All the versions of this article: [English] [français]
DateBack – a comprehensive platform for the exploration and analysis of date palm archaeobotanical remains
– See DateBack website: https://cloudapps.france-bioinforma...
– Publication associated to the database: https://peercommunityjournal.org/ar...
Besseiche Margot, Elora Chambraud, Vladimir Dabrowski, Elisa Brandstatt, François Sabot, Charlène Bouchaud & Muriel Gros-Balthazard (2025) — « DateBack, an evolving open-access repository of Phoenix archaeobotanical data supporting new perspectives on the history of date palm cultivation », Peer Community Journal, vol. 5, p. e55. DOI: 10.24072/pcjournal.561. URL: https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.561/
This platform provides access to a centralized repository of archaeobotanical evidence (macro-remains) from West Asia, focusing on date palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and its wild relatives (Phoenix spp.). The data has been gathered from published studies, books, theses, and archaeological reports (see Bibliography tab).
DateBack includes data tables and an interactive map. It is designed to support research on the history, domestication, and spread of date palm cultivation, covering finds from the earliest records. It facilitates the analysis of geographic and temporal patterns in date palm cultivation and promotes collaboration and data sharing among researchers interested in date palm history (see Contact tab).
In this first version, the coverage extends up to the pre-Islamic period and focuses on macro-remains found in West Asia. The platform is under development, with future updates planned to expand its geographical and chronological scope.
This work, which includes both a review of archaeobotanical literature and the development of the Shiny app, was carried out by researchers affiliated with the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and the French National Museum of Natural History (MNHN).
Contributors: Margot Besseiche, Elora Chambraud, Vladimir Dabrowski, Elisa Brandstatt, François Sabot, Charlène Bouchaud, Muriel Gros-Balthazard.
DateBack is an extension of the al-‘Ulā DPA project and has benefited from its financial support.