Tag: Fig cultivation

The oldest known cultivated fruit discovered by archaeologists is the fig, with remains found dating back over 11,400 years. To understand what is the first fruit eaten by humans, however, we must distinguish between foraging wild fruits and intentionally cultivating them for harvest.

Evidence of fig cultivation dates back over 11,000 years, making it one of the first known crops. But what is truly unique about figs is their unusual botanical structure and reproduction, a process that relies on a remarkable partnership with a tiny insect.