biofacts

A biofact is an organic object that originates from living material and provides information about past life or human activity. In archaeology and related fields, biofacts are distinguished from artifacts, which are objects shaped or modified by humans.

Common biofacts include plant remains such as seeds, charcoal, wood, and pollen; animal remains such as bones, teeth, and shells; and microremains such as starch grains and phytoliths. Coprolites (fossilized feces) and other preserved biomolecules may also be considered biofacts when they yield information about diet or environment.

Biofacts help researchers reconstruct diet, domestication, subsistence strategies, trade, environment, climate, and seasonality, as well as agricultural practices. They provide direct evidence about the biological context of past communities, complementing material culture remains.

Recovery and analysis involve standardized field and laboratory methods. Excavation practices aim to minimize contamination and disturbance. Techniques include flotation to recover light organic material, zooarchaeology and paleobotany for identifying remains, palynology for pollen analysis, isotopic analysis, ancient DNA, radiocarbon dating where appropriate, and careful morphological identification.

Preservation and limitations vary widely by material and site conditions. Taphonomic processes, environmental factors, and sampling bias can influence what is recovered and interpreted. Despite challenges, biofacts enrich interpretations of past lifeways by revealing aspects of diet, environment, agriculture, domestication, and human–ecological interactions.