Macrobotanical Remains in Archaeology: Preservation Modes and Method

Fattah Agha, Saya Halko; Bux&oacute; Capdevila, Ramon; Kamil, Ari Khaleel

doi:10.33899/aa.2024.181709

	Macrobotanical Remains in Archaeology: Preservation Modes and Method
Athar al-rafedain
Volume 9, Issue 1, January 2024, Pages 341-363 PDF (4.29 M)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.33899/aa.2024.181709
Authors
Saya Halko Fattah Agha^* ¹; Ramon Buxó Capdevila²; Ari Khaleel Kamil³
¹University of Salaheddin/ College of Arts/ Department of Archaeology
²Catalonia Archaeology Museum
³Salah al-Din University Faculty of Arts Department of Archaeology
Abstract
During excavation, archaeologists sometimes notice the presence of plant remains in the archaeological sediment. These more visible macrobotanical remains include wood, seeds, fruits and floral parts. Depending on the region and conditions, they can be preserved by various modes, including dessication, waterlogging and charring; the latter being the most common especially in modern Iraq. Thanks to the development of research on this organic material, our knowledge on the way of life of ancient societies was greatly improved. They would be able to provide important knowledge about earlier vegetation, the plant exploitation including cultivation and domestication process as well as the diet. In addition, plant remains may help us to reconstruct activities and help us to interpret the function of spaces and/or structures. However, before being able to provide such information, the archaeobotanical study requires to apply strategies and methods from sampling to interpretation. Our paper presents these different steps.
Keywords
Archaeobotany; Flotation; Charred Plants; Mineralisation; Dry Sieving

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