Environmental Archaeology

The course consists of two sets of content - archaeozoology and palaeobotany.
Archaeozoology: a brief overview of the relationship between man and animal in different archaeological periods; general characteristics of bones and teeth (composition, structure, growth, fossilization); systematic learning about the skeletons of animals, most commonly found in archaeological sites, use and processing of bones, bone products (tools, weapons , decorative objects); taphonomy, traces on bones (fragmentation, cuts, bites, burn marks, pathological changes etc.); identifying the activities of man, beast, and the impact of the environment after the end of life; recommendations for the treatment of bones during excavations; basic analysis of bone materials (determination, identification and interpretation of traces on bones, determination of gender, age and season of death, bone measurements, statistical analysis etc.); overview of modern research methods; the possibilities and limitations of archaeozoology.

Palaeobotany: an overview of palaeobotanical disciplines and procedures (palynology, carpological, xylotomical and anthracotomical analysis, analysis of phytoliths); basics of plant ecology and phytogeography; the development of Late-Glacial and Holocene vegetation in Europe and Slovenia and the human impact on the environment in different archaeological periods, independent research planning; selection and sampling of archaeological / palaeoecological sites, methods of palaeobotanical samples storage; the interpretative scope and possibilities of individual palaeobotanical disciplines.

DAVIS, S. J. M., 1987: The Archaeology of Animals. – 224 str., B. T. Bratsford Ltd., London. COBISS ID=165792515
O'CONNOR, T., 2007: The Archaeology of Animal Bones. – 224 str., The History Press. COBISS ID=165805059
BEISAW, A. M., 2013: Identifying and Interpreting Animal Bones : A Manual. – College Station : Texas A&M University Press. COBISS ID=165808131
TOŠKAN, Borut. Živalski ostanki z železnodobnega grobišča Most na Soči : ledini Pucarjev rob in Repelc = Archaeozoological evidence from the Iron Age cemetery at Most na Soči : the Pucarjev Rob and Repelc Sites. V: TECCO HVALA, Sneža (ur.), et al. Most na Soči : arheološke raziskave v letih 2000-2016 na levem bregu Idrijce =the 2000-2016 archaeological investigations on the left bank of the Idrijca. 1. izd. Ljubljana: ZRC SAZU, Inštitut za arheologijo: Založba ZRC, 2020. Str. 191-220, 221-242. Opera Instituti Archaeologici Sloveniae, 43. COBISS.SI-ID - 35908867
REITZ, E. J., WING E. S., 1999: Zooarchaeology. – 455 str., Cambridge University Press. COBISS.SI-ID - 10338861
CULIBERG, M. 1991. Late Glacial Vegetation in Slovenia. Kasnoglacialna vegetacija v Sloveniji. Dela 4. razreda SAZU 29. 52 str., Ljubljana: SAZU. COBISS.SI-ID: 24300544
ANDRIČ, M., TOLAR, T., in TOŠKAN, B. 2016. Okoljska arheologija in paleoekologija: palinologija, arheobotanika in arheozoologija, Ljubljana, Založba ZRC. COBISS.SI-ID: 283335936
MOORE, P. D., WEBB J. A. IN COLLINSON M. E. 1991. Pollen Analysis. Second Edition. Oxford: Blackwell Science (poglavja: 1. Basis and Applications, 2. Sources of Fossil Pollen, 3. The Collection of Samples, 7. Assembling Pollen Data in 8. Interpreting Pollen Data), strani 1-9, 10-28, 29-38, 167-180, 181-191. COBISS ID=492589
PEARSALL, D. M. 2000. Paleoethnobotany (A Handbook of Procedures). Second Edition. 700 str., London: Academic Press. COBISS.SI-ID: 22509666
ŠERCELJ, A. 1996. Začetki in razvoj gozdov v Sloveniji. The Origins and Development of Forests in Slovenia. Dela 4. razreda SAZU 35. 142 str., Ljubljana: SAZU COBISS.SI-ID: 60725504

NOTE:
The listed texts should be consulted primarily for the chosen topics according to the lecture contents or professor’s suggestions.