Redrawing the History of Celtis australis in the Mediterranean Basin under Pleistocene–Holocene Climate Shifts

Abstract

Celtis australis remains are usually present in Palaeolithic sites of the Mediterranean Basin. However, their uncharred state of preservation and the absence of wood charcoal remains of this species raise some doubts regarding the contemporaneity of the remains and the deposit wherein they were found. The mineral composition of their endocarps and their possible use as food lead us to discuss the available data of Celtis australis during Prehistory. In this paper, the history of this species from the Lower Pleistocene to the Middle Holocene is reconstructed, considering the impact of the Quaternary climatic changes on its geographical distribution. The nutritional composition of Celtis australis fruits is analysed to assess their current value and potential as food, especially in Palaeolithic contexts. Based on these issues, the doubts about its presence in these contexts are dispelled and possibly explained by intentional human gathering in some sites, considering the high content in carbohydrates, proteins and minerals of their fruits. The chronological and geographical distribution of the Celtis spp. remains shows a coherence, which only the variations in the distribution of this taxon according to the regional climatic conditions can explain, especially disturbed by cold fluctuations, such as MIS 10 or 2. The radiocarbon dating presented here demonstrates the unquestionable presence of Celtis sp. in the Iberian Mediterranean Basin during MIS 3.