New World Paleoethnobotany in the New Millennium (20002013) Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York. This article evaluates the current state of paleoethnobotany since Hastorfs 1999 review published in this journal. We discuss advances in methods, ancient subsistence reconstructions, the origins and intensification of agriculture, and how plants inform on issues of political economy and identity. Significant methodological developments in the extraction, identification, and analysis of starch grains and phytoliths have led to advancements in our knowledge of early plant domestication and the transition to food production. Paleoethnobotanists increasingly are using more complex quantitative techniques to characterize their data, which have resulted in more nuanced interpretations of plants that fall within the purview of social archaeology and allow us to address issues related to gender, identity, and ritual practice.

published proceedings

  • Journal of Archaeological Research

altmetric score

  • 3.75

author list (cited authors)

  • VanDerwarker, A. M., Bardolph, D. N., Hoppa, K. M., Thakar, H. B., Martin, L. S., Jaqua, A. L., Biwer, M. E., & Gill, K. M.

citation count

  • 31

complete list of authors

  • VanDerwarker, Amber M||Bardolph, Dana N||Hoppa, Kristin M||Thakar, Heather B||Martin, Lana S||Jaqua, Allison L||Biwer, Matthew E||Gill, Kristina M

publication date

  • June 2016