Session: #407

Theme & Session Format

Theme:
5. Theories and methods in archaeology: interactions between disciplines
Session format:
Regular session

Title & Content

Title:
CANCELLED Charcoal for Archaeologists
Content:
The remains of charred wood are present at archaeological sites often and in abundance. If recovered and studied, they are a valuable resource of information on the relations between ancient populations and their environment (specially its wooded or forested part), which might have existed for economic, ecologic, social, ritual or other purposes.
Despite of its potential, methodological developments and establishment in archaeological practice, the contributions of anthracological and dendrological (dendro-anthracological) analyses to contemporary archaeological debate is rare.
The aims of this session are 1.) to demonstrate that analyses of charcoal fragments from archaeological sites do provide highly (sometimes the only!) relevant and necessary data for addressing the issues of changes of the palaeovegetation and past landscapes, palaeoclimate, physiognomy of past plant formations, prehistoric and historic forest management, utilization of wooded plants by ancient people, past carpentry technology, etc.; 2.) to draw speakers who would use theoretical, methodological or practical examples to explain to wider scholarly audience the possibilities of anthracology, dendrology and dendro-anthracology and the limits of archaeological interpretations and reasonings, if charcoal (or other forms of fosilized wood) analyses is not performed or performed by not up to date methods.
Keywords:
charcoal, anthracology, dendro-anthracology, methods, past technologies, palaeoenvironment
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:

Organisers

Main organiser:
Maria Hajnalova (Slovakia) 1
Co-organisers:
François Blondel (France) 2
Affiliations:
1. Constantine the Philosopher University Nitra
2. ARTEHIS UMR 6298