Join us to learn about archeobotany as we explore the history of people and plants in Maryland. Plant artifacts (including macroremains, pollen, and phytoliths) that are preserved in the archaeological record help us to better understand the cultural and ecological relationships between humans and the natural world. Beyond cataloguing which plants were useful to humans, the discipline endeavors to understand the interdependency of plants and people. Archeobotany seeks to apprehend not only which plants were used, but in what ways they were used and for what reasons they were selected. And results help to identify the effects that past human populations may have had on the distribution of plant taxa and plant communities. This talk will focus on the Archeobotany webpage hosted by the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory/Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum.
About the presenter: Archeobotanist Justine McKnight offers analytical and research services to archaeologists across Eastern Woodlands, with a significant focus of work across the Middle Atlantic region. McKnight is a regional authority on archeobotanical research issues, with three decades of experience analyzing archeobotanical collections from a variety of pre-contact and historic sites across diverse landscapes. Her depth of knowledge regarding regional ethnobotanical history makes her highly qualified to analyze archeobotanical assemblages and to interpret resulting data to address themes surrounding human-plant relationships. McKnight lives and works in southern Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
This meeting of the NHSM Archaeology Club will take place on Zoom. To receive the Zoom link and passcode via email, register for the program. Please contact the club coordinator (mfalk@marylandnature.org) with any questions.
Natural History Society of Maryland’s Archaeology Club promotes the value of archaeology in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and surrounding areas. The goal of the Archaeology Club is to educate citizenry in the ethics, methods, and artifact preservation methods of archaeology and how archaeology can be used to document, discover, and promote local history. The Archaeology Club is inclusive to all persons who have an interest in archaeology.
If you are an archaeology enthusiast, please consider joining us. You must be a member of NHSM to join any of its clubs. Follow this link to learn more: https://www.marylandnature.org/club-membership/
The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible.