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Archaeobotany
The Archaeology of Seeds
Archaeobotany is a specialty field within the study of archaeology. It can include pollen analysis, macro-remains in the form of fruit pits or wood, or micro-remains in the form of small seeds. Botanical material in the form of seeds and wood are the most likely to be encountered following an arcaheological excavation. In order to find them, soil samples are taken from an archaeology site and then agitated in a bucket of water in a process called flotation. The floating botanical remains are tipped into muslin cloth and left to air dry outside of direct sunlight. Due to the shape of the muslin cloth, they are often referred to as "ghosties" by archaeobotanists. 👻 Seeds are then placed under a microscope and identified and analyzed in a laboratory. The seeds can tell archaeologists what was growing in the region, they can indicate if trade was occuring, and what was being eaten and cooked.
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