Plant Microfossils from Archaeological Sites: Research Considerations, and Sampling Techniques and Approaches

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Abstract
Microscopic plant parts such as pollen grains and small seeds, systematically and carefully secured from archaeological sites, can significantly increase our understanding of prehistoric man and his relation to plants. Questions pertinent to botanical research should be drafted during the planning stage of an excavation, and plant specialists consulted so that appropriate pollen and flotation sampling procedures and techniques can be agreed upon. Established guidelines (such as sample size and sampling intervals) should be followed throughout excavation to provide a rigorous data base for subsequent hypothesis testing. In certain situations, scatter samples meet research objectives more closely than single location samples. Modern and feature control samples must be secured to help sort both natural and normal plant part deposition in a site from cultural material. Field and laboratory techniques must insure that sample contamination is minimized. Once the basic site chronology is understood, archaeologists can choose for analysis specific pollen or flotation samples that best meet the needs of their research.

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