In June 2006, researchers from Harvard University (USA) and Israel’s Bar-Ilan University reported the discovery of nine carbonised figs dated to 11,200-11,400 years old, in an early Neolithic village called Gilgal I, near Jericho, Israel. The researchers believe this particular variety could only have been cultivated with human intervention, making figs the oldest domesticated crop, and amongst the the first-known examples of agriculture.

The researchers suggest the carbonised figs pre-date the cultivation of other domesticated crops such as wheat, barley and vegetables. However, evidence of 15,000 year old rice cultivation have been reported in Korea.