Environmental archaeology is a key discipline within the archaeological sciences. Zooarchaeology and archaeobotany are fundamental specialisations that allow archaeologists to investigate past economies, ecology, trade, migration and social interaction. This intensive laboratory and field-based course (archaeobotany only) over 5-days will allow students to explore the breadth of past plant or animal use globally. It will offer hands-on practical classes introducing students to key archaeobotanical or zooarchaeological methods. Zooarchaeology and archaeobotany will be taught in alternate years.

The course will include:

·  on site methods for archaeobotanical recovery;

·  Laboratory methods for the analysis of plant macro and microfossils (including for fruits, seeds, roots and tubers, pollen and phytoliths) or vertebrate skeletal remains (including mammals, reptiles, birds, fish)

·   Methods for the production and curation of reference collections, including collaborative ethnoarchaeological research.

The course will also include discussion of key ethical considerations in the practice of archaeobotany and zooarchaeology, and the potential for archaeological knowledge around past plant or animal use to contribute to future solutions, including global food security, the renewal of cultural landscape management practices, and biological conservation.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. develop the skills and concepts underpinning archaeobotanical or zooarchaeological analysis; 
2. apply professional laboratory techniques to manage materials, data and equipment in archaeobotanical and zoo archaeological analysis
3. Analyse and explain the contexts in which archaebotany and zooarchaeology can be applied to archaeological research
4. design a small project or desk-top study applying archaeobotanical or zooarchaeological analysis;
5. critically evaluate literature in environmental archaeology.
6. critically assess the capacity of environmental archaeology datasets to address archaeological research questions.

Research-Led Teaching

This course has a strong independent research component. Students will be expected to recover and analyse archaeobotanical material, complete data analysis and provide interpretations of data. The focus is strongly on practical learning and interpretive thinking which will take place during the week-long laboratory intensive from the 14th - 18th September 2026.

Recommended Resources

Laboratory and field methods

Charles, M., Crowther, A., Ertug, F., Herbig, C., Jones, G., Kutterer, J., Longford, C., Madella, M., Maier, U., Out, W., Pessin, H., Zurro, D., (2009) Archaeobotanical Online Tutorial. http://archaeobotany.dept.shef.ac.uk (Includes sections on a range of different archaeobotanical laboratory and field methods.)

 

Flotation

Fairbairn, A., 2005. Simple bucket flotation and wet-sieving in the wet tropics, Palaeoworks Technical Papers. http://palaeoworks.anu.edu.au/paltr04.pdf

Hageman, J.B., Goldstein, D.J., 2009. An integrated assessment of archaeobotanical recovery methods in the Neotropical rainforest of northern Belize: Flotation and dry screening, Journal of Archaeological Science 36, 2841-2852. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2009.09.013

 

Seeds and fruits (incl. cereals and chaff)

Fuller, D.Q., In prep. Seeds for the Archaeologist. (See class readings folder.)

Jacomet, S. 2006. Identification of cereal remains from archaeological sites. (See class readings folder.)

van der Veen, M., Jones, G., 2006. A re-analysis of agricultural production and consumption: implications for understanding the British Iron Age, Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 15, 217-228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-006-0040-3

 

Anatomical identification of plant macrofossils

Florin, S.A., 2022. Identifying the presence of vegetative parenchyma. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/items/04a33b3a-0593-4a44-83a1-efba41c7535a

Fairbairn, A.S., Florin, S.A., 2022. Archaeological identification of fragmented nuts and fruits from key Asia-Pacific economic tree species using anatomical criteria: Comparative analysis of Canarium, Pandanus and Terminalia, Archaeology in Oceania 57, 160-188. https://doi.org/10.1002/arco.5273

 

Phytolith analysis

Ball, T., Chandler-Ezell, K., Dickau, R., Duncan, N., Hart, T.C., Iriarte, J., Lentfer, C., Logan, A., Lu, H., Madella, M., Pearsall, D.M., Piperno, D.R., Rosen, A.M., Vrydaghs, L., Weisskopf, A., Zhang, J., 2016. Phytoliths as a tool for investigations of agricultural origins and dispersals around the world, Journal of Archaeological Science 68, 32-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2015.08.010

International Committee for Phytolith, T., 2019. International Code for Phytolith Nomenclature (ICPN) 2.0, Ann Bot 124, 189-199. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcz064

             Supplementary Data File 1: https://oup.silverchair-cdn.com/oup/backfile/Content_public/Journal/aob/124/2/10.1093_aob_mcz064/1/mcz064_suppl_supplementary_data_file_1.pdf?Expires=1733636602&Signature=e2cRO7-DUODsf0LfcS0BY9ONftZ47C5qvZVMck7pzz5Dn8pGVDsuVvKPbbuH4UE-CVgOj2YWxcUTwTrjYGM8gccTI1JrAwi1kDCWGniXWLw4EF5sTu6uzKSfOWiCy2m9m7e5jZT0-NI6gDuq5SAaGZ11BgXSfF5UwLqHI4dERYNaBlIsJZHwju1ZYTGPb8ZNR2Gfh7IUlDZlvACa53iIbL0PqiDsVvpQVkjGQxAcRx7H2YOG5pM3fsEmYj1vsfl7D99~6eaho9YYu0pADrqsYR-IKZlB4czHB65ngA4H7KehKJgQPP9VYxvO35-5KignFlwMotFbHrJ7L-x~sy5KNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIE5G5CRDK6RD3PGA

 

Pollen analysis

Birks, H.J.B., 2008. Paleoecology, Encyclopaedia of Ecology, Elsevier Inc, pp. 2623-2634. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-008045405-4.00525-5

Bennett, K.D., Willis, K.J., 2001. Pollen, in: Smol, J.P., Birks, H.J.B., Last, W.M. (Eds.), Tracking Environmental Change Using Lake Sediments, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht. (See class readings folder.)

