Unlocking the potential of CRM-based legacy archaeobotanical collections: A case study from the Middle Rio Grande, NM

This article explores the untapped potential of archaeobotanical legacy collections, particularly flotation samples generated by Cultural Resource Management (CRM) projects, to shed new light on past plant use and human–plant interactions. Often underanalyzed or with results found only in difficult-to-access technical reports, these collections reflect methodological compromises shaped by limited funding, time constraints, and fragmented workflows between excavation, flotation, and analysis. A review of selected archaeobotanical reports from New Mexico’s Middle Rio Grande region documents recurrent gaps in reporting, a reliance on scanning protocols, and the sporadic integration of wood-charcoal analysis (anthracology). Through a case study from the site of San Antonio de Padua (LA 24), we demonstrate how full-sorting reanalysis of previously scanned samples can yield significantly richer data. In doing so, we argue for the renewed value of legacy assemblages and their critical role in advancing archaeobotanical research through more rigorous analytical standards, increased methodological transparency, and sustained engagement with curated but underutilized materials.