Persistence and Heritage from Medieval Bustān Gardens

Roses in Ancient Western Islamic Contexts and Abandoned Rural Gardens of Spain

Bibliographic Data

ID13125331
AuthorsD Rivera (0000-0001-6889-714X, Universidad de Murcia, corresponding author), Julio Navarro Palazón (0000-0002-7577-4110, Escuela de Estudios Árabes), Inmaculada Camarero Castellano (0000-0003-0197-9460), Javier Valera (0000-0002-4401-9884, Universidad de Murcia), Diego-José Rivera-Obón (0000-0003-0512-2069, Université Paris-Saclay), Concepción Obón (0000-0002-0244-601X, Universitat de Miguel Hernández d'Elx)
Year2025
Volume8
Issue8
Pages315-315
Publication date2025-08-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHeritage (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2571-9408 • E-ISSN: 2571-9408
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/heritage8080315
OpenAlexW4413122612
LanguageEN
References cited42

Medieval Islamic bustān gardens in the western Mediterranean played a crucial role in preserving and enriching rose diversity through the cultivation of species from the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. These gardens, particularly in Al-Andalus, maintained distinctive rose varieties characterized by diverse flower morphology—ranging from white to deep crimson and near-black hues, including various yellow shades—and complex fragrance profiles with multiple olfactory nuances. The botanical heritage from these medieval Islamic gardens demonstrates remarkable persistence, with several of these cultivated rose species still found today in abandoned cortijos and aldeas throughout the mountains of eastern Spain. This study examines the transmission of rose culture through medieval Islamic bustān gardens, analyzing how these gardens served as repositories for ancient cultivars while introducing new varieties from eastern regions. Through examination of historical texts, iconographic evidence, and field documentation of surviving populations, we trace the continuity of medieval Islamic rose cultivation practices and their lasting impact on the rural landscape of eastern Spain. Flower scent is prominent as the leading factor determining preferences for medieval heritage rose cultivars, together with color and shape. The survival of these roses in abandoned settlements provides unique insight into the durability of medieval horticultural systems and the adaptation of cultivated species to semi-wild conditions over centuries

Ancient history · Archaeology · Boom · Bust · Geography · Islam · Persistence (discontinuity · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Engineering · Historical Studies of Medieval Iberia · History

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