Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MILLET (Old crops for new insights: agricultural systems of broomcorn and foxtail millet cultivation in Iberia)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-01-10 bis 2024-01-09
The study of millet is of growing archaeological interest because it is a plant whose use and importance in human and animal nutrition can be traced back to the past. This fascination has also gone hand in hand with its revaluation as a crop in modern times, thanks to its cultivation in arid conditions, its nutritional qualities and its great adaptability to climates and soils, which make it a very desirable cereal for sustainable practices and circular agriculture, pivotal to addressing food security.
The MILLET project provides first-hand evidence of millet cultivation in the Iberian Peninsula, while allowing us to bridge the gap between past farming practices and current food security concerns. The overall objectives are: 1) to develop a methodological approach to millet cultivation in contemporary traditional agriculture of the NW Iberian Peninsula, 2) to establish new theoretical frameworks that can be applied to the study of farming systems, and 3) to propose models of land use and millet use in past societies in order to study the contexts of production, consumption and waste.
The MILLET project provides first-hand evidence of millet cultivation in the Iberian Peninsula, while allowing us to bridge the gap between past farming practices and current food security concerns. The overall objectives are: 1) to develop a methodological approach to millet cultivation in contemporary traditional agriculture of the NW Iberian Peninsula, 2) to establish new theoretical frameworks that can be applied to the study of farming systems, and 3) to propose models of land use and millet use in past societies in order to study the contexts of production, consumption and waste.
The MILLET project aims to increase knowledge of millet cultivation and its historical significance, while exploring its implications for contemporary agricultural practices.
The ethnographic approach, carried out in Galicia and Asturias (Spain) and northern Portugal, aimed to document and preserve traditional cultivation practices. These efforts ensure that traditional knowledge, which might otherwise be lost, is captured and passed on to future generations. ‘The Lost Millets’ documentary not only preserves the methods of a dying world, but also provides valuable cultural insights, demonstrating their relevance and potential application in modern agriculture.
The project developed an experimental farming design that bridged historical and contemporary millet cultivation by replicating traditional practices and integrating them with ancient techniques. Information was gathered from traditional farmers, ethnographic sources, historical documents and archaeological evidence to understand past farming practices. By testing different sowing calendars and fertiliser treatments, we investigated how different practices affected millet yields and resilience. The experiments, carried out at four sites in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula, have provided insights into how millet cultivation can adapt to different environmental conditions.
By examining the ecological associations between crops and weeds, and identifying similarities and differences over time, we have drawn parallels between ancient and modern agricultural practices. This long-term perspective informs current farming techniques and enhances our understanding of agricultural evolution.
Experimental charring has allowed us to understand how different temperatures and atmospheres affect the preservation and morphology of millet grains. The study revealed that organic material transformations during charring produce substances that act as 'glue,' preserving grain aggregates and recognisable morphologies. These experiments were crucial in identifying the optimal charring conditions that preserve grain morphology in archaeological assemblages, but also in elucidating how isotopic values behave under different charring conditions.
Stable isotopes have been used to assess the response of millet to different agricultural practices in a temperate climate, giving us a framework for how it responds to different conditions of moisture (water stress) and nutrients (fertilisation), but also to establish reference intervals for isotopic comparisons between ancient and modern millet crops. The comprehensive isotopic analysis design enhances our ability to reconstruct past agricultural practices and dietary patterns, contributing to a deeper understanding of historical land use.
The ethnographic approach, carried out in Galicia and Asturias (Spain) and northern Portugal, aimed to document and preserve traditional cultivation practices. These efforts ensure that traditional knowledge, which might otherwise be lost, is captured and passed on to future generations. ‘The Lost Millets’ documentary not only preserves the methods of a dying world, but also provides valuable cultural insights, demonstrating their relevance and potential application in modern agriculture.
The project developed an experimental farming design that bridged historical and contemporary millet cultivation by replicating traditional practices and integrating them with ancient techniques. Information was gathered from traditional farmers, ethnographic sources, historical documents and archaeological evidence to understand past farming practices. By testing different sowing calendars and fertiliser treatments, we investigated how different practices affected millet yields and resilience. The experiments, carried out at four sites in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula, have provided insights into how millet cultivation can adapt to different environmental conditions.
By examining the ecological associations between crops and weeds, and identifying similarities and differences over time, we have drawn parallels between ancient and modern agricultural practices. This long-term perspective informs current farming techniques and enhances our understanding of agricultural evolution.
Experimental charring has allowed us to understand how different temperatures and atmospheres affect the preservation and morphology of millet grains. The study revealed that organic material transformations during charring produce substances that act as 'glue,' preserving grain aggregates and recognisable morphologies. These experiments were crucial in identifying the optimal charring conditions that preserve grain morphology in archaeological assemblages, but also in elucidating how isotopic values behave under different charring conditions.
Stable isotopes have been used to assess the response of millet to different agricultural practices in a temperate climate, giving us a framework for how it responds to different conditions of moisture (water stress) and nutrients (fertilisation), but also to establish reference intervals for isotopic comparisons between ancient and modern millet crops. The comprehensive isotopic analysis design enhances our ability to reconstruct past agricultural practices and dietary patterns, contributing to a deeper understanding of historical land use.
The diverse dissemination activities, research initiatives and scientific outputs outlined in the project plan demonstrate the potential of MILLET to generate significant advances in knowledge, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and engage diverse stakeholders in addressing pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges related to agricultural sustainability and cultural heritage preservation.
The project is scientifically relevant as it serves as a means of linking ancient agriculture with the life and physical sciences in an innovative data framework, while addressing new environmental and climate challenges. The published and ongoing publications have contributed to building a robust body of scholarship on millet cultivation, environmental archaeology and agricultural sustainability. By disentangling ancient models of land use, we can seek more ecologically sustainable ways of production to address today's greatest global problems of biodiversity loss and contribute to food security.
By engaging with diverse audiences through outreach events and social media, the project has had a socio-economic impact by raising awareness of traditional agricultural practices and their potential relevance to contemporary food systems and rural development. Dissemination efforts through lectures, documentaries and web platforms ensured that our findings reached diverse audiences, including academic communities, local stakeholders and the general public, and also provided opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration, fostering further research and knowledge dissemination.
The project's emphasis on interdisciplinary research and public engagement promotes dialogue with wider societal implications on issues of food sovereignty, environmental sustainability and cultural heritage preservation, thereby contributing to broader societal debates and policy discussions.
The project is scientifically relevant as it serves as a means of linking ancient agriculture with the life and physical sciences in an innovative data framework, while addressing new environmental and climate challenges. The published and ongoing publications have contributed to building a robust body of scholarship on millet cultivation, environmental archaeology and agricultural sustainability. By disentangling ancient models of land use, we can seek more ecologically sustainable ways of production to address today's greatest global problems of biodiversity loss and contribute to food security.
By engaging with diverse audiences through outreach events and social media, the project has had a socio-economic impact by raising awareness of traditional agricultural practices and their potential relevance to contemporary food systems and rural development. Dissemination efforts through lectures, documentaries and web platforms ensured that our findings reached diverse audiences, including academic communities, local stakeholders and the general public, and also provided opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration, fostering further research and knowledge dissemination.
The project's emphasis on interdisciplinary research and public engagement promotes dialogue with wider societal implications on issues of food sovereignty, environmental sustainability and cultural heritage preservation, thereby contributing to broader societal debates and policy discussions.