Question

While traditional historical narratives attribute the establishment of Byzantine sericulture entirely to the mid-sixth-century clandestine import of silkworm eggs under Emperor Justinian I, recent palynological analyses of lake sediment cores from northwestern Anatolia present a more nuanced ecological chronology. Palynologists tracking arboreal pollen profiles have identified a marked, sustained increase in Morus (mulberry) pollen deposits dating to the late fifth century, preceding Justinian’s reign by several decades. Because native white mulberry populations in the region were sparse and ecologically restricted to riverine fringes prior to this period, such a sudden palynological shift strongly indicates systematic, anthropogenic arboriculture rather than natural forest succession. Moreover, this botanical expansion coincides with localized increases in cereal pollen and micro-charcoal layers, suggesting deliberate land clearance tailored for orchard cultivation. Rather than disproving the Justinianic account, these environmental records suggest that the agrarian infrastructure required to sustain silkworms—specifically, organized mulberry groves—was already being cultivated prior to the official introduction of the fauna itself. Consequently, historians must reconsider whether Justinian’s agents introduced an entirely novel industry or merely supplied the biological precursor to an agrarian framework that had already been systematically prepared.

Based on the passage, which of the following statements regarding the historical development of sericulture in northwestern Anatolia can be inferred? Consider each of the three choices separately and select all that apply.