Skip to content Accessibility statement
BioArCh
HomeDepartment of ArchaeologyResearchCentresBioArChFacilitiesArchaeobotany Lab

Archaeobotany

Our newly incorporated archaeobotanical laboratory is dedicated to macro- and micro botanical analysis.

Students and researchers have access to a wide range of microscopy equipment, as well as our extensive botanical and archaeobotanical reference collections.

High-resolution microscopy of plant remains is an important part of our work. Our state-of-the-art facilities include access to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the latest microscopic techniques.

Our collections

Our plant reference collections include more than 500 taxa, featuring:

  • economic and wild flora from the British Isles and Europe
  • key economic species from Asia and Africa

The collection also includes a large Herbarium dedicated to wild plants from the British Isles, as well as wood and charcoal reference materials which can be consulted upon request.

Environmental Archaeology Unit reports

Our archaeobotany facility also includes access to all reports in the series Reports from the Environmental Archaeology Unit, York produced by the former Environmental Archaeology Unit (EAU), Department of Biology, University of York, between 1994 and 2002.