Mandrake (Mandragora) from the Mediterranean Garden Society
On the 3rd and 4th of December the Wiener Laboratory hosted an interdisciplinary workshop entitled "Plants in Archaeology", examining how plant remains can be approached through different disciplines of archaeological science. The workshop included lectures by Dr. Alain Touwaide (Smithsonian Institution) on “Plants, people, books: problems and prospects” as well as from past and present Wiener Laboratory fellows. Dr. Evi Margaritis (Wiener laboratory, Environmental Studies Fellow) discussed what can be gained from the study of charred plant remains from archaeological contexts (“Excavating plants: domestic, ritual and medicinal uses”), Dr. Chryssa Bourbou (28th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities) talked on a plant ethnographic research in Crete (Nature’s pharmacy: The “sarantavotano” of Crete) and Dr. Georgia Tsartsidou (Ephorate of Palaeoanthropology and Speleology of Southern Greece and Wiener Laboratory Environmental Studies Associate Fellow) discussed the contribution of phytoliths analysis on the study of plant use (“Beyond texts and files. Evidence of plant use through phytolith analysis”). The lectures were followed by a visit to the Mediterranean Garden Society in Peania, where it was fascinating to hear about different approaches to medicinal plants, including input from gardeners. The workshop continued at the Gennadius, where Dr. Touwaide showed us some of the rich collection of the library.
The workshop participants at the Mediterraean Garden Society. Dr. Alain Touwaide and dr. Emanuela Appetiti on the left
