Palynology, also known as pollen dating is an archaeological technique involving the study of of pollen grains preserved in sedimentary layers. Plants produce pollen grains, which are released into the environment and eventually settle in sediment, bogs, or lake beds. Over time, the grains become buried and preserved. By analyzing the abundance of pollen grains within sediment, archaologists can determine the types of vegetation that existed in an area during specific times. This information allows archaeologists to reconstruct ancient landscapes and understand human settlement patterns in different areas (ScARF 2020).

Pollen analysis is “arguably the most successful, of the biological techniques used in reconstructing past environments” (ScARF 2020). Pollen dating can provide insights into ecological shifts that impacted ancient societies. A decrease in the diversity of species or the presence of certain indicator species can suggest periods environmental stress, such as drought. Understanding past environmental conditions is crucial to understand the challenges faced by ancient civilizations. (Gordon 2021). 

Pollen cannot be well preserved with air present, “but in anaerobic conditions such as a peat bog, pollen is relatively well preserved” (Alphey 2018). Pollen can “also become fossilized in arid conditions if the soil is acidic or cool” (Science Encyclopedia). 

Pollen dating is often used to establish relative chronologies. When “polleniferous material is stratified and can be securely dated, it can be used to build up a picture of how individual taxa and plant communities have changed over time” (ScARF 2020). For instance, an increase or decrease in the abundance of pollen from a particular species, such as crops for livestock grazing, can indicate agricultural activity. This allows archaologists to identify a relative date for the onset of human occupation or other particular events within a sight. 

Beyond establishing relative chronologies, pollen dating can complement other dating techniques. Pollen grains are “highly suitable for radiocarbon dating” (Fletcher 2018). Pollen walls are made of sporopollenin, a biopolymer that “is derived from atmospheric CO2 through photosynthesis” (Fletcher 2018). Pollens grains can therefore indicate the ratios of various carbon isotopes in the atmosphere during particular time periods, allowing scientists to better understand the environment at the time. Pollen grains also have morphological characteristics that allow them to be “identified to different taxonomic groups […] providing valuable contextual information for the dated sample” (Fletcher 2018). 

When combined with radiocarbon dates, pollen analysis can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental context of an archaeological site. This helps archaeologists construct more accurate timelines of past human activity. In addition, pollen dating can provide “relative dates beyond the limits of radiocarbon (40,000 years), and can be used in some places where radiocarbon dates are unobtainable” (Science Encyclopedia).

Pollen dating provides a window into the past that allows researchers to paint a more detailed and accurate picture of human history and the environment in which our ancestors lived. Pollen dating is a testament to the interdisciplinary nature of archaeology, as tiny pollen grains can play a pivotal role in yielding vast insights into our past. 

Further Reading

Pollen diagram implications in Peloponnese, Greece

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epdf/10.1177/095968369300300407

Pollen grains found on the Shroud of Turin

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/arcm.12269

Works Cited

Alphey, R. (2018, September 11). A brief glimpse of the microscopic world of pollen. Pollen analysis. https://www.plymarchsoc.org.uk/pollenanalysis1.html

Fletcher, W. (2018, Dec 5). Dating Pollen. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. https://pure.manchester.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/83246184/9781119188230.saseas0156.pdf

Forster, E. (2015, September 18). Pollen analysis. Brockhampton Summer of Archaeology. https://summerofarchaeology.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/pollen-analysis/

Gordon, J. (2021, July 6). Pollen Analysis: What is it? and why is it useful?. University of York. https://www.york.ac.uk/anthropocene-biodiversity/news/biodiversification-news/202021/pollen-analysis/

Lu, J., Zhang, P., Dal Corso, J., Yang, M., Wignall, P. B., Greene, S. E., Shao, L., Lyu, D., & Hilton, J. (2021, September 27). Volcanically driven lacustrine ecosystem changes during the Carnian Pluvial Episode (Late Triassic). pnas.org. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2109895118

ScARF. (2020, March 19). Pollen analysis. The Scottish Archaeological Research Framework. https://scarf.scot/thematic/scarf-science-panel-report/4-people-and-the-environment/4-6-pollen-analysis/

Science Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Dating techniques – pollen dating (palynology). Pollen Dating (palynology) – Time, Fluorine, Dates, and Remains – JRank Articles. https://science.jrank.org/pages/1949/Dating-Techniques-Pollen-dating-palynology.html