Charcoal: Taphonomy and significance in geology, botany and archaeology

Charcoal occurs in the natural environment as either a result of wildfire or volcanic processes. In addition, people may make charcoal, either for domestic or industrial use. Charcoal may be used as a fuel for domestic heating and cooking through a range of industrial uses, such as iron smelting. More recently, the charcoalification process has been used to make biochar that is relatively inert and promotes atmospheric CO2 reduction. With such a wide range of uses, research has been published in a broad range of journals and often, whole areas of study are unfamiliar to other charcoal researchers. Here we review a range of charcoal studies and their inter-relationships. We present some of the results of a major international meeting on charcoal (Brussels, September 2008) highlighting the potential of charcoal studies as part of palaeoenvironmental investigations, both in a geological and archaeological context.