Environmental Archaeology

• Main Authors: Reitz, Elizabeth J. (Author), Shackley, Myra (Author)
• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA : Springer US : Imprint: Springer, 2012.
• Series: Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique,
• Subjects: Social sciences.; Environment.; Archaeology.; Social Sciences.; Environment, general.

One of the most significant developments in archaeology in recent years is the emergence of its environmental branch: the study of humans’ interactions with their natural surroundings over long periods and of organic remains instead of the ceramic, lithic and architectural elements generally associa...

Table of Contents:

• Introduction to Environmental Archaeology
• Factors Affecting the Composition of an Assemblage
• Research Designs and Field Methods
• Classification and Nomenclature
• Sediments and Soils
• Seeds, Fruits, Nuts and Tubers
• Woods and Charcoal
• Pollen
• Phytoliths, Starch Grains and Spores
• Micro-organisms
• Arthropods: Spiders and Mites, fleas, Chironomids, Lice, Beetles, Rickettsiae, Ostracods, Nematode Worms, Crabs, Shrimp
• Echinoderms and Molluscs
• Vertebrate Bones and Teeth
• Other Vertebrate Tissues
• Stable Isotopes, Trace Elements, Ancient Genetics and Enzymes
• Conclusion.