The medieval period in Ethiopian history is poorly documented, particularly when compared to the extensive research devoted to prehistoric, ancient, and modern history. This gap includes important areas of study, especially concerning the understanding of social and economic systems, as well as the corresponding ecosystems and vegetation history. Since the 1970s, Ethiopian historic archaeology has followed a global trend, employing a descriptive approach to document obelisks, monuments, and rock-hewn churches. Apart from the focus on the study of monumental structures, prehistoric human biological and cultural evolution has been a major theme in the region. It is, therefore, essential to investigate the social and economic conditions of the people who constructed these monuments and rock-hewn churches. With this objective, members of the “Solomonic-Zagwe encounter, Solzag" project undertook archaeological, archaeobotanical, ethnobotanical, and ethnoarchaeological data collection and analysis in selected sites, including Gännätä Maryam, Yǝmrǝḥannä Krǝstos, and Wašša Mika’el. Soil samples recovered from excavations were dry-screened and floated to recover botanical remains for reconstructing ancient food systems and paleoenvironments. Consequently, the results of the study indicated that during the period in question, Oil crops (such as Niger seed/Noog, Flax, and Sesame), Cereals (like Sorghum, Millets, Teff, Barley and Wheat), Legumes (including Lentils,Chickpea, Abyssinian/Ethiopian pea), and various weedy/edible plants (Lolium, Chenopodium, Persicaria, Carex) formed the economic foundation of the society. These findings enhance our understanding of Ethiopia’s agricultural history and underline the necessity for further research on food systems and environmental contexts.