BRAIN – cooperative network and website

In 2015, a paper on the archaeobotany as a key tool ‘for the understanding of the biocultural diversity of the Italian landscape’ gave rise to a new initiative, the realization of the first cooperative network of archaeobotanists and palynologists working on archaeological sites located in Italy. The Botanical Record of Archaeobotany Italian Network has been introduced at MedPalyno2015 in Rome. Now the BRAIN database is ready as a website at https://brainplants.unimore.it The website (programmed by Matteo di Lena, and Federico Camerini) consists of 6 pages, two of which are dedicated to the database including "Sites" and "References". Site position and density are immediately visible in a map while three graphs show updated statistics on the number of sites per Region, or per Cultural period, or per type of Record studied (e.g., pollen, seeds or charcoals). References may be sorted in alphabetical order, or by specific (first) letter or name of authors. The first set of archaeological or human-related sites studied in Italy is available as an interactive sheet, and > than 1160 visits have been recorded in the first year of activity. The number of included sites is increasing, and the website is an user-friendly instrument, easy to navigate and to be implemented. The BRAIN network lies in this database which is a useful instrument for both the research of one single group or for joint researches that will be planned to produce synthesis. The website is also a good way to publicize the impressive work that has been carried out, and will continue, in the field of archaeobotany in the Italian on-sites (archaeological) or nearsites (human-related environmental sites)