Archaeobotany in Estonia – history, state of the art and future perspectives

Abstract

Archaeobotany is currently an underutilised discipline in Estonian archaeological research. This paper sheds light on the current state of archaeobotanical research in Estonia by analysing the spatial and temporal distribution of archaeobotanical sampling across three time periods: until 1980, 1981–1999, and 2000–2024. We outline the usages of archaeobotany and the bene­fits that the analysis of plant remains can offer in acquiring a deeper understanding of archae­ological questions. While archaeobotanical sampling is a common practice in many countries, the discipline is struggling in Estonia due to a lack of researchers, laboratories, samples, and, ultimately, awareness of its value in understanding the past. In this article, we show how sediment sampling patterns have led to a spatially and temporally unequal archaeobotanical knowledge within Estonia. We emphasise the need for compulsory sampling during archae­ological excavations, combined sampling for macro­ and potentially microbotanical remains, as well as sampling from different contexts besides sediment, such as dental calculus, pottery food crust, and surfaces and pores of tools.

Keywords

• archaeobotany
• macrobotanical remains
• microbotanical remains
• sediment samples