Bio-archaeological evidence of olive tree (Olea europaea L.) irrigation during the Middle Ages in Southern France and North Eastern Spain

Finally, data thus obtained were applied to charcoal fragments from three Medieval sites (9-15th centuries AD), revealing that irrigation practises were currently employed to olive trees. Although well adapted to a dry Mediterranean climate, olive trees were irrigated aiming to increase productivity and quality of fruit and oil. This is the first ever evidence of irrigation of fruit trees based on a bio-archaeological approach.