'To call each thing by its right name'? Exploring the potential of geometric morphometrics to interpret the diversity of archaeobotanical wheat grains

Abstract

This research sets out to assess the potential of geometric morphometric (GMM) outline analysis to refine taxonomy and analyse diversity among charred wheat grains preserved in archaeological deposits. An equivalent methodology is applied across three archaeological case studies, allowing for specific research questions and the parameters and effectiveness of the GMM approach to be assessed. Analysis of experimentally charred modern wheat accessions demonstrates that a combination of two-dimensional views enables taxonomic separation based on grain shape. Morphological diversity of grains is further explored as relating to a range of factors, including varietal-level distinctions, domestication status, growing conditions and crop processing. The first case study (Paper 1) concerns the taxo