Content (Syllabus outline):

Natural science research in archaeology contributes significantly to the research of the past, both anthropogenic and natural. Archaeobotany deals with the macroremains of plants from archaeological sites, i.e. seeds, fruits, wood and charcoal. Plant fibers, woven and/or braided into textiles, ropes, etc., are also preserved, but rarely.

Students will learn about:

1. The basics of archaeobotanical work methods:

• preservation of plant remains and taphonomy
• field sampling
• storage and preparation of samples in the laboratory and/or wet sieving
• quantification and subsampling of samples
• sorting and checking
• identification of plant macroremains
• statistical processing of the results
• interpretation with archaeological contexts
• special methods of work in archaeobotany: morphometric analysis, dendrochronology, genetics, etc.

2. The basics of systematic botany and plant morphology (flower, pollen, fruit, seed, ear, wood anatomy, plant fibers, etc.);

3. The use of plant material over time (from the earliest to younger archaeological sites);

4. Basics of ethnobotany and useful values of plant material;

5. The development and expansion of cultivated plants and some tree species, with an emphasis on the territory of today’s Slovenia;

6. Human influence on vegetation over time;

7. The most important archaeobotanical scientific works and references, mainly from the area of Slovenia.

Specific topics will be selected for each student individually, if necessary in cooperation with other lecturers or mentors, so that they will be adapted to his or her needs and the topic of his/her doctoral thesis.

Readings:

• Andrič M., Tolar T., Toškan B. 2016. Okoljska arheologija in paleoekologija: palinologija, arheobotanika in arheozoologija. Založba ZRC in Inštitut za arheologijo ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana.
• Dincauze D.F. 2000. Environmental Archaeology: Principles and practice. Cambridge University Press, UK.
• Wilkinson K., Stevens C. 2003. Environmental Archaeology: Approaches, Techniques & Applications . The History Press, UK.
• Zohary D., Hopf M. 2004. Domestication of Plants in the Old World. Oxford University Press, UK.
• Cappers R.T.J., Neef R. 2012. Handbook of Plant Palaeoecology. Barkhuis, Groningen University Library, Netherlands.
• Cappers R.T.J., Bekker R.M. 2013. A Manual for the Identification of Plant seeds and fruits. Barkhuis, Groningen University Library, Netherlands.
• Jacomet S. 2006. Identification of cereal remains from archaeological sites. IPAS, Basel University, Schwizerland.
• Cappers R.T.J., Bakker R.M., Jans J.E.A. 2006. Digital Seed Atlas of the Netherlands. Groningen University Library.
• Martinčič s sod. 1999. Mala Flora Slovenije. Tehniška založba Slovenije, Ljubljana.
• Znanstvene revije: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, Journal of Archaeological Science, Environmental Archaeology

Objectives and competences:

Students will become familiar with the basics of archaeobotany, working methods and the essential possibilities of research on dry and wet archaeological sites. They will learn the basics of botany, ethnobotany, ecology and dendrology. They will get an overview of the appearance of cultivated plants from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages, with an emphasis on the area of Slovenia. They will be trained to cooperate with archaeobotanists and get to know the various research possibilities of plant archaeo-material. Individual research work is possible as part of their doctoral thesis.

Intended learning outcomes:

The main goal of the course is to get knowledge and understanding of archaeobotany. Knowledge of the possibilities of research in archaeobotany and their integration into archaeological and environmental research. To train students to understand archaeobotanical content, which will enable them to critically read, analyze and interpret scientific literature and at the same time expediently set the research questions with awareness of their limitations, depending on the site and the remains preserved there. We expect from them to get the ability to cooperate with experts from various sciences within the framework of interdisciplinary research projects.

Depending on the interest, it will be possible to carry out an independent research work, which may include all the above-described levels of working methods in archaeobotany.

Assessment

• 50 % Short written assignments,
• 50 % Final examination (written/oral).