Biography
Kristiina Johanson is an archaeobotanist at the Department of Archaeology, University of Tartu, and a member of the Archemy research group, combining archaeological and chemical approaches. Her research focuses on the analysis of plant macroremains and microremains to better understand different food-related practices in the past. Her work explores questions related to what people cooked, processed, and consumed in different historical periods and environmental contexts. This includes the study of charred plant remains from archaeological sediment samples, as well as microremains preserved in pottery food crusts, dental calculus, and food-processing tools. More recently, she has expanded her research into biomolecular archaeobotany, particularly the analysis of stable carbon (C13) and nitrogen (N15) isotopes in charred cereal grains to investigate ancient crop growing conditions and agricultural practices. By combining archaeobotanical evidence with chemical and isotopic methods, Kristiina Johanson aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of past human diets, foodways, and human–environment interactions across different archaeological contexts.