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Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology pp 5740–5755Cite as

Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology

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Introduction

Insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet and as such are present in a wider variety of habitats than most other organism groups. This diversity, in addition to a long evolutionary history (Grimaldi & Engel 2005) and together with a propensity to be preserved in both desiccating and anaerobic environments, has provided an excellent tool for the reconstruction of both Quaternary and more immediate archaeological environments. Insect remains often provide proxy environmental information on the immediate context from which the fossils are derived and as such may either be complementary to the more regional picture provided by palynology or indicate site conditions, such as levels of hygiene and evidence of trading connections, which are rarely available from any other palaeoecological source. They therefore provide information on a broad range of habitats and conditions, on- and off-site, and, in addition, in appropriate contexts, also climate. Processing...

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Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology, Fig. 1
Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology, Fig. 2
Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology, Fig. 3
Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology, Fig. 4
Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology, Fig. 5
Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology, Fig. 6
Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology, Fig. 7

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Archaeology Lab, Department of Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Umeå University, SE-90187, Umeå, Sweden

    Philip I. Buckland & Fredrik Olsson

  2. 20 Denbank Close, Crosspool, Sheffield, UK

    Paul C. Buckland

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  1. Philip I. Buckland
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  2. Paul C. Buckland
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  3. Fredrik Olsson
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Correspondence to Philip I. Buckland .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Archaeology, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Claire Smith

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Buckland, P.I., Buckland, P.C., Olsson, F. (2014). Paleoentomology: Insects and Other Arthropods in Environmental Archaeology. In: Smith, C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0465-2_2333

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