ABSTRACT
For archaeology, the wetlands of the world hold the key to understanding past human behavior. It is important to realize that there are various types of wetlands and that their ancient exploitation differed. Archaeological residues from these areas will also be of unequal quality and quantity. Some wetlands were used only for the gathering of wildlife, or were traversed by pathways leading into and out of the wet areas. Others were exploited for crops, for animal grazing, or provided space for settlement and industry. Wetlands of most types also yield immense quantities of environmental and economic data, including pollen and macroscopic plant remains of leaves, bark, and seeds; beetle, spider, and fly fragments; and larger animal remains and molluscs. Field archaeology, conservation, and analytical work all cost far more than comparable activities on dry sites, yet the growth of wetland archaeology in western Europe, for example, has been remarkable.
