Continuity and change in food and medicine: Archaeobotany and the written record

Archaeobotanists, who work with historical and archaeological data, do not have the luxury of asking people what they think about plants, nor can they observe the daily activities that integrate plants into the lives of the people whose remains they study. Ethnobotanists who work with living people rarely have the opportunity to study change beyond the memories of those with whom they work. The written record may complement, contradict or reinforce interpretations based on archaeobotanical evidence. The goal of this symposium is to demonstrate how the long-term perspectives of archaeobotany and historical ethnobotany, focused on patterns of change and stability in the use of plants as food and medicine, can inform the wider ethnobotanical debate.

Co-organizers: Fusun Ertug, Naomi Miller, Gayle J. Fritz, Andrew S. Fairbairn & Alain Touwaide

Please send abstracts to the e-mail address provided below, with the subject line “Abstract for ICEB 2005.”

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