vslotten

I am a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley in the department of Anthropology. I focus on archaeology in Latin America and specialize in the recovery and identification of ancient plant remains.

My research focuses on the study of household contexts because this space depicts the everyday lives of people in the past, not just what their political leadership or ceremonial practices were like. I believe that analysis of domestic spaces will create a more accurate depiction of people's lives in the past.

I also believe that it is important to look at past peoples strategies of environmental management in order to better inform our actions today. That is why I am interested in pursuing archaeological excavations in the Arenal region of Costa Rica, since ancient populations lived in this ever-changing landscape for thousands of years while maintaining their cultural values.

I approach these research interests through the study of preserved plant remains because plants are linked to so many different aspects of life. Plants comprise the majority of the food we consume and wood is used as the main source of fuel to cook food. Plants have such a diverse range of applications in our lives, from the medicine used to heal our illnesses to the wooden beams that support our homes and structures. I feel that understanding how people used plants in the past is so fascinating because it can reveal so much information!

January 2020