Arqueobotánica

Arqueobotánica is the study of the relationship between past human societies and plants. It involves the recovery and identification of plant remains from archaeological sites to understand ancient subsistence strategies, diet, economy, and environmental conditions. Archaeobotanists analyze various types of plant evidence, including seeds, fruits, pollen, charcoal, phytoliths, and starches. These materials can provide insights into what people ate, what they cultivated, how they used plants for fuel or construction, and the types of environments they inhabited.

The analysis of plant remains helps reconstruct past landscapes and agricultural practices. For instance, the presence of specific crop species or weeds can indicate the development of farming and its intensity. Changes in the types of plants found over time at a site can reflect shifts in climate, resource availability, or cultural practices. Archaeobotanical data is crucial for understanding the origins and spread of agriculture, the domestication of crops, and the development of human diets across different regions and time periods. It complements other archaeological evidence, offering a detailed picture of the human-plant interaction in the past.