IPHES-CERCA hosts the 8th Archaeobotany Seminar, a forum for debate and exchange on the major challenges of the discipline
The headquarters of IPHES-CERCA hosted the 8th Archaeobotany Seminar, a well-established event bringing together specialists from diverse backgrounds to share and discuss the main themes, methodologies and challenges of contemporary archaeobotanical research. Once again, the seminar has become a key meeting point for researchers working in this field, fostering scientific exchange and the creation of new synergies.
As usual, the seminar included a session dedicated to the presentation and discussion of ongoing and completed research projects, addressing a wide variety of topics and geographical and chronological contexts. Throughout the sessions, studies were presented on the identification of new biomarkers to detect anthropogenic fire in Middle Pleistocene sediments, analyses of forests and the use of woody species by Holocene societies in semi-arid landscapes of Argentina, as well as the development of reference collections for paleoenvironmental and archaeobotanical research in regions such as the Pamir Mountains (Tajikistan).
The programme also showcased results from international projects such as SILVA, focused on small islands around Sicily, studies on archaeobotanical evidence from Pre-Aksumite and Aksumite contexts in Ethiopia, and research on the characterisation of the Upper Palaeolithic plant landscape in the Iberian Peninsula. Other contributions explored the creation of charcoal reference collections, temper selection in Neolithic ceramic production, and the crucial role of archaeobotanical collections as key tools for research and the conservation of plant heritage.
Technical visit and complementary activities
Alongside the scientific sessions, the seminar included a technical visit to the Barcelona Botanical Institute, with guided tours of the Salvador Cabinet, the Herbarium, the Germplasm Bank and the Botanical Garden. These visits allowed participants to gain first-hand insight into highly valuable resources for documenting and studying flora, as well as their potential applications in archaeobotany.
The programme also featured open discussion sessions and collective debates on the management, digitisation and care of reference collections, highlighting the transition from conventional systems to digital formats, as exemplified by the Burjachs and Ros pollen reference collections, as well as the essential principles for establishing high-quality archaeobotanical collections.
A research unit of excellence with international projection
Archaeobotany is a field within archaeology that integrates several disciplines such as anthracology, phytolith analysis, palynology and carpology. The Archaeobotany Unit of IPHES-CERCA carries out multiple research projects based on these specialities, contributing decisively to the understanding of past climates and vegetation, as well as to the study of how human societies have used and managed plant resources over time.
In recent years, this Unit has experienced a significant growth in its research staff, with new additions and collaborations that have strengthened and diversified its research lines. This momentum has resulted in important contributions to the study of plant resources as technological raw materials (fuel, construction, handicrafts) and food sources, consolidating the Unit as a leading reference in archaeobotanical research at both national and international levels.