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History student reveals strategic and cultural importance of agriculture in Italy

Zoe Yamada Stave, history student at Boise State
Zoe Yamada Stave

Zoe Yamada Stave, a senior majoring in history, will present research on Liberna, Italy, at the American Society for Environmental History conference in Eugene, Oregon, in March.

Yamada Stave’s research paper, “Libarna, Italy, as an Agricultural Stronghold, 6th-2nd Centuries BCE: An Environmental Historical Analysis of a Ligurian Archaeological Site,” explores the strategic and cultural importance of this Roman city. Applying the lens of environmental history, she analyzes the relationship between the Ligurian peoples and Libarna in order to construct a better contextual understanding of their agricultural, pastoral, and cultivation practices. Her research contributes to the archaeological and historical understanding of the site and its importance to trade routes during the Roman Empire.

Yamada Stave worked with Department of History faculty Lisa Brady and Katherine Huntley in developing her research. The American Society for Environmental History is the premier academic organization for the field of environmental history.