phytolith
Quick Summary
Phytoliths are microscopic silica bodies produced by plants that are highly resistant to decomposition. These silica bodies form within plant cells and retain the shape of the cell, making them specific to certain plant types.123
Phytolith analysis is a research technique used in archaeology to study ancient vegetation and understand plant domestication. By identifying and quantifying phytoliths found in archaeological sediments and on artifacts, researchers can gain insights into the plants that grew in or near ancient sites. This method is valuable because phytoliths, unlike other plant remains, are not easily degraded over time.312
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origins of agricultureResearch techniquesPhytoliths are microscopic silica bodies produced by many plants; as a plant grows, an individual phytolith forms in a cell to aid in the physical support of the plant structure. Each phytolith retains the shape of the cell in which it was formed, and these…
Read MorePhytoliths are microscopic silica bodies produced by many plants; as a plant grows, an individual phytolith forms in a cell to aid in the physical support of the plant structure. Each phytolith retains the shape of the cell in which it was formed, and these…
Read More- origins of agricultureSouth America
Lowland sites have yielded the phytoliths of domesticated plants such as bottle gourd (Lageneria siceraria), squash, and corn that date to between 8000 and 7000 bp. However, this evidence is controversial because phytoliths cannot yet be directly dated.
Read MoreLowland sites have yielded the phytoliths of domesticated plants such as bottle gourd (Lageneria siceraria), squash, and corn that date to between 8000 and 7000 bp. However, this evidence is controversial because phytoliths cannot yet be directly dated.
Read More