This research is carried out in the frame of a MSCA-STAFF Exchange project (ARCHBOTANKA 101130984). The objective of this project is to examine energy procurement practices and their connection to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Among various energy resources, wood is the most frequently used in prehistory, making charcoal a common record of firewood uses. The study of charcoal (anthracology) relies on comparative wood collections as a vital tool for taxonomic identification. As part of this project, we are building a reference collection of wood species native to Sri Lanka and the Balearic Islands. This will enhance archaeobotanical analyses of charcoal remains from archaeological sites. Additionally, the project aims to create an educational resource for museums, botanical gardens, and schools, fostering public awareness of the interactions between humans and plants. This initiative will lay the foundation for sustainable collaboration between academic institutions specializing in archaeological charcoal and fuel ethnoarchaeology, and non-academic organizations focused on ethnobotany and plant-use diversity. The project will deliver scientific impact by providing training and resources for charcoal analysis, while also generating socio-economic benefits through the development of educational materials.
Allué et al. (Wed,) studied this question.