Macrobotanical Remains

The DAP research design was structured to systematically address broad domains of inquiry that encompass economy and adaptation, paleodemography, social organization, extra-regional relationships, and cultural process. The variables used in the botanical datasets represent the various lines of evidence needed to mitigate “bioturbation, preservation, and sampling biases” and establish the “case for cultural association of botanical remains preserved in the archaeological record” (Petersen, Clay et al. 1986:99). These details were an important avenue for achieving “a better understanding of the relationships between prehistoric people and their environment” and were absolutely critical in reconstructing the availability of these resources “in fulfilling the nutritional, medicinal, ceremonial, and material needs of the Anaszai” (Petersen, Matthews et al. 1986: 150).

These mid-level research goals were partially accomplished under the direction of Bruce Benz, as head of the Environmental Studies Group (ESG). Before being re-assembled into the Environmental Archaeology Group (EAG) in 1981, the ESG worked towards building a collection of contemporary environmental data that would provide the framework for any investigation of “prehistoric lifeways, processes, and ecological adaptations in the Dolores River valley” (Petersen, Clay et al. 1986:95). As director of the EAG from 1981 to 1985, Kenneth Petersen approached the general goals of the DAP from the archaeological record. During this time, Meredith Matthews conducted botanical research and supporting geological and faunal studies were respectively provided by crew chiefs Vickie Clay and Sarah Neusius.

The complete DAP botanical database is separated into two sizes classes; one containing the microbotanical remains of pollen grains and opal phytoliths (POLLEN10 dataset); and a second, larger class dominated by the charred remnants of structural materials and potential fuel sources (Petersen, Clay et al. 1986:101), but also including beans, corn kernels, and composite artifacts (MACRO10 and POLLEN10 datasets). Although these larger vegetal remains were consistently recovered in the course of excavation, several specimens have also been procured through flotation processing of bulk soil samples and can be identified among the macrobotanical datasets.

Variables in the macrobotanical dataset have been described by Wilshusen et al. (1999); see especially the section in Chapter 3 entitled "Botanical Resources" by Joel Tyberg. In most cases, his descriptions are suitable for use as metadata and have been repeated almost verbatim here. Selected resources from the collection of published and unpublished DAP reports may have been used for clarification in some cases and will be appropriately referenced.