Pollen and Paleoethnobotany Laboratory
The pollen laboratory at Washington State University contains state of the art facilities for the extraction, identification and interpretation of fossil pollen from archaeological, geological and forensic materials. Equipment includes four fume hoods, drying cabinets, integrated distilled water outlets, centrifuges, a sonicator and other equipment. Additional facilities include two pollen laboratories, a weighing room, a microscope/reference collection room, a teaching/core preparation laboratory, a walk-in cold storage room, and a photography and drafting room. Collections include a 3000+ species pollen reference collection, macrobotanical seed and wood collections, and a substantial collection of coprolite specimens.
Research conducted in the pollen laboratory includes the analysis of archaeological sediments, paleoenvironmental cores, historic and prehistoric ceramic residues, and forensic and honey samples. Twelve compound research microscopes are available for use, along with several dissecting scopes for macrobotanical studies.
Pollen, phytolith and other archaeobotanical research methods are introduced in Palynology (ANTH 576), a graduate level laboratory course designed to introduce students to the fascinating world of archaeobotany.
Current Research in the Palynology Laboratory
Karry Blake: MA Student. Thesis topic: The Formative to Classic Transition on Coastal Chiapas:The Pollen Evidence. A detailed study of a high resolution sediment sequence from near the site of Cerro de las Conchas.
Ian Buvit: Doctoral Candidate. Dissertation topic: Culture Change and Late Pleistocene Environmental Evolution in Southwestern Trans-Baikal, Russia. Analysis of fossil pollen from several Paleolithic sites in Siberia.
Rebecca Cleveland: MA Student, University of Idaho. Thesis Topic: Pollen Analysis of Montpelier: The Home of James and Dolly Madison. Research includes landscape and vegetation reconstruction at Montpelier, through the examination of fossil pollen.
Sloan Craven: Doctoral Candidate. Analysis of pollen sediments from a cave at Bonneville Estates in Nevada.
Beth Horton: Doctoral Candidate. A study of microenvironments during the Early Transitional Period (1600-1400BP) in central New York.
Aaron Wright: MA student. Thesis topic: Corn and Climate: Paleoecological Approach to Puebloan Population Dynamics in the Four Corners’ Region. Analysis of sediment cores from a high alpine bog in the La Plata Mountains of Colorado.
Dr. John G. Jones
South America
Ecuador
People, Plants, and Landscapes in Prehistoric Ecuador: A Look at the Causes and Consequences of Agriculture, an NSF funded Project under the direction of Deborah Pearsall, University of Missouri, Columbia. This multi-year project includes a detailed examination of fossil pollen from a series of sediment cores collected on the Santa Elena Peninsula.
Pachacamac, Peru
Research at the monumental site of Pachacamac in central coastal Peru is being carried out as part of the Pachacamac Project: Excavations at Pilgrim’s Plaza 2004-2005 (Izumi Shimada, Southern Illinois University), funding provided by NSF and National Geographic.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Current project includes a detailed examination of fossil pollen from selected features and terrace fill from the Inca site of Machu Picchu.
Central America
Pacific coastal Guerrero and Chiapas
I am currently conducting research as part of a multi-year project on early settlement, agriculture and human activities in coastal Guerrero and Chiapas in southern Mexico. This project is funded by NSF to Drs. Doug Kennett (University of Oregon) and Barbara Voorhies (University of California, Santa Barbara). Research includes a detailed pollen analysis of sediment cores from a series of sites collected in coastal wetlands, many adjacent to significant archaeological sites.
Belize
Research in Belize continues as part of several significant projects, including the Blue Creek Regional Political Ecology Project in northern Belize, with the collaboration of Jon Lohse (Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory), Tim Beach (Georgetown University), Sheryl Beach (George Mason University) and Nick Dunning (University of Cincinnati). We are also involved in the Xibun Archaeological Research Project in central Belize.
Here, as part of an NSF funded research project under the direction of Patricia MacAnany at the University of Boston, we are reconstructing past environments and lifestyles from a series of sediment cores collected in oxbows along the Xibun River.
Historical Archaeology
I am currently conducting continuing palynological research in several areas at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, in Virginia. At Monticello, we have been using pollen and phytoliths to examine detailed stratigraphic sequences at several Jefferson era rock alignments. Here, these sequences record cultural and agricultural events starting in the mid 18th Century. Most recently, as part of a reconstruction of the North Dependency, we have been examining the evolution of the landscape of Monticello’s front lawn. Annually, I participate in the University of Virginia field school in historical Archaeology conducted at Monticello.
Other historical projects currently underway in the laboratory include the examination of fossil pollen from the Beef Market/Old City Hall project in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, as well as the Washington-Heyward Stables, also in Charleston.
Laboratories in College Hall
- Geoarchaeology Lab
- Lithics Lab
- Pollen and Paleoethno-botany Lab
- Physical Anthropology Lab
- Zooarchaeology Lab
Research Projects:
Department Publications
Archaeology site records and department reports are available in the Northwest Reading Room.
Theses & Dissertations
Browse through the title listing of our theses and dissertations.
Heading using the h3tag
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