1 1 ‐ Report on archaeobotanical analyses from the layers of the project Excavating the Roman Peasant: sampling 2010 and preliminary pollen results Anna Maria Mercuri, Giovanna Bosi, Assunta Florenzano, Marta Mazzanti, Eleonora Rattighieri, Rossella Rinaldi Laboratorio di Palinologia e Paleobotanica, Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia Introduction The archaeobotanical research has the potential to reconstruct plant landscape and ethnobotanical‐agricultural land exploitation based on the plant remains collected from archaeological sites (Faegri et al. 1989; Pearsall 2000; Mercuri et al. 2010). Pollen, seeds/fruits and woods/charcoals are the most important records studied in this research field. NPPs (Non Pollen Palynomorphs), including fungal spores and algae, improve information on environment. The more interdisciplinary approach is used in these studies, the more detailed reconstructions of environmental and economic contexts of each sites is obtained. Therefore, sampling strategies and interpretations must be continuously discussed with the archaeologists and other members of the research team. The archaeobotanical work of the Modena team is carried out in the field and in laboratory. Analyses can produce better results thanks to the (periodic) presence of archaeobotanists in the field, to the systematic sampling of pollen and macroremains, and to the comparison/integration of botanical data with archaeological and other records. Sites and archaeobotanical sampling A total of 25 pollen samples were collected from the two sites excavated in 2011: Case Nuove and San Martino. The sites were visited by A.M.Mercuri who collected 15 pollen samples in June 2010. Then, other samples were collected by K. Bowerly and M.E. Ghisleni and sent to Modena (Tab.1). All pollen samples are in the laboratory of Modena. Macroremain samples were collected from structures and layers by the archaeologists during the excavation phases. These samples are stored at Cinigiano, and only two samples from San Martino were sent to Modena in December 2010.