"The present authors have devoted a total of 50 years to the study of grasses, and present here the first complete reworking of the Gramineae at generic level since 1883 ..."--Preface.

Archaeobotanical studies constantly encounter the carbonized grains of grasses, cultivated and wild, but the vast diversity of wild species that are potentially present has made identification of archaeological material fraught with difficulties. This volume provides an invaluable tool for mastering these difficulties. Based on years of laboratory study of an extensive reference collection, this book gives expert guidance for the identification and interpretation of grass seeds, focusing on those species that occur in the Near East and Europe.

An examination of the domestication of grasses and cereals over the last ten thousand years.