Fall 2023

Students in ARCP291 East Asian Archaeology went foraging for acorns outside of Exley Science Center last week. During the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, people across East Asia relied on acorns as a staple food. Grinding stones found at archaeological sites in southern China dating to over 10,000 years ago still have residues from acorns on their surfaces. Acorns were ground and then washed or boiled to leach out bitter tannins. The students gave it a try themselves–grinding acorns seems like a great way to make a meal!