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About the Laboratory

Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology (LAPE) is specialized research body of the university founded in September 2002 at the Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia as part of the Department of Botany. Since 2014 LAPE is a separate department of Faculty of Science.

Research activity of laboratory members is targeted at the area of bioarchaeology and palaeoecology, namely archaeobotany, archaeozoology, but also other specializations dealing with interaction between humans and environment in history. Bachelor, magister and doctor theses namely in botany, zoology and environmental archaeology are developed within the laboratory. In the case of environmental archaeology, laboratory closely collaborates with the Institute of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy. LAPE comprises research in the Czech Republic as well as abroad. LAPE also offers services for other research bodies. Besides consultancy concerning natural sciences in archaeology LAPE provides analytical work in several areas of bioarchaeology. LAPE co-edits the international journal Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica, Natural Sciences in Archaeology (IANSA).

Services

The Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology provides researchers with access to a wide range of analytical facilities supporting archaeological and palaeoecological science in the Czech Republic and across Europe. These include all major areas of archaeobotany, in particular the analysis of plant macroremains, pollen, diatoms, charcoal and wood. We also offer an analytical service in archaeozoology and the analysis of entomofauna. We can agree on cooperation with other specialists through our collaboration with researchers from the University of South Bohemia and institutes of entomology, parasitology and genetics at the Czech Academy of Sciences in České Budějovice.

The cooperation with archaeologists takes place on several levels. We provide a consultancy service directly at the site of archaeological excavations, suggesting an optimal set of analyses. We organise the transport and storage of sampled material (within the limits of our capacity). Each specialist (archaeobotanist, archaeozoologist, etc.) summarizes the results of their analyses in a separate report, primary data are available in a common database form (WORD, EXCEL, or ACCESS). The most important finds can be documented by a digital camera with resolution suitable for print. This final report is delivered to the client in both a printed and electronic version. After mutual agreement with the client and based on the collected data we are also able to prepare a paper for publication. This can be either in Czech, or in a foreign language, usually English.

The current price list of commercial archaeobotanical, archaeozoological, and palaeoecological analyses can be sent upon request.

In addition to payable services, we would be pleased to carry out further (usually new) types of environmental analyses, whose methodology is currently under development. For more details concerning these methods, see the links to diatom, phytolith, and entomofauna analysis.

Where to find us?

Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Palaeoecology

  • Faculty of Sciences,
  • University of South Bohemia
  •  
  • Na Zlaté stoce 3
  • 370 05 České Budějovice

 

Contact

+420 38 903 6306
+420 38 903 6308

© 2013 LAPE  |   Administration