Now in its second edition, this in-depth account reviews the origins and spread of cultivated plants in southwest Asia, Europe, and northern Africa, from the earliest beginnings through the classical era. A new chapter is included on dye plants, and the information on vegetables, fruit trees, and several grain crops benefits from recently acquired insight. The authors examine evidence from archaeological sites and living plants to provide a modern synthesis of crop plant evolution, describing the first domestication of plants, where this occurred, and how these species and practices spread throughout the world. A chronological chart, site orientation maps, and a full set of references complete the volume.