Proteins in Play: The Application of Ancient Proteins to the Study of Diet, Disease, Culture, and Evolution

Part of: Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

The last few years have seen a growing interest in the application of protein analysis to archaeological materials, analogous to the application of DNA sequencing. This session will highlight the various contributions the study of ancient proteins can make to our understanding of the archaeological past. Despite the relative infancy of the field, we are currently witnessing a diversification in the types of tissues analyzed, time periods sampled and questions asked. Drawing on this diverse array of possibilities, this session aims to provide a platform to discuss methodological developments and trends, novel applications, and future directions.