Macrobotanical Remains in Archaeology: Preservation Modes and Method

During excavation, archaeologists sometimes notice the presence of plant remains in the archaeological sediment. These more visible macrobotanical remains include wood, seeds, fruits and floral parts. Depending on the region and conditions, they can be preserved by various modes, including dessication, waterlogging and charring; the latter being the most common especially in modern Iraq.
Thanks to the development of research on this organic material, our knowledge on the way of life of ancient societies was greatly improved. They would be able to provide important knowledge about earlier vegetation, the plant exploitation including cultivation and domestication process as well as the diet. In addition, plant remains may help us to reconstruct activities and help us to interpret the function of spaces and/or structures. However, before being able to provide such information, the archaeobotanical study requires to apply strategies and methods from sampling to interpretation. Our paper presents these different steps.