Ancient DNA analysis integrates the deep-time perspective of archaeology and paleontology with the capacity of genetics to address questions of evolution, ecology, and population biology. This toolkit serves as a powerful complement to paleoethnobotany, the analysis of archaeological plant remains. Ancient DNA research with plant tissues has been developing for roughly thirty years, as part of the broader maturation of ancient DNA-based studies. Early studies established the preservation of DNA in ancient plants and addressed preliminary questions about the evolution and dispersal of domestic plants under human influences. Over the last decade, genomic technologies have revolutionized the field of ancient DNA, and genome-level experiments with archaeological plants now provide unprecedented analytical opportunities. Some key questions for ancient plant DNA moving forward focus on the biogeography and cultural history of crops, plant evolution on the human landscape, and human interactions with plant communities through time.
