Historical Ethnobotany: Interpreting the Old Records—2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

History is the basis for our interpretation of humanity’s past. Indeed, new developments in digital humanities and the digitalization of archives can place historical sources in a new light. Systematized historical sources allow us to see the practical changes that occurred over centuries of ethnobotany and analyze (although sometimes solely hypothesize on) the causes of such changes. Studying history helps us to understand the influences on the evolution of local ecological knowledge regarding plant use. In ethnobotany, numerous understudied historical sources are awaiting modern interpretations. Old uses enhanced by the new possibilities offered by technology can enrich our everyday life. Yet, understanding historical sources, especially in ethnobotany, where several disciplines are involved, is not univocal. Mistakes introduced by misidentified plants or information misinterpreted from old languages can have negative, long-term consequences. This Special Issue aims to provide examples of the critical analysis of various historical sources, provide insights into ongoing historical and diachronic studies on plant use, and introduce the best practice guidelines for interpreting such data.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Critical reviews on published historical ethnobotanical sources;
• Analysis of archival data on plant uses;
• Methodological papers on the best practice for working with archival and historical sources in ethnobotany;
• Interpretational papers on plant identification in historical sources without herbarium specimens;
• Possibilities in the modern applications of historical plant use;
• Diachronic comparison of historical plant use with the current field of ethnobotany;
• Examples of historical influences on specific and current plant use;
• Analysis of the potential influence of books and historical media (newspapers, magazines) and/or governmental systems on the use of plants.

This Special Issue welcomes articles on all aspects of historical ethnobotany within all potential use categories, including (but not limited to) food, medicinal, ethnoveterinary, household, building, and those related to specialization (e.g., apiculture- or fishery-related plant uses).

Dr. Renata Sõukand
Dr. Raivo Kalle
Guest Editors

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