Social Perspectives on Ancient Lives from Paleoethnobotanical Data

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This volume contributes to the emerging field of social paleoethnobotany through a series of papers that explore the dynamic aspects of past social life, particularly the practices and politics surrounding the procurement, preparation, and consumption of plants. The contributors demonstrate how to bridge the gap between natural and social sciences by offering socially-focused interpretations of botanical datasets. The chapters utilize a variety of plant-derived datasets, including macrobotanical, microbotanical, and molecular data, while considering the contexts in which plant remains were recovered. Rich interpretations arise from projects that encompass a wide range of data types, moving beyond mere descriptions of food items and environmental settings. Key themes addressed include the collection of wild resources, crop domestication, the role of plant remains in domestic life, ritual, and gender, as well as the broader implications of a socially-engaged paleoethnobotany. These studies pave the way for the evolving field, emphasizing methodological rigor and theoretical engagement. Collectively, the papers illuminate how specialized analysis of plant remains can enhance theory building and advance archaeological understanding of past lifeways.