Origin of Cultivated Plants: The International Scientific Series Volume Xlviii

What if the story of human civilization could be told through the plants we eat? Alphonse de Candolle tackles this profound question in this landmark work of botanical archaeology, first published in 1883. Drawing on decades of research, he reconstructs the geographical origins and historical diffusion of the world's cultivated plants, demonstrating how the spread of agriculture shaped and was shaped by the rise of empires and cultures. Using botanical observations, archaeological evidence, and historical records, he debunks persistent myths about where our food crops actually came from, establishing a rigorous methodology for a field that was then in its infancy. The result is a meticulous accounting of the origins of wheat, rice, maize, potatoes, and dozens of other staples that fed the rise of every great civilization. This book remains essential reading for anyone curious about the deep history hidden in every meal.