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Social Paleoethnobotany: New Contributions to Archaeological Theory and Practice

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Social Perspectives on Ancient Lives from Paleoethnobotanical Data

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Abstract

The field of paleoethnobotany has advanced greatly over the past century not just as a methodological specialization but also as a contributor to archaeological theory. Since its initial focus on diet, environment, and plant domestication, it has expanded to consider issues of social and political dynamics in past human societies. This volume presents some of the current trends in social paleoethnobotany. The authors address several themes including: the collection of wild resources, the domestication of crops, the spread of agriculture, the role of plant remains in questions regarding domestic life, ritual, and gender as well as the broader implications for a socially engaged paleoethnobotany. These studies point a path forward for paleoethnobotany, one that is methodologically rigorous and theoretically engaged in a constantly evolving field.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The term paleoethnobotany is more common in North America whereas archaeobotany is the dominant term in Europe. In this volume we will refer to the field as paleoethnobotany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, Dickinson College, Carlisle, USA

    Maria C. Bruno

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, USA

    Matthew P. Sayre

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  1. Maria C. Bruno
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Correspondence to Maria C. Bruno .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA

    Matthew P. Sayre

  2. Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA

    Maria C. Bruno

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Bruno, M.C., Sayre, M.P. (2017). Social Paleoethnobotany: New Contributions to Archaeological Theory and Practice. In: Sayre, M., Bruno, M. (eds) Social Perspectives on Ancient Lives from Paleoethnobotanical Data. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52849-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52849-6_1

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