Introduction to Environmental Archaeology

Environmental archaeologists routinely apply techniques and interpretations derived from the biological and geophysical sciences to archaeological problems. The interpretation of archaeological evidence with respect to human–environment interactions in the past, including environmental change, is referred to under the umbrella term ‘environmental archaeology’. Although definitions vary, human activities are considered within broad environmental contexts, which can range from the region, to the landscape, to the landform, to the site ... and even down to individual particles. In this course, we will cover the concepts, methods and techniques commonly adopted by environmental archaeologists, as well as engage in practical exercises (either obtained in the laboratory or using pre-existing datasets). Drawing on examples from across the world, we will consider how lines of environmental archaeological evidence have informed our understanding of how people utilised resources in the past, including: how various proxies contribute to local, regional and global records of environmental change; and, how people impacted and modified specific environments in the past. Several fields within environmental archaeology are of particular focus: archaeobotany, geoarchaeology, palaeoecology and zooarchaeology.