Testing the applicability of Watson's Green Revolution concept in first millennium ce Central Asia

Drawing on archaeobotanical evidence from the central regions of Central Asia, we explore crop diffusion during the first millennium ce. We present a comprehensive summary of archaeobotanical data retrieved from this region dating to this period in order to better understand cultural drivers pushing agricultural intensification and crop diversification. We use these data to evaluate the applicability of Watson's concept of a Medieval Green Revolution. Despite ecological limits to cultivation of most of Watson's crops in much of Central Asia, some of these crops, particularly Gossypium arboretum/herbaceum (cotton) and Oryza sativa (rice), are prominent in the region today. In both cases there is now good archaeobotanical evidence showing that they were cultivated prior to the Islamic conquests in Central Asia. Moreover, the occurrence of several crops - Solanum melongena (eggplant), Ficus carica (fig), Morus alba/nigra (mulberry), and two spices - Rhus coriaria (sumac) and Coriandrum sativum (coriander) - have first been observed in phases dated to the 19th century ce. There is reason to believe that elaborate irrigation systems and seasonal rotation cycles were already in place in this region prior to the development of a centralized Arabic and Islamic government and are likely tied to urbanization in the first half of the first millennium ce. We suggest that most of the trappings of Watson's model were present prior to this, but, as Watson's thesis is multifaceted their presence alone does not nullify the model. Additionally, the ecological and cultural diversity of Central Asia means that a proper evaluation of Watson's model requires a regionally specific examination.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00334-023-00924-2.