ABSTRACT
Botanical remains—pollen, phytoliths, seeds, bark, leaves, wood, charcoal, fibers, and other plant materials—are an important class of artifactual materials recovered by archaeologists during the excavation of sites (Bryant and Dering 1994; Pearsall 1989). Through the recovery, identification, and analysis of plant materials, archaeologists are able to reconstruct many aspects of prehistoric and historic cultures. This information provides critical clues to such important topics as the types of plants used as food, kinds of shelters that were constructed, woods that were selected for making tools, and the variety of natural environments that were available for exploitation.
