Paleoethnobotany : a handbook of procedures / Deborah M. Pearsall.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Chapter 1. The Paleoethnobotanical Approach -- Introduction -- Historical Overview -- Nature and Status of Ethnobotany -- Chapter 2. Deposition, Preservation, and Recovery of Macroremains -- Introduction -- Deposition and Preservation of Macroremains -- In Situ Collection of Macroremains -- Screening Techniques -- Water Recovery : Flotation Techniques -- Building and Operating Flotation Systems : Sample Designs -- Sampling for Macroremains -- Issues and Directions in Recovery of Macroremains -- Chapter 3. Identification and Interpretation of Macroremains -- Introduction -- Initial Processing of Samples -- Building a Comparative Collection -- Basic Identification Techniques -- Specialized Identification Techniques -- Presenting and Interpreting Results -- Issues and Directions in Macroremain Analysis -- Chapter 4. Pollen Analysis -- Introduction -- Nature and Production of Pollen -- History of Pollen Analysis -- Pollen Deposition and Preservation -- Field Sampling -- Laboratory Analysis -- Presenting and Interpreting Results -- Issues and Directions in Archaeological Pollen Analysis -- Chapter 5. Phytolith Analysis -- Introduction -- Nature and Occurrence of Phytoliths -- Laboratory Analysis -- Issues and Directions in Phytolith Analysis -- Chapter 6. Starch Analysis -- Introduction -- Nature and Production of Starch -- History of Starch Analysis -- Starch Deposition and Preservation -- Field Sampling -- Laboratory Analysis -- Presenting and Interpreting Results -- Issues and Directions in Archaeological Starch Analysis -- Chapter 7. Integrating Biological Data -- Part I. Indicators of Diet and Health -- Introduction -- Indirect Dietary Indicators -- Direct Indicators -- Part II. The Interplay of Dietary Indicators -- Predictions from Dietary Indicators -- Combined Indicators for Eight Neotropical Diets -- From Model to Reality : Two Archaeological Case Studies.

"This new edition of the definitive work on doing paleoethnobotany brings the book up to date by incorporating new methods and examples of research, while preserving the overall organization and approach of the book to facilitate its use as a textbook. In addition to updates on the comprehensive discussions of macroremains, pollen, and phytoliths, this edition includes a chapter on starch analysis, the newest tool in the paleoethnobotanist's research kit. Other highlights include updated case studies; expanded discussions of deposition and preservation of archaeobotanical remains; updated historical overviews; new and updated techniques and approaches, including insights from experimental and ethnoarchaeological studies; and a current listing of electronic resources. Extensively illustrated, this will be the standard work on paleoethnobotany for a generation"-- Provided by publisher.