Abstract
The archaeobotanical investigation of past subsistence is far more advanced in temperate and sub‐tropical regions of the world than in the humid tropics. Past subsistence strategies in the Pacific are little understood. In this paper the increasing amount of archaeobotanical evidence from the region is described. Two problematical areas of Pacific subsistence are examined: Lapita subsistence and the introduction of the sweet potato into the Pacific. The role of archaeobotany in the investigation of subsistence strategies in the humid tropics is discussed.