“Various researchers have demonstrated periods of instability in the cultivation of olives and grapes in the eastern Mediterranean, dating back to at least the Early Bronze Age,” the international team of scientists explained in their paper. These burned bits of fruit were collected at various Early Bronze (c. 3,500 BCE) and Iron Age (c. 1,200 BCE) archaeological sites. They found that the water stress during the Early Bronze Age matched the era’s expected seasonal changes. The existence of grape and olive crops in drier regions also suggests a strong reliance on irrigation techniques. By the Middle Bronze Age, evidence shows that cultures in the region often enjoyed one crop over the other.