ecofact

Ecofact is a term used in archaeology to describe natural materials found at or associated with archaeological sites that have cultural relevance but are not the result of human manufacture. Ecofacts stand in contrast to artifacts, which are objects made or modified by people, and features, which are non-portable traces of human activity such as hearths or pits. Ecofacts can be organic or environmental in origin and include plant remains (seeds, fruits, would charcoal), animal remains (bones, teeth, shells), pollen, and various soils or sediments that inform about past environments and resource use.

Ecofacts provide indirect evidence about how past populations interacted with their surroundings. They can indicate dietary practices (what was eaten and how it was prepared), fuel sources, building materials, and ritual or economic activities. They also enable inferences about climate, vegetation, seasonality, and landscape change. In many cases, ecofacts require specialized analysis within subfields such as archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, or palynology to identify species and interpret context. Dating and environmental reconstruction often rely on complementary methods, including radiocarbon dating of organic remains and stable isotope or microfossil analyses.

Recovery and analysis typically involve careful excavation, flotation to retrieve small botanical remains, and laboratory work to identify the material and assess taphonomic processes that affected its preservation. Limitations include ambiguous associations, post-depositional disturbance, and multiple plausible interpretations of how an ecofact relates to human behavior. Despite these challenges, ecofacts are essential for reconstructing past lifeways and environments.