MEDAPP is an interdisciplinary research project that brings together archaeology, history, biology, genetics, and textual sources to explore agricultural practices, plant economies, and food systems in the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period. From its outset, MEDAPP has sought to move beyond traditional archaeobotanical approaches by adopting a holistic perspective that incorporates not only the physical remains recovered from archaeological contexts but also the documentary and discursive material produced by past societies. Its goal is to reconstruct how agrarian landscapes were managed, how resources were cultivated and stored, and how agricultural knowledge was transmitted, adapted, or transformed over time.
To date, the project has investigated around 40 archaeological sites in various Iberian regions, spanning a wide chronological and cultural range—from late Roman rural settlements and Visigothic contexts to numerous Islamic and Christian medieval sites. In most cases, systematic sampling of archaeobotanical remains has been carried out across various contexts, including domestic units, storage spaces, latrines, and notably, unique cliff granaries. These artificial structures carved into cliff faces have provided exceptional preservation conditions, yielding nearly intact desiccated plant remains. These granaries offer unique insights into storage strategies and resource management among medieval communities, particularly during the Islamic period, and shed light on aspects of identity and social organization.
One of the project’s most significant achievements is the identification of several cereal species previously unknown in the medieval record of Iberia. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), a crop of African origin, has been identified for the first time at several Islamic sites along the Mediterranean coast. Similarly, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) has been found at a site in the Valencia region, marking its first appearance in the Iberian archaeobotanical record. Even more surprisingly, rice (Oryza sativa) has been documented for the first time, suggesting this crop was already cultivated during Islamic phases. These discoveries expand the known diversity of crops and point to transcontinental connections.
Beyond plant remains, the project has placed strong emphasis on integrating textual sources, particularly Islamic legal and notarial documents. The careful study of fatwas (legal opinions) and notarial records has yielded valuable information on crops, land use, irrigation systems, and legal frameworks governing agricultural contracts and resource management. These fatwas are particularly significant, as they reflect real-life cases brought before legal authorities by peasants, landowners, and administrators. The most frequently mentioned crops—cereals, vines, olives, figs, and flax—align closely with the plant remains identified at archaeological sites, reinforcing the reliability of both datasets. This material complements traditional agronomic treatises and offers a more grounded view of rural life and agricultural practices in medieval Iberia.
In Christian northern Iberia, the project has worked with notarial records related to land transfers, sales, and legal proceedings. These documents have revealed the economic value of crops and the presence of food processing and storage infrastructures, such as mills, wine and cider presses, and granaries. The combination of textual and archaeobotanical sources allows a more complete reconstruction of medieval agrarian systems, offering insights into productive strategies, social dynamics, and resource distribution in both Islamic and Christian contexts.
Another innovative component of MEDAPP is the genetic analysis of ancient grape pips. Using ancient DNA (aDNA) shotgun sequencing, it has been possible to identify genetic links between ancient and modern varieties.
The project’s findings have already begun appearing in peer-reviewed international journals, with several more publications currently in preparation.
