Plant Use Across the Pacific: Applied Archaeology, Residue Analysis, and Living Food Traditions
**This event is open to those of the anthropology community ONLY**
This talk draws on my research using archaeological residue analysis and ethnoarchaeological fieldwork to explore how plants and food practices connect people across time and place. Through studies of prehistoric rice beer production in Zhejiang Province, China, and ongoing starch analysis of Early Agricultural Period grinding stones in the Tucson Basin, Arizona, I show how microscopic plant remains can reveal everyday activities such as grinding, cooking, and brewing in the past. Working with museums, local businesses, and community members in China, this research demonstrates how archaeology can help preserve living traditions and support local cultural heritage. In southern Arizona, preliminary findings highlight diverse plant use during the transition to agriculture and point to the importance of future collaboration with tribal communities to better understand traditional food and medicinal plants.More broadly, the talk introduces students to how scientific methods, ethnographic observation, and community engagement can be combined in archaeological research. By tracing plant use across regions and time periods, I argue that food remains offer a powerful lens for understanding human adaptation, cultural practices, and the relevance of archaeology in today’s world.
