Archaeology

February 14, 2008

Mound builders of Norte Chico

Transitioning to agriculture on Peruvian coast 5000 years ago.

February 12, 2008February 12, 2008

Neolithic origins

The birth of Egyptian farming.

January 26, 2008January 26, 2008

Neolithic transitions

Dating agricultural spread in Europe from earliest appearance of cereals at archaeological sites.

January 16, 2008

Archaeo-agrobiodiversity discoveries highlighted

Squash seeds and chickens feature among theÂ Top Ten discoveries of 2007, according to Archaeology Magazine. I believe we linked to both of these stories when they first appeared. The article on Polynesian breakthroughs also mentions work on pigs that we blogged about.

December 13, 2007

Ancient brewing

Puebloans and ancient Irish brewed beer. Pass the bottle.

1. Kurdistan inaugurates a new genebank in Sulaymaniyah, which Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani calls one of Kurdistan and Iraq’s most important national projects.
2. Ghana complements its national collection at Bunso. The new facility further north will improve drying, processing and conservation, while giving northern farmers and breeders closer access to crop diversity.
3. Three decades of African bean research partnerships and networking have helped turn a staple crop into a vehicle for improved nutrition, livelihoods and climate resilience.
4. In the Philippines, eight promising purple-yam accessions combine yield, sensory quality and market appeal, with Villasis 2 producing up to 60 tonnes per hectare in trials. Does it need a network next?
5. However, executive director of Seed Savers Exchange Mike Bollinger’s call in Food Tank’s to carry seed diversity forward extends stewardship beyond formal institutions: Indigenous communities, farmers, gardeners and seed libraries all have a role in keeping crop diversity alive and used.
Published on August 27, 2026