Pollen is key to prehistoric life

Pollen as the key to humans and everyday life in prehistory.

Hazel pollen - photo Renée Enevold

The interdisciplinary project “Textiles and pollen. A key to ancient daily life” has been awarded 200.000 DKK from the University of Copenhagen Research- and Innovations Council (KUFIR) to investigate pollen in prehistoric textiles.

Awarded funding for pollen research

Experts from plant biology and geology will be developing a key to the life of prehistoric populations and their lives by analysing the pollen still to be found in prehistoric dress and textiles. By applying a pollen analysis to prehistoric textiles, it is possible to obtain detailed information about the activities and everyday life of the people of prehistoric societies. The experts involved in this project will also be able to establish whether the textiles have been locally manufactured or whether they were imported into the area where they were found.

For both the humanities and the sciences

The awarded funding provides an opportunity to develop new methodologies. These methodologies will be applied by scholars from both the humanities and sciences and this combination will create hitherto unknown information about prehistoric life in Denmark and abroad.

It is Professor Marie-Louise Nosch alongside SCIENCE and LIFE who has received the award. Other participants include DTU, GEUS, iNANO, Moesgård Museum,  Århus Universitet, University of Barcelona, Pratt Institute I New York and the business Videometer A/S in Hørsholm.