**5. Discussion**

This work compares the vegetation pattern of two anthropized landscapes in two specific temporal frames: the medieval period and the present day. The archaeobotanical data are an important source for understanding the e ffective use of wood resources in a specific place (Contrada Castro site) and time (Middle ages). However, these anthracological data need to be contextualized in a landscape model. The phytosociological approach has allowed us to model the plant communities as associations (depicted as tables) for creating a comparative reference for the archaeobotanical data.

In this way, the occurrence of species in the archaeobotanical record—in terms of charcoal volumes (Table 3)—could be related to the mean coverage of woody species in the association (Table 2) which indicated the probability of finding the species. Then, each association has been assigned to a specific vegetation series that is geographically spatialized in the current landscape.

The intersection between the frequency data of the archaeobotanical record and the phytosociological analysis of current vegetation—in terms of vegetation series—have firstly confirmed the maintenance of the same plant communities over the last millennium. In fact, the identified species in the anthracological sample have shown a coherent fitting with the data of current vegetation. Wood charcoal assemblage is not "anomalous", because all the species identified are present today in the case study area. Furthermore, the correlation of the archaeobotanical data with the plant associations and the related series (Figure 5) have provided ecological and environmental information.

This consistency between the occurrences in the archaeobotanical record and the vegetational pattern is linked to the fact that, over the last millennium, no radical changes occurred, and so the ecological patterns of the vegetation series have not changed. In fact, this ecological pattern is determined by environmental or abiotic factors (e.g., climate, lithology, landforms) that change only over a long period of time [68] which is measurable on the scale of geological eras.

This long continuity in the vegetation pattern is also highlighted by the presence, as dominant species in these forest formations, of oaks, which are secular trees as regards their own physiology, as testified by the widespread presence in the Sicani mountains [69] of numerous enormous individuals with biological cycles of 400–500 years.

The archaeobotanical record has indicated an exclusive use of wood (as building materials or fuel) from the spontaneous plants specific to the natural vegetation of this area; no wood charcoals undoubtedly connected to cultivated tree plants have been found at the current stage of the investigation. Furthermore, according to the preliminary study of the seeds, the presence of fruits from fruit trees was not identified, apart from a single grape seed [70].

Previous analysis carried out on the catchment area of the Contrada Castro site by Bazan et al. [71] showed a 90% correlation with the distribution area of the Downy Oak series, which in Sicily is agriculturally suitable for arable land. The remaining 10% of the total catchment area of the site falls on the surface covered by the Holm Oak series. Holm Oak, according to the archaeobotanical record, is the most exploited species with percentages ranging between 30% and 50%. The massive use of wood species from di fferent stages of the Holm Oak series clearly indicates an exploitation of the range of this series for forestry.

The high frequency of Rosaceae, which are typical of the secondary aspects of the forest (Figure 5, dotted line), is an indicator both of human activities of wood cutting and the use of this spiny rosacea species for combustible material for kilns and hearths, as identified in the archaeological excavation.

The use of the Monte Barra ù area for wood exploitation for forestry, at least during the medieval period, is also attested to by a Latin parchment from AD 1428 from the *Tabularium* of the monastery of Santa Maria del Bosco di Calatamauro, which has owned the area of Barra ù at least since the Late Middle Ages [47]. Preliminary data on the zooarchaeological sample from the excavation in Contrada Castro [72] have revealed, within a greater attestation of domestic species, a sporadic presence of wild taxa such as deer (*Cervus elaphus* L. 1758) and wild boar (*Sus scrofa* L. 1758). In particular, deer are no longer present in Sicily and appear to have become extinct between the 17th and 19th centuries [73]. By examining the ecological habits and habitat preferences of deer in Mediterranean areas where the species is still present, such as in Sardinia [74], the range of browsing activity of this animal during autumn, winter and spring is concentrated in the tall scrubwood area, and during the warm season, it moves to areas characterized by riparian vegetation, low scrubwood and oak woods. The presence of this animal is so strictly linked to its specific habitat that it allows us to hypothesize an extension and continuity of the wood to a relevant degree which is higher than currently.

The low percentage of wood elements attributable to the Downy Oak series indicates the scarce use of this type of wood resource, which is probably due to the fact that the Downy Oak area was intensely deforested in order to make way for arable lands. The agricultural exploitation was also documented by the discovery of charred seeds—still under study—which are similar, as can be seen from the medieval layers of Contrada Castro, to varieties of cereals and legumes connected precisely to the cultivation of the surrounding territory.
