[Aqualist] Seeking information on Areca catechu and Piper betel

[Bill Boyd]

I have a question is for those of you working the Pacific/SE 
Asia/Melanesia etc., who might have come across some information to 
help answer. Jeff Parr and I are working up some phytolith data from 
West New Britain (PNG) in which we have a recurring presence of Areca 
catechu and Piper betel at a number of archaeological sites. That 
naturally raises possibilities of betel nut cultivation/use (please 
note: I have only said possibilities; maybe I should have said, at 
the moment, vague possibilities), which we wish to explore. There are 
a few references to both species in the pollen records of this region 
that we know of. However, I write to ask if you know of any records 
in your or others' work of Areca catechu and/or Piper betel in 
Quaternary and/or archaeological sequences.

Many thanks,

Bill
-- 
________________________________________________

Dr Bill Boyd

Associate Professor in Geography, School of Environmental Science & Management
Associate Dean (Teaching & Learning), Division of Health & Applied Sciences
Associate Chair, Southern Cross University Academic Board
Research Director, Centres for Geoarchaeology and Palaeoenvironmental Research
& Cultural Heritage Management

Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, New South Wales 
2480, Australia
Phone:[61] 02 6620 3007 Fax. [61] 02 6621 2669 E-mail: bboyd at scu.edu.au
http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/esm/
________________________________________________