Life Sciences Commons^™

Archaeobotany In Australia And New Guinea: Practice, Potential And Prospects, Tim Denham, Jennifer Atchison, Jeremy Austin, Sheahan Bestel, Doreen Bowdery, Alison Crowther, Nic Dolby, Andrew Fairbairn, Judith Field, Amanda Kennedy, Carol Lentfer, Carney Matheson, Sue Nugent, Jeffrey Parr, Matiu Prebble, Gail Robertson, Jim Specht, Robin Torrence, Huw Barton, Richard Fullagar, Simon Haberle, Mark Horrocks, Tara Lewis, Peter Matthews

Jeffrey Parr

Archaeobotany is the study of plant remains from archaeological contexts. Despite Australasian research being at the forefront of several methodological innovations over the last three decades, archaeobotany is now a relatively peripheral concern to most archaeological projects in Australia and New Guinea. In this paper, many practicing archaeobotanists working in these regions argue for a more central role for archaeobotany in standard archaeological practice. An overview of archaeobotanical techniques and applications is presented, the potential for archaeobotany to address key historical research questions is indicated, and initiatives designed to promote archaeobotany and improve current practices are outlined. ,