RIDDLES
I hide in bread, though I’m smaller than sand,
Once ground to flour by a miller’s hand.
Without me, your loaf would never rise—
What am I, in the baker’s eyes?
YEAST
What does archaeobotany study?
A) Ancient animals
B) Ancient plants
C) Ancient buildings
B) ANCIENT PLANTS
Which part of an ancient plant is most commonly preserved and studied in archaeobotany?
SEEDS
Ancient Egyptians used this plant to make both paper and boats.
PAPYRUS
I was brewed in pots by monks long ago,
A bitter sip with a healing glow.
Found in fields where the soil is poor,
Guess my name—beer’s herbal core.
HOPS
Why is archaeobotany important?
A) It helps find new planets
B) It helps us understand ancient diets and farming
C) It helps build new cities
B) IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND ANCIENT DIETS AND FARMING
Wheat, barley, and lentils found at ancient sites are evidence of what big change in human history?
PEOPLE STARTED FARMING INSTEAD OF ONLY HUNTING AND GATHERING
This fruit was one of the very first plants humans turned into alcohol in ancient times.
GRAPE
I traveled by caravan, spiced trade routes I made,
From kitchens to temples, my value was weighed.
Though tiny, I sparked voyages across seas—
Which ancient spice might I be?
BLACK PEPPER
How do archaeobotanists learn about past plants?
A) By watching documentaries
B) By growing modern plants
C) By studying plant remains from archaeological sites
This root vegetable, often orange today, was originally purple when first grown by ancient farmers.
CARROT
This golden liquid was the main sweetener for people thousands of years before sugar was known.
Buried in fire, I turned black as night,
Yet my shape still shows the farmer’s bite.
From hearths and pits, I’m often seen—
A tiny clue, I am a ___?
GRAIN
What surprising thing have archaeobotanists discovered about ancient people’s diets?
A) They only ate meat
B) They used wild plants as medicine and food
C) They had pizza and hamburgers
B) THEY USED WILD PLANTS AS MEDICINE AND FOOD
Mediterranean traders that they told tall tales about giant birds collecting it. But in reality, which part of the world was its true homeland?
SOUTH ASIA (INDIA/SRI LANKA)
The seeds of this red fruit were found in ancient tombs, and it was seen as a symbol of life and fertility.
POMEGRANATE
I float on the breeze, unseen by eye,
But in mud and lakes, I never die.
Through layers of earth, my stories are told—
What am I, ancient and bold?
POLLEN
How can archaeobotany help us understand climate change?
A) By showing what ancient plants people liked to draw
B) By telling us how ancient plants reacted to climate changes
C) By predicting the weather for next week
B) BY TELLING US HOW ANCIENT PLANTS REACTED TO CLIMATE CHANGES
When Norse settlers arrived in Iceland (around 9th century CE), they brought useful plants with them. Archaeobotanical studies of old farmsteads show one herb was especially valued — used for food, medicine, and even brewing. Which was it?
ANGELICA
Seeds of this fruit were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, showing it was treasured in ancient Egypt.
MELON