Plants and Industries
This project is studying the use of plants in ancient industries. Largely ignored as a subject for study, in addition to their use as a food stuff and as building material, plant products had an important place in early industries.
Perhaps the most important product was the ash of the plants, which was used as a flux in early glassmaking, as a mordant, as a cleanser/detergent and in medicine.
The project is investigating how the composition of plants varies according to their geological and geographical position, how they can be processed and what uses they might have had.
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Dr Andrew J Shortland
T: +44 (0)1793 785642
E: a.shortland@cranfield.ac.uk
Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis
Centre for Forensic Anthropology Research
