McMaster Paleoethnobotanical Research Facility (MPERF)

Foodways, Ecologies, and Cultural Memory

At the McMaster Paleoethnobotanical Research Facility (MPERF), we study how people and plants have shaped one another across time. Our research investigates foodways, ethnoecology, and environmental adaptation by tracing botanical evidence preserved in archaeological contexts.

From reconstructing ancient diets to understanding how communities responded to climate change, our work reveals the ecological and cultural significance of plants in human history. These insights help us better understand sustainability, resilience, and the long-term dynamics of human-environment interaction.

Uncovering Botanical Histories Through Science

MPERF specializes in the analysis of botanical residues – microscopic and macroscopic plant remains found in artifacts, dental calculus, and sediments. Through techniques like starch grain and phytolith analysis, we reconstruct ancient foodways, agricultural practices, and ecological transformations.

These methods allow us to ask big questions about how people shaped – and were shaped by – their environments. From the ingredients of a single meal to the evolution of entire landscapes, our work brings the past into focus through the lens of plant science.

Our Research Infrastructure

MPERF is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities designed for both micro- and macrobotanical analysis. With support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, our lab features advanced instrumentation – including a portable NanoRam spectrometer for chemical identification of uncharred plant remains.

These tools allow us to work with extraordinary precision, expanding the boundaries of what can be recovered and interpreted from archaeological contexts. Our lab is a hub for hands-on learning, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Global Collaborations & Fieldwork

Our research extends far beyond the lab. MPERF leads and supports archaeological fieldwork across the Americas, with active projects in Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, and Ontario. These international collaborations bring together archaeologists, botanists, and local communities to explore the diverse ways people have interacted with plants across time and place.

By combining field-based discovery with lab-based analysis, we contribute to a global understanding of human-plant relationships – past and present.