This study delves into the multifaceted realm of citrus fruits, exploring their significance and socioeconomic implications from their early introduction to Western Muslim and Renaissance gardens, tracing their journey throughout history. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from biological, archaeobotanical, iconographic, and textual sources, our study offers a comprehensive exploration of citrus symbolism and cultural significance, integrating historical, artistic, horticultural, and socioeconomic viewpoints. The genus Citrus (Rutaceae) comprises around thirty species and its natural habitat spans from the southern slopes of the Himalayas to China, Southeast Asia, nearby islands, and Queensland. Originating from only four of these species, humans have cultivated hundreds of hybrids and thousands of varieties, harnessing their culinary, medicinal, and ornamental potential worldwide. We delve into the symbolic value of citrus fruits, which have served as indicators of economic status and power. From their early presence in Mediterranean religious rituals to their depiction in opulent Roman art and mythical narratives like the Garden of the Hesperides, citrus fruits have epitomized luxury and desire. Christian lore intertwines them with the forbidden fruit of Eden, while Islamic and Sicilian gardens and Renaissance villas signify their prestige. We analyze diverse perspectives, from moralists to hedonists, and examine their role in shaping global agriculture, exemplified by rare varieties like aurantii foetiferi.

Medieval Islamic bustān gardens in the western Mediterranean played a crucial role in preserving and enriching rose diversity through the cultivation of species from the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. These gardens, particularly in Al-Andalus, maintained distinctive rose varieties characterized by diverse flower morphology—ranging from white to deep crimson and near-black hues, including various yellow shades—and complex fragrance profiles with multiple olfactory nuances. The botanical heritage from these medieval Islamic gardens demonstrates remarkable persistence, with several of these cultivated rose species still found today in abandoned cortijos and aldeas throughout the mountains of eastern Spain. This study examines the transmission of rose culture through medieval Islamic bustān gardens, analyzing how these gardens served as repositories for ancient cultivars while introducing new varieties from eastern regions. Through examination of historical texts, iconographic evidence, and field documentation of surviving populations, we trace the continuity of medieval Islamic rose cultivation practices and their lasting impact on the rural landscape of eastern Spain. Flower scent is prominent as the leading factor determining preferences for medieval heritage rose cultivars, together with color and shape. The survival of these roses in abandoned settlements provides unique insight into the durability of medieval horticultural systems and the adaptation of cultivated species to semi-wild conditions over centuries.

Understanding the origins and evolution of modern grapevine varieties in the Iberian Peninsula and western Europe necessitates an examination of the proportions of Vitis vinifera cultivars, their relationships with wild grapevine populations, and the utilization of seedless cultivars in al-Andalus. Employing morphometric studies, domestication indices, multivariate analysis, and Bayesian hypothesis testing, this study investigates several distinct seed types identified in materials from Roman and medieval deposits. These seeds exhibit a spectrum from highly domesticated to purely wild. Our findings reveal the predominance of Proles Occidentalis Negrul, and the presence of feral-like grapevines associated with Proles Euphratica. Additionally, we observe the continuous presence of wild grapevines related to Vitis sylvestris CC Gmelin throughout the studied period. Seeds exhibiting intermediate characteristics are documented, alongside the identification of “stenosperms”, suggesting anomalies in seed formation. Notably, the presence of Vitis vinifera raisins “stenospermocarpics” of the sultana type is suggested, potentially elucidating the absence of table grapes and raisins of the Proles Orientalis Negrul in the archaeological record, despite frequent mentions by medieval agronomy writers from al-Andalus.

The Castillejo de Monteagudo, which has been well known since excavations began in 1924, is a palatial residence built on a promontory. However, the fact that it was part of an extensive agricultural estate, known as Ḥiṣn al-Faraj, which included dry-farming, orchards, gardens, woodland, hunting areas, and marshes, as well as important hydraulic infrastructures, has not been sufficiently emphasised to date. Archaeological research on the irrigated plain during 2018 and 2019 has brought to light part of the palatine area, which was organised around a large garden presided by a residential complex with a porticoed pavilion and a pool at the centre. All known buildings date to the reign of Emir Ibn Mardanīš (1147–1171), although the possibility that the estate was created earlier cannot be ruled out. It was destroyed twice by the Almohads (1165 and 1171) and reused by the Castilian King Alfonso X, perhaps after being restored by Ibn Hūd al-Mutawakkil (1228–1238).

Background: While archaeological evidence is crucial for understanding the origins of ancient rose varieties in Western Europe, the botanical composition of medieval Islamic gardens remains largely unknown. This study focuses on the rose cultivation at the 12th-century Almunia del Castillejo de Monteagudo in Murcia, Spain, a key Islamic site in al-Andalus. Methods: Morphometric analysis and Bayesian hypothesis testing were applied to characterize rose prickle remains recovered from the site. The prickles were found in stratigraphic contexts above the original garden and yielded post-medieval radiocarbon dates (18th–19th centuries AD). The morphological parameters of the archaeological specimens were statistically compared against reference collections of known rose species to determine their probable botanical origins. Results: The analysis identified two distinct prickle morphotypes. Statistical comparisons indicate these correspond to the white musk rose (Rosa moschata Herrm.) and to yellow roses from the Rosa foetida Herrm. complex (including R. lutea Mill. var. persiana Lem.). Both species are historic introductions from West Asia. The morphometric parameters demonstrated significant diagnostic value for the species-level identification of archaeological rose remains. Conclusion: Despite the post-medieval date of the prickles, the presence of R. moschata and R. foetida suggests the continuity of cultivation for rose species originally already known during the medieval Islamic period. This provides direct archaeological evidence for the role of al-Andalus gardens in the dissemination of West Asian rose diversity, highlighting the lasting impact of medieval Islamic horticulture on the Iberian Peninsula.

En este artículo se aborda el análisis de los restos conservados del castillo de La Peña o fortaleza Alta de Martos (Jaén), importante yacimiento arqueológico que presenta estructuras emergentes de envergadura. Constituyó el castillo y sede principal del maestre de la Orden de Calatrava en la encomienda de Martos, territorio fronterizo con el reino nazarí de Granada entre los siglos XIII y XV, hasta que esta fortaleza fue abandonada en el siglo XVI. Además de la revisión crítica de la documentación existente sobre este singular ejemplo de arquitectura defensiva medieval, para realizar este análisis ha resultado fundamental el trabajo de campo y la elaboración de la planimetría completa y actualizada de las estructuras conservadas. Los resultados alcanzados en esta investigación arqueológica suponen un avance importante en el conocimiento de este Bien Patrimonial, y aportan nuevos datos que por ahora eran desconocidos o no se habían planteado. La documentación generada constituye la base para las intervenciones de restauración científica en este yacimiento.