Stevenson, J. and Haberle, S. 2005. Macro Charcoal Analysis: A modified technique used by the Department of Archaeology and Natural History, Palaeoworks Technical Papers. https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/server/api/core/bitstreams/08ebc157-5216-4217-bccd-afa36b009345/content

 

Thematic lectures

Plant use and processing as deep-time adaptations

Florin, S.A., Fairbairn, A.S., Nango, M., Djandjomerr, D., Marwick, B., Fullagar, R., Smith, M., Wallis, L.A., Clarkson, C., 2020. The first Australian plant foods at Madjedbebe, 65,000–53,000 years ago, Nature Communications 11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14723-0

Henry, A.G., Brooks, A.S., Piperno, D.R., 2014. Plant foods and the dietary ecology of Neanderthals and early modern humans, Journal of Human Evolution 69, 44-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.12.014

Kabukcu, C., Hunt, C., Hill, E., Pomeroy, E., Reynolds, T., Barker, G., Asouti, E., 2023. Cooking in caves: Palaeolithic carbonised plant food remains from Franchthi and Shanidar, Antiquity 97, 12-28. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2022.143

 

Plant domestication and the origins of agriculture

Bogaard, A., Allaby, R., Arbuckle, B.S., Bendrey, R., Crowley, S., Cucchi, T., Denham, T., Frantz, L., Fuller, D., Gilbert, T., Karlsson, E., Manin, A., Marshall, F., Mueller, N., Peters, J., Stépanoff, C., Weide, A., Larson, G., 2021. Reconsidering domestication from a process archaeology perspective, World Archaeology, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/00438243.2021.1954990

Denham, T., Barton, H., Castillo, C., Crowther, A., Dotte-Sarout, E., Florin, S.A., Pritchard, J., Barron, A., Zhang, Y., Fuller, D.Q., 2020. The domestication syndrome in vegetatively-propagated field crops, An

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

written comments

verbal comments will be provided with feedback for the bone assessment and for any other assessment on request

• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lecture 1: Intro to archaeobotany; Lecture 2: Plant use and processing as deep time adaptations; Practical activity 1: Flotation; Data analysis 1: Archaeobotanical recovery	See Assessments
2	Lecture 3: Plant domestications and the origins of agriculture; Practical activity 2: What are seeds, fruits and vegetables?; Practical activity 3: Plant macrofossil analysis; Data analysis 2: Quantifying plant macrofossils	See Assessments
3	Lecture 4: Understanding cultural landscapes; Practical activity 4: Introduction to pollen analysis and pollenscapes; Data analysis 4: Quantifying off-site records	See Assessments
4	Lecture 5: Engaged archaeobotanical research (with Auntie Barbara Quayle and David Doyle, Menindee Aboriginal Elders Council); Practical activity 5: An anatomical approach to plant macrofossil identification; Practical activity 6: Identifying phytoliths; Data analysis 5: Quantifying on-site plant microfossils	See Assessments
5	Lecture 6: The spread of plant foods around the world; In-class review; Practical Quiz

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Practical Quiz	30 %	18/09/2026	25/09/2026	1,2
Lab-based short reports	40 %	25/09/2025	09/10/2025	1,2,3,5
Research design	15 %	07/10/2025	21/10/2025	1,2,3,4,5
Scientific research Report	15 %	30/10/2025	13/11/2025	1,2,3,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

All students are expected to attend the practical intensive from the 14th - 18th September 2026 in Archaeology and Natural History laboratories, College of Asia and Pacific Laboratory Room 4.114

Assessment Task 1

Practical Quiz

1 hr practical quiz, examining practical knowledge of archaeobotanical recovery and analysis methods developed across the week of the intensive 

Assessment Task 2

Lab-based short reports

At the end of the field- and lab-based practicals (Monday to Thursday 4th-7th November) the students will be provided a data set and assigned a short answer question or questions (500 words). We will work through this data set together in class, including making graphs and performing statistical analyses on the data, and then the students will respond to the question(s) in their own time. Where appropriate students should include graphs made in Excel, PAST or similar to illustrate their answer.

Assessment Task 3

Research design

This task requires a combination of literature review and methods design. The focus of the assessment is that students will review relevant literature and design their own methodology for the recovery and analysis of an archaeobotanical assemblage. The method design should include discussion of relevant literature, and consideration of ethics and co-design with Traditional Owners. 

Assessment Task 4

Scientific research Report

The research interpretation report (1,500 words) will compile the datasets from the short lab-based report to form the basis of an interpretation of an archaeological site. The report should include, key results, including figures and tables, the interpretation/discussion of these results, including their limitations, and possibilities for future research.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

Every effort will be made to return assignments and provide feedback as soon as possible after completion.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students