Farm to Table Archaeology: The Operational Chain of Food Production

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Farm to Table Archaeology: The Operational Chain of Food Production," at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Our growing social consciousness has piqued public interest in understanding the various steps that lead to the creation of a meal. Food production passes through many stages that are visible in the archaeological record. Each stage provides a unique insight into the cultural practices often entangled in food production, from the initial production or procurement of food, to the processing and consumption of food, and finally to the discarding of food waste. The papers in this session examine different aspects of the operational chain of food production showcasing the full breath of archaeological methods and techniques used to understand the individual stages, actors, and practices that lead to the creation of a meal. Rather than isolate archaeologists by their specializations, the papers in this session highlight how interface between different archaeological subfields provides a more holistic understanding of ancient food cultures.