Phytoliths are microscopic silica structures that form inside and between plant cells. When plants decay, these durable particles are often preserved for centuries or millennia in soils and sediments.
Because different plant taxa can produce different phytolith shapes (morphotypes), researchers use them to reconstruct past vegetation to better understand ancient landscapes, environmental change, and historical human-plant relationships.
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The International Phytolith Society (IPS) connects researchers, labs, and students that are interested in incorporating phytoliths into their research, encouraging sharing and communication while building bridges between disciplines and continents.
From archaeology to paleoecology and many other scientific fields, phytolith evidence is increasingly used to reconstruct past vegetation, crops, landscapes, and environments. IPS helps researchers keep abreast of the latest developments as traditional approaches evolve and new questions emerge.
By sponsoring three standing committees (ICPT, ICPM, and ICOPS), the IPS encourages the development of standards in taxonomy, morphometry, and data sharing so that discoveries remain comparable, available and useful for future research.
The IPS aims to encompass all fields of phytolith research and encourage the use of new scientific technologies and innovations. Specialists in all fields that incorporate phytolith analysis into their research are strongly encouraged to become active members within the phytolith research community by joining the IPS.
Explore updates on phytolith research currently being conducted throughout the world through our latest blog posts.
Previous web articles by the IPS Student Envoy for Australia/Aotearoa New Zealand have explored the origins of phytolith research in the region, beginning with CSIRO: https://phytoliths.org/the-first-formal-australian-institution-of-phytolith-research-csiro-the-commonwealth-scientific-and-industrial-research-organisation-1948-1969/). In this new web […]...
Molly Turnbull – IPS Student Envoy for Australia & Aotearoa (New Zealand) My first blog post explored Australia’s first formal phytolith research group at CSIRO: the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial […]...
Understanding how vegetation responds to climate change begins with knowing how today’s ecosystems imprint themselves in the soil. In the Nilgiri Biogeographical Region of the Western Ghats a global biodiversity […]...
FIRST CIRCULAR The International Phytolith Society and the Brazilian Archaeobotany Network, together with the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at the University of São Paulo, are glad to welcome you […]...
An article by Carlos G. Santiago-Marrero, Cristina N. Patús, Costanza Dal Cin d’Agata, Teresa Garnatje and Juan José García-Granero Herb use in the Mediterranean Antiquity Herbs, aromatic plants belonging to […]...
An experimental study by Nidhi Vastrad, Gayathri Rajendiran, Vivek Pandi Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, Centre of Excellence, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576 104, Karnataka, India Fire has […]...
The International Phytolith Society and the Brazilian Archaeobotany Network, together with the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at the University of São Paulo, are glad to welcome you...
A searchable database of all phytolith-related publications since 2019
Liu, Li; He, Yahui; Cohen, David; Chen, Xingcan; Shi, Jinming; Song, Yanhua (2026). Unveiling bast fiber production in Upper Paleolithic North China: Microfibers and usewear traces on stone tools from Shizitan. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0346767 Journal Article
Notarstefano, Florinda; Messa, Francesco; Sabetta, Gaia; Semeraro, Grazia (2026). Investigating Commensal Practices in Iron Age Communities of Southern Italy Through Functional Analysis of Local Pottery. Heritage. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9040125 Journal Article
Danu, Mihaela; Bejenaru, Luminița; Diaconu, Vasile; Stanc, Margareta Simina (2026). Phytolith Evidence for Vegetation Structure and Agro-Pastoral Resources During the Late Holocene: Insights from Medieval Sites of Northeastern Romania. Quaternary. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat9020023 Journal Article
A phytolith bibliography compiled by IPS Board member Rand Evett, with >10,000 references covering everything phytolith-related ever published, with archived pdfs available on request
IPS actively promotes the formation of Regional Working Groups, encouraging closer communication between researchers in close geographic proximity who often deal with similar phytolith-related issues.
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