DateBack – a comprehensive platform for the exploration and analysis of date palm archaeobotanical remains

Welcome to DateBack !

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 a Shiny app, is currently available as a preprint on bioRxiv (Besseiche et al., 2025 - DOI:10.1101/2025.02.21.639487). It 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.

It was funded primarily by IRD, with additional support from the French Agency for alUla development (AFALULA). This website is hosted by the French Institut Français de Bioinformatique (IFB).

  • Data tables Version: The data tables, based on the literature review, version 1.0 are described in the preprint and available both in the Data Tables tab and in DataSud. They may be updated independently but are still currently at version 1.0 (see Versioning section for more details).
  • App Version: The initial and current release of the app is version 1.0. The code is availale here (see Versioning section for more details).

Data included in the data tables

For each set of archaeobotanical remains of date palm or Phoenix spp. identified in the literature and for which we could access the original document, we gathered in the Main table :

  • Geographical information: Details about the location of each find, including name of the archaeological site, present-day country, type of site, geographic coordinates, and excavation years.
  • Chronological context: Information on the nature of the context(s), including its or their identification number(s) (if available) or other relevant details, along with start and end dates, broad cultural period, and the quality of dating (“relative”, “absolute”, or “absolute on date palm” if it is known that the radiocarbon dating specifically pertains to date palm remains).
  • Remains: Detailed records of the types of archaeobotanical remains found, covering various anatomical parts (e.g., fiber, leaflet, perianth, seed, stem). Information is also provided on the state of preservation (e.g., desiccated, charred, mineralized), as well as on the taxon reported in the paper, and, if necessary, our correction of the taxon with an explanation. The number of remains is included as free text when available, as well as whether some radiocarbon dating on date palm remains is available (details in the C14 table).
  • References: The bibliographic reference(s) citing the remain(s) and other associated information, allowing users to trace the original source of the reported data.

When applicable, we added to the C14 table information about radiocarbon dating for date palm remains :

  • Geographical, context and reference information: To easily find which entry of the main table this datation is linked to.
  • Radiocarbon dating: Data related to radiocarbon dating for date palm remains, including laboratory codes, the anatomical part dated and its preservation state, the raw 14C age, and calibrated age ranges.

How to use the website?

The website is structured into two main sections for exploring the data:

  1. Data Tables: Browse and filter a comprehensive table of date palm findings by criteria such as country, time period, or type of archaeobotanical remain to quickly locate relevant entries. A second table dedicated to radiocarbon (C14) data specifically for date palm remains is also available and filterable. Both tables can be downloaded for further analysis.
  2. Interactive Map: Delve into the geographic distribution of date palm remains across regions and time periods. Zoom in on specific areas and click on individual points for detailed information about the remains, including the archaeological site name, country, chronological context, dating quality, type of remain(s), preservation state(s), and bibliographical reference(s).

Four additional tabs are available:

  1. Versioning: Track versions, additions, and modifications of the data tables and of the Shiny app.
  2. Bibliography: Access the complete list of documents cited in the data tables.
  3. Contact: Send us an email to share comments or submit new contributions via the Contact tab.
  4. License: Find details about the licensing terms for the DateBack platform and its content in this section.
DateBack logo
Carbonized whole fruits and seeds of date palm from Muweilah, United Arab Emirates, dated ca. 800-600 BCE
Carbonized whole fruits and seeds of date palm from Muweilah, United Arab Emirates, dated ca. 800-600 BCE. Photo: M. Tengberg.
Palm grove in the oasis of al-’Ulā, Saudi Arabia
Palm grove in the oasis of al-’Ulā, Saudi Arabia. Photo: M. Gros-Balthazard – March 2023.
Dates in the hand of a farmer, oasis of al-’Ulā, Saudi Arabia
Dates in the hand of a farmer, oasis of al-’Ulā, Saudi Arabia. Photo: M. Gros-Balthazard – Aug. 2021.
Transverse section of a petiole fragment of date palm from Dadan, Saudi Arabia, ca. 800-1100 CE.
Transverse section of a petiole fragment of date palm from Dadan, Saudi Arabia, ca. 800-1100 CE. Photo: E. Chambraud.
Chlorite vase with date palm motifs. Uruq, Mesopotamia (Iraq). 2300-2200 BCE.
Chlorite vase with date palm motifs. Uruq, Mesopotamia (Iraq). 2300-2200 BCE. Musée du Louvre. Photo: M. Gros-Balthazard.
Al-‘ulā landscape
Al-‘ulā landscape. Photo: M. Gros-Balthazard - Nov. 2019.
Dates, Errachidia, Morocco.
Dates, Errachidia, Morocco. Photo: M. Gros-Balthazard - Oct. 2010.

Welcome to the Data Tables!

This section provides two searchable tables:

  • Main table: This table presents archaeobotanical remains of date palm and Phoenix spp. identified through our literature review. It includes detailed information on:

    • Each entry corresponds to a site and a chronological context with its associated remains.
    • Location: Archaeological site name, present-day country, type of site, geographic coordinates, and excavation years.
    • Chronological context: Description, start and end dates, broad cultural period, and dating quality.
    • Remains: Anatomical part, preservation state, taxon, and number of remains.
    • References: Bibliographic sources with hyperlinks when available.
  • C14 table: This table compiles radiocarbon dates obtained from date palm remains, as reported in the literature and gathered through our review. Each entry in this table is directly linked to the corresponding site and context(s) in the Main table.

Use the chronological timeline below to filter data by time period. Additional filters on the left allow you to refine the displayed data based on countries, anatomical parts of the remains, preservation states, dating qualities, and taxa reported in the Main table.

To facilitate exploration, you can download the full, unfiltered versions of both datasets using the Download buttons.

On the right, the numbers represent total counts for the entire dataset, i.e., the number of entries, the number of archaeological sites, and the number of references from the literature review that support these records. Just below, on the left and above the filters, these counts update dynamically to reflect the filtered dataset based on user selections.

Counts on the global dataset :

Number of Entries:
Number of Sites:
Number of References:

Welcome to the Interactive Map!

Explore the geographic distribution of date palm remains across different regions and time periods. The data displayed on this map comes directly from the Data Tables section.

Zoom in on specific areas and click on individual points for detailed information, including the archaeological site name, chronological context and dating quality, type of remains and their preservation state, and associated bibliographical references.

The color of the points is determined by the start date of the context in which the remains were found. If multiple points are too close together to be distinguished, they are grouped into a cluster, which is displayed as a circle, colored and labeled with the number of entries.

Use the chronological timeline below to filter the data by time period. Click the Play button on the left to progressively cycle through periods of equal length, from the oldest to the most recent, in 100-year steps. By default, the timeline includes the entire chronology.

Use the filters on the left to refine the displayed data based on countries, anatomical parts of the remains, preservation states, dating qualities, and taxa.

On the right, the numbers represent total counts for the entire dataset, i.e., the number of entries, the number of archaeological sites, and the number of references from the literature review that support these records. Just below, on the left and above the filters, these counts update dynamically to reflect the filtered dataset based on user selections.

Counts on the global dataset :

Number of Entries:
Number of Sites:
Number of References:

Both the data and the application are designed to evolve over time. Updates may include additions or changes to the datasets as well as improvements to the web application itself.

  • Data tables Version: The data tables, based on the literature review, version 1.0 are described in the paper. The data tables may be updated independently but are still currently at version 1.0.
  • App Version: The initial and current release of the app is version 1.0, as cited in the publication.

You can access the raw datasets and application V 1.0 here: https://dataverse.ird.fr/dataverse/dateback, or their current verion on our git repository.

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