd century B.C. to 7th centuries A.D.). These reveal an assemblage mainly composed of cereals (Triticum monococcum, Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccon, Triticum aestivum/durum etc.) and pulses (Vicia lens, Lathyrus oleraceus, Lathyrus sp. etc.) at the Western Defences, while a low presence of cereals and a high concentration of Vitis vinifera, Sambucus nigra and Rubus fruticosus is reflected in area of the Roman forum. In terms of charcoals, the most represented taxa are Quercus sect. robur, Rhamnus/Phillyrea, Olea europaea and Acer sp. This research not only aims to fill a significant gap in the archaeobotanical exploration of the site but also contributes to broader discussions on human-environment interactions in the Albanian and Mediterranean regions. The findings are anticipated to shed light on the adaptive strategies, subsistence patterns, and agricultural evolution of the diverse communities that inhabited Butrint over the centuries, enhancing our comprehension of the intricate interplay between human societies and their surroundings.