Origins of the cultivation of lathyrus sativus and L. cicera (fabaceae)

Most of the early and rich archaeobotanical finds of Lathyrus sect. Cicercula, particularly those of the most ancient periods, came from the Balkan peninsula. It has been found that cultivation of L. sativus began there in the early Neolithic period, around 6000 b.c.e., as a result of the expansion of Near Eastern agriculture of annuals into the region. This, in turn, encouraged development of a greater variety of legumes by the domestication of an additional native species. Similarly, it is suggested that domestication of L. cicera in southern France and the Iberian peninsula occurred only after the introduction of agriculture into the area. Cultivation of these two closely related species in adjacent regions led to the raising of a mixed crop in many ancient fields. Lathyrus sativus may perhaps be the first crop domesticated in Europe.