http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5446137 What do you think is the oldest and or the best representative of the oldest domesticated Common Fig (non-Smyra)? I understand what appears to the oldest remains of domesticated figs were found at Gilgil not too from Jerusalem? Kind of curious to any guesses old varieties that are still alive today.

Any insight appreciated.

Does any know if archaeobotany has shed light on which ancient varieties are still in use today? Does any know if archaeobotany has shed light on which ancient varieties are still in use today?

Don't know much about archeology but the oldest figs I am aware of are;

Dottato was around at Roman times (called ottato) and it is still the main producing fig of Southern Italy and is common here as well (aka Kadota).
Troiano was around at times of the Romans (Trojano) it is still grown in Italy and other places.

Interesting!

Yay, Happy Valentines Day to all....

In this French book from 1692 you can find the names and the description of the figs that were grown at that time in France. Some of these names are still known, like Angélique, Dorée, Bourjassotte,…

https://books.google.be/books?id=L_M6AAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=nl&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

These fig varieties are probably much older than 1692 and were already grown for centuries.

Timo Hi and nice find.
Heres another old book by Gallesio:
https://books.google.co.il/books?id=JeVEAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Seems like the best ones were Liviane and,fulcan,laconico.. there are more.
condit says that liviane could be filliciano also known as Binello on the forum. 

Attached is a google translation of a document from hebrew that writes about old varieties.

If the thread shows intrest i will take the time to translate it properly.

I for one would not assume that a variety from the Middle East is super old because they probably get lots of volunteer seedlings come up all over the place.  That makes for lots of opportunities for new varieties to be developed.  God bless.

Marcus

Elin: I read only the first couple of pages and i am!

Marcus, I'm not sure if I follow your logic.  If a variety comes out of a place with lots of figs, lots of fig wasps, and thus many new seedlings popping up, then wouldn't it stand to reason that some varieties could actually be quite new?  Of course it does make sense that some of the oldest varieties of common figs would come out of the middle-east since this part of the world is the cradle of agricultural based societies.

Hi smyfigs translated it as best as i could.. It is from a book on olives figs and dated by an israely author..

In the book it says that:
Felinius in his book describes the fig varieties in Rome. 
he Said that figs were brought from alot of places like from clay and chios"(greek islands), Lidia(Near Izmir turkey) and syrian province (Israel and palestine were in that province back then. Linsius Vitalius got the senator role and Imported fig varieties to alba and rome from syria during emperor tiberius times. 14-37 BC

seems like the romans liked the syrian varieties and propagated alot of them in rome.

Thanks, Elin!  I am enjoying this very much!