Paleoethnobotany: Ancient Agriculture to Criminal Investigations

How can we use botanical evidence to understand the past, from cold cases to very cold cases? What roles did plants play in ancient communities? How do paleoethnobotanical interpretations help us understand history, structure public policy, and assist in law enforcement? This course trains students in laboratory methods and interpretations of botanical evidence through hands-on practice. We identify and interpret botanical remains most likely to be encountered in forensic cases and archaeological sites; and address issues such as preservation, analytical methods, sampling, and collection.