1	Pollen Records as Proxies for Economic Activity in Structures: A look at Spatial Organization Dr. Linda Scott Cummings Paleo Research Institute Golden, Colorado USA
2	Sampling Floors for Archaeobotanic Evidence of Human Activity: Sampling is the critical 1st step in interpreting human behavior. Structures are activity areas bounded by walls. Identify abandonment mode (catastrophic vs. leisurely). Catastrophic abandonment, such as abandonment due to a fire during occupation, might present some problems with pollen preservation and extraction, but often the fire does not destroy the entire pollen record. Burning preserves seeds by charring them. Leisurely abandonment serves to dilute the pollen record by adding weed pollen to the signature. Seeds are not burned, so many do not survive.
3	Sampling Floors for Archaeobotanic Evidence of Human Activity: Intensive sampling of the floor and/or floor fill is necessary to recover evidence of human activity. Grid floor into meter squares, then quarter-meter squares. Collect samples from each quarter-meter square. This provides the best evidence to interpret variability across the floor. Collect samples as quickly as possibly upon exposure of the floor.
4	Example of Intensively Sampled Floor:
5	Map of Colorado
6	Artist’s reconstruction of dwelling
7	Zea mays (maize) Note concentration behind wingwalls, along east wingwall, NW of the hearth, and near warming pits. Associated with metate (grinding stone) behind W wingwall.
8	Cucurbita (squash/pumpkin) Occurs near ash pit N of hearth, at distal end of W wingwall, and E of hearth.
9	Cleome (beeweed) Larger quantities on S half of pithouse, behind wingwalls, and in SW corner near W wingwall, near E wingwall, and E of hearth. Some correlation between Cleome pollen and ceramic fragments along W wall and warming pits.
10	Apiaceae (umbel or parsley family) Note distribution throughout structure. Concentration of pollen behind wingwalls and main chamber near E and W wingwalls, and SW corner near W wingwall.
11	Portulaca (purslane) Pollen behind wingwalls, near hearth, ash pit, and warming pits. Pollen distribution suggests both processing and cooking.
12	Opuntia (prickly pear cactus) Highest frequency behind wingwalls near back wall. Also associated with Portulaca pollen and next to Allium, and N edge of hearth, along N wall, and near one warming pit.
13	Allium (wild onion) Occurs as 23% of the pollen in the SE corner of the main chamber near the E wingwall. There is either a bench cist or wall cist above this sample. Allium might have been stored in the cist. Allium might have hung from the ceiling in this corner.
14	Typha (cattail) Pollen noted behind wingwalls, near E wingwall, and near warming pit. Distribution suggests processing and cooking.
15	Nicotiana (wild tobacco) Occurs primarily on a diagonal in association with hearth and warming pit in NE portion of structure. Nicotiana thought to have ceremonial significance. Distribution in this area suggests ceremonial activities.
16	Ephedra (ephedra) Recovered as 33% of pollen to W of hearth. This plant has medicinal properties. Possible ephedra was piled here in preparation for making tea at hearth. This area contains much evidence for processing economically important plants. Recovery of small quantities elsewhere in the structure might represent processing activities or perhaps ambient pollen.
17	Cheno-am (Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthus) Usually considered as part of ambient (background) pollen. Large quantities (39% E of hearth and 36% W of hearth) probably represent food processing in preparation for cooking.
18	Asteraceae (Sunflower family) Usually considered as part of ambient (background) pollen. Large quantities (32% E of hearth and 29% near W wall) probably represent food processing and cooking.
19	Domestic Activity: Behind wingwalls In front of wingwalls In pottery concentration along west wall Around hearth Vicinity of warming pits
20	Mealing Areas: Mealing areas can be defined by the presence of expected pollen evidence from plants that have seeds that may be ground (Zea mays, Cleome, Cheno-ams, Portulaca, and High-spine Asteraceae) or greens noted to have been cooked and dried before being ground (Cleome).
21	Mealing Areas: When grinding stones are usually observed in a particular area of a structure or activity area, these areas should be tested to recover information concerning types of foods or medicines ground. Grinding stones usually observed behind wingwalls Pollen recovered in large quantities this area includes: Zea mays, Cleome, and Apiaceae.
22	Drying Plants from Ceiling: Distribution of pollen from economic plants (not usually seen as ambient pollen) over large areas of the structure or in corners. Apiaceae, Cleome, Allium.
23	Modeling: Once you determine what works in a particular type of structure using intensive sampling, models can be developed to guide future sampling in similar structure.
24	Modeling: Determine when it is advisable to sample intensively and when smaller numbers of samples will provide good information. Not all structures should be sampled intensively.
25	Modeling: Once you have developed an appropriate model, test it by sampling structures and comparing the results with your original, intensively sampled structure. Create and test hypotheses concerning plant processing. Consider many types of activities and the records they might leave in floor samples.
26	Modeling: Employ this sampling to other strata such as roof fall if roofs were used as living surfaces. Test pollen distribution by collecting occasional samples from strata under the floor and also in the non-cultural fill above the floor. If you sample the “floor fill” immediately above the floor this should yield evidence of occupation activity.
27	Modeling: Develop a model to provide consistent sampling guidelines as a base from which to sample. Also collect samples from unique activity areas within single structures.
28	Other Questions That Can Be Addressed Using Intensive Archaeobotanic Sampling: Social diversity Task specialization Comparison between households Identification of political structure (when using Intensive sampling at numerous structures and areas within a site) Use of medicines Food processing areas Distribution might contribute to interpretation of food processing methods