Cronometrías para la historia de la Península Ibérica

The Iron age corresponds to a period of significant changes regardingagriculture in Northwest Iberia. Agricultural systems were based on adiversity of crops, particularly cereals, well adapted to undemandingsoils and to harsh climatic conditions. In this context, two important crops have been considered Iron Age novelties, namely Triticumaestivum subsp. spelta and Avena sp. Millets, although present in theregion since the Bronze Age were also very relevant crops, togetherwith other species of wheat and barley. Here we argue that by the endof this period another cereal was introduced in the region - rye (Secalecereale) – but that it occurred in the context of the first Romancontacts.The chronology of rye cultivation in the Iberian Peninsula has been amatter of debate but up to recent times, published data only confirmedits presence since a well advanced moment within the Roman Period.However, new radiocarbon dates were obtained directly from grains ofrye recovered in the settlements of Crastoeiro (Mondim de Basto,Portugal) and Cruito (Baião, Portugal). Some remain unpublished.These confirmed the oldest contexts of rye in Northwest Iberia,suggesting it was introduced somewhere within the 1st century B.C.and the first half of the 1st century A.D. A phase with strong romaninfluences.It is likely that the introduction of rye came as a solution to theproblems caused by the cumulative effect of long-term pressure oversoils since prehistoric times. In the mountain regions of northernPortugal, with harsh climate and poor soils, a prolific cereal such asrye seems to fit well in agricultural strategies. Consequently, it was avery important crop in Medieval times. Nonetheless, evidence from itscultivation during the Roman times is still sparse, possibly suggestinga slow increment in the regional agricultural strategies.Data regarding the early stages of this crop in Northwest Iberia is stillshort, making it difficult to fully assess its social and economiccontext. Still, it is clear that with these new radiocarbon dates, thechronology of rye in Northwest Iberia and in the whole IberianPeninsula has just begun to be redefined